Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP)

The Graduate Opportunity Program provides tuition assistance to EOP, HEOP and SEEK graduates who are undertaking graduate study at participating SUNY institutions. The University at Buffalo is a participating institution. This program provides scholarships up to the cost of in-state tuition to full-time students who are pursuing graduate or first professional degrees, excluding medical (MD), dental (DDS), pharmacy (PharmD) and law (JD), and who are determined to have exceptional need by the FAFSA and the Office of Financial Aid. Students in MD, DDS, PharmD or JD programs can be considered for the Economically Disadvantaged First Professional Study (EDPS) Program funding.

Students who are admitted to the University at Buffalo by the priority deadline will receive the strongest consideration for funding. Students admitted to UB after the priority deadline are considered on a rolling basis, pending available funds.

State funding for the GOP program is extremely limited. Awards are not guaranteed for all who qualify.

• Priority Deadline: March 1

• Be a New York State resident who graduated from a four-year EOP, HEOP or SEEK program. 
  
• Be entering their first graduate degree.
• Be admitted to a University at Buffalo graduate degree program as a full-time student.
• Note that GOP scholarship funding at UB begins only in the fall semester. Students who begin their graduate program in the spring are not eligible for GOP funding until the following fall.

As of fall 2025, separate applications for GOP funding are no longer required. Eligible students will automatically be considered for funding when they indicate they participated in an EOP/HEOP/SEEK program on their graduate school applications.

• GOP tuition scholarships are awarded at up to the standard in-state graduate tuition rate ($5,565 per semester, as of 2025-2026). The student is responsible for any tuition cost in excess of the amount received, as well as for the student fees associated with enrollment.
• Funding is provided only for the minimum number of credit hours required to complete a degree program. Master’s students may be considered for up to four semesters of funding; professional students (DNP, DPT) for up to six semesters; and doctoral students (PhD) for up to eight semesters. Funding is not provided for multiple degrees, for stand-alone certificate programs, or for part-time students.
• To maintain GOP funding, students must continue to register full-time (or be certified full-time), obtain a 3.0 GPA each semester and complete classes in a timely manner. Failure to meet these requirements may result in termination of a student’s award.

Information is subject to change without notice, due to changes in federal, state, and/or institutional rules and regulations. Students must be making satisfactory academic progress to continue to receive financial aid.