FAQs

We have three terms per year beginning in September, January, and May. Each term offers 15 and 8-week long options. You can begin your program with the start of any term.

When you matriculate (become a degree-seeking student) at Empire State College, you are assigned a mentor who will work with you throughout your program at Empire State College. You will have regular contact with your mentor through whatever means is most convenient to you - mail, phone, fax or e-mail. If you are taking courses as a non-matriculated student, you will have access to our on-call or first-term advisor, as needed, for help with choosing courses from term to term, or deciding on a direction or area of study should you decide to matriculate.

For an associate degree, 64 semester credit hours are required for degree completion. Of these, 24 must be taken from our institution. Up to half of these can be cross registered at other regionally accredited colleges, if approved within the degree plan.

For a bachelor's degree, 124 semester credit hours are required for degree completion. Of these, 31 must be taken from our institution. Up to half of these can be cross registered at other regionally accredited colleges, if approved within the degree plan.

Empire State College will transfer all credit (courses with grades of C and above) acquired at another regionally accredited college or university, provided that it is relevant to the degree program.

Classes are delivered completely at a distance in web-based formats. Learning materials designed for success at a distance include course guides, contemporary texts and reading; cassettes, videos, software (depending on the course); and online discussion areas. There are no residency requirements at the associate or bachelor's level.

No. All accepted applicants must have a high school degree or GED and demonstrate the ability to do college-level work in the application essay.

There is a course guide for every course. The course guide will tell you when to do the readings, when to participate in online discussions, and when to complete written assignments. It's your roadmap to the course, the piece that ties all of the information together into a structured, guided study.

No. You don't have to own a computer, but you must have access to one with Internet capability to do distance learning. However, some instructors will substitute offline assignments for military students when necessary, but you are still usually expected to access the course online at least part of the time.

Yes. The student must have the official transcript sent directly to Empire State College from the institution, and request an evaluation of the transcript by World Education Services, INC (WES). Students request an evaluation by submitting an Application for Evaluation of Foreign Educational Credentials with a copy of their transcript to WES. Applications are available through Empire State College.

Yes. Empire State College accepts credit earned on a wide variety of college-level examinations such as CLEP, DANTES, Regents College Examinations, and Thomas Edison College Examination Program (TECEP).

Yes. Active Duty Military Personnel can keep in touch with their tutors (instructors) through the mail, phone, fax and e-mail.

You can take as many courses as your time permits, but we recommend taking 4-8 credits per term. Each 4 credit course requires approximately 10 hours of study per week.

Navy TA pays 100% of tuition for 12 semester hours per fiscal year and up to a $3000 cap, for all eligible Sailors in the program. Sailors are responsible for the remaining tuition, fees and the cost of course materials. To participate, complete a Navy Tuition Assistance Application form NETPDTC 1560/3 Rev. (09/07) and submit it to your Navy College Office (NCO). The NCO will issue a TA Authorization document indicating the Navy's portion of tuition. Include the TA Authorization document with your registration form when you enroll in courses at SUNY Empire State College. Sailors may obtain information about Navy Tuition Assistance from the Navy College Program.

If eligible, all participants have access to any financial aid offered by the institution. For more information, please visit our financial aid web site.

To use your VA benefits, provide the appropriate form to Vanessa Redfield, Office of the Registrar, Empire State College, 111 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. You can request a form by calling 800-847-3000 ext 2495, or by e-mailing vanessa.redfield@esc.edu.

You can find out the amount of your VA benefits by calling 800-827-1000.

There are no in-state or out-of-state fees. SUNY Empire State College offers a military rate of $250 per credit.  Most fees are waived.