Education & Student Aid · Surprise rank #434
CUNY Student? ASAP/ACE Can Cover an OMNY Pass, Textbooks and a Tuition Gap
CUNY ASAP and ACE combine intensive advising with practical supports that can include unlimited-ride transit, textbook help and a tuition-and-fee gap award.
Who
Eligible new or continuing CUNY students at participating colleges who meet the program’s enrollment, credit, residency, major and financial-aid requirements.
Where: New York City / participating CUNY campuses
What to do
Start here: Check CUNY’s current ASAP/ACE “Join” page for your college and contact that campus program before registration deadlines.
Eligibility: You must attend a participating CUNY college and meet current ASAP/ACE academic and enrollment rules. Full-time enrollment is generally required, with program-specific credit and major rules; financial-aid filing affects some benefits.
What you get
ASAP/ACE are structured CUNY student-success programs with dedicated advising, academic/career support, priority registration and financial supports intended to help students stay on track to graduate.
Benefit: Benefits can include an unlimited-ride OMNY benefit, textbook stipend and a tuition-and-fee gap award after applicable financial aid, plus advising and academic/career support.
Possible value: Potentially hundreds to several thousand dollars per year in transit, books and tuition-gap support, depending on the student and campus; CUNY does not promise one identical cash amount to every participant.
Good to know
Important: ASAP/ACE is not automatic for every CUNY student and benefits can differ by program/campus. Students without financial aid may participate in some circumstances but may not receive the tuition-gap benefit.
Availability: Active at participating CUNY colleges
Why people miss it: Students may think the program is only academic advising and overlook the transit, textbook and tuition-gap supports attached to participation.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026