Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) for Undergraduate Students

The State University of New York's Educational Opportunity Program provides access, academic support and financial aid to students who show promise for succeeding in college but who may not have otherwise been offered admission. Program participants receive a variety of academic support services and modest financial support to alleviate non-tuition costs (e.g. books, supplies etc.) Available primarily to full-time, matriculated students, the program supports students throughout their college careers within the University.

Eligibility

To be eligible for EOP status, transfer students must have been an EOP, HEOP, SEEK, College Discovery student in their previous college. Those students who are transferring from a college or university that did not have one of these programs, or who are transferring from a college or university outside of New York State can be screened to verify both economic and academic eligibility prior to admission. Please note that you must be transferring to complete your first Bachelors degree. If you meet all of the requirements, please complete EOP UG verification form.

• EOP — New York State Educational Opportunity Program
• HEOP — Higher Education Opportunity Program;
• SEEK — Search for Education, Evaluation and Knowledge program; or the
• College Discovery Program
• Academic Guidelines for EOP

A student's high school grades, class rank and standardized test scores, alone, do not always provide an accurate picture of academic ability and potential to do college work. As part of the EOP application procedure students provide additional information (letters of recommendation and a personal statement) which outline extracurricular activities and job experiences as well as other personal and family obligations that may have affected the student's academic achievement.

This supplementary information aids the College in assessing the student's ability to do college work, especially if the traditional methods of evaluation are not true measures of the student's potential. Applicants must have completed all prerequisites and must show potential for satisfactory completion of their program of choice.

Economic Guidelines for EOP

Income guidelines have been established to determine economic eligibility for EOP. The table below lists financial eligibility requirements for EOP admission for students entering the 2020-21 academic year. Any subsequent changes to these guidelines will be posted here. In order to be determined economically disadvantaged, a student's household income must not exceed the amount shown for its size or the student's circumstances must conform to one of the exceptions indicated. https://www.suny.edu/attend/academics/eop/#income

EOP Economic Eligibility Guidelines Academic Year 2020-21 can be found here

Income guidelines do not apply if:

• The student's family is the recipient of Family Assistance or Safety Net payments through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; or through a county Department of Social Services; or Family Day Care payments through the New York State Office of Children and Family Assistance;
• The student is in foster care as established by the court;
• The student is a ward of the state or county.

After the EOP Verification form is completed, submit it to the Financial Aid Office at Downstate at: financialaid@downstate.edu OR fax to (718) 270-7592

For further information about graduate EOP transfer, you may contact the EOP Program at your college or the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Financial Aid Office at (718) 270-2488.