College Discovery Program

To be eligible for the College Discovery program at Queensborough, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be a high school graduate or have a New York State approved General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or its equivalent.

• Have not attended college previously (except in the case of students transferring from another educational opportunity program such as EOP, SEEK, another CD Program, or HEOP).

• Must reside in New York City (for at least one year prior to applying to CUNY).

• Have a final high school grade point average that is lower than 80%.

• Meet the economic criteria listed below established by NYS Economic Eligibility Guidelines.

  Household Size* (including head of household)	Total Annual Income 2025
  1	$27,861
  2	$37,814
  3	$47,767
  4	$57,720
  5	$67,673
  6	$77,626
  7	$87,579
  8	$97,532

  * in 2024
  ** For 2025-26, add $9,953 for each additional family member in excess of 8.

• All CD applicants must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), for both PELL (federal aid), and TAP (New York state aid), as early as possible.

Visit Financial Aid

Community:

Being a part of the College Discovery Program provides you with instant community and support. Our program hosts a number of social and recreational events that offers students the chance to connect with other CD students and QCC students throughout the college.

Financial Benefits:

CD Students receive a stipend/allowance each semester to help with the cost of transportation and books. Through its support services, personalized academic assistance and individual college counseling, the CD program provides you with a clear path to a college degree and a meaningful higher education experience.

• The CD program offers additional funding beyond a student's financial aid package – $500 cash stipend per semester. 

• The program pays all required student fees.

Counseling Services:

• Students are assigned to a counselor who becomes their personal guide through their college experience. In addition, CD students enjoy the benefit of seeing their counselor on a walk-in basis.

• Students are also offered the opportunity to meet with a Master's level Social Work Intern for regular check-ins.

Academic Support Services:

• The Academic Support Center operates both in-person and remote tutoring sessions.

• The College Discovery Program is offering Online Tutoring Support through Blackboard.

• CD students have access to their own Academic Support Center (tutoring center) available by phone at (718) 631-6618 or at CDtutorialservices@qcc.cuny.edu, which offers free one-to-one and group tutoring in most courses offered at the college.

• CD students may also utilize the center's computers for research projects, printing, and completing class assignments.

• CD Students are also allowed to use the Academic Support Center as a quiet lounge where they can also relax and decompress.

 A Seamless Transfer Experience:

Successful participation in College Discovery grants you access to opportunity programs at the senior college level including the Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) Program within the City University of New York (CUNY), the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) within the State University of New York (SUNY), and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) at some private colleges and universities. 

CD accepts students who are interested in any major offered at the college.

Prospective students should indicate their interest in the College Discovery program on the CUNY application for admission. Interested students may also contact the College Discovery office directly at 718-631-6210 to inquire about their eligibility.

Fill our the Intent to Enroll in the College Discovery Program

Complete the College Discovery Application Form 2025-2026

Is your application status listed as incomplete? For assistance, please contact us by email at CollegeDiscovery@qcc.cuny.edu

As a first-year CD student, you must attend and successfully complete a mandatory summer bridge program where you take non-credit-bearing introductory course called CD-100. In CD-100,  you will learn about the expectations of college life, increase your self-awareness and motivation, build valuable skills, and learn about valuable QCC resources to prepare for the rigorous academic work required of college students.

If you have developmental needs in English and/ or Mathematics you are strongly recommended to take a summer course to begin to complete them.

ST-100 Course Outline

Welcome New College Discovery Admitted Student!

The checklist below contains the steps you will need to complete before you can register for classes! You will also have a chance to review this list with your College Discovery Counselor.

Enrollment Confirmation Process before Registering for Summer/ Fall Classes:

Complete and Submit: 2025-2026 College Discovery Supplemental Form within the next 2 weeks. In addition, you must submit:

• A signed copy of parent(s) income taxes-2023
• A federal IRS tax transcript from the IRS office-2023
• Other supporting proof of income documents-2023 (see To Do List below)

Attend a College Discovery Information Session

Financial Aid: Everyone is required to apply for financial aid. Apply for financial aid here.

Health History Forms: Complete and submit your Health History Forms and proof of immunizations to Health Services, Medical Arts Building, Room MC-02 or Fax to (718) 631-6330.

Advisement & Registration: Schedule an appointment for advisement and registration for Summer/Fall classes by contacting the College Discovery Office at 718-631-6210 or collegediscovery@qcc.cuny.edu.

Register for mandatory Summer/Fall class(es).

If attending summer school to complete high school graduation requirements, please provide a letter in a sealed envelope from your high school. The letter must include dates of summer school attendance.

Check the College Discovery / Financial Aid To-Do List below for any required documents.

College Discovery / Financial Aid To-Do List

• College Discovery Supplemental Form
• Proof of Citizenship
• 2023 Student's Federal Income Tax Form (only if independent)
• 2023 Parent's Federal Income Tax Form
• 2023 Parent's IRS Transcript
• 2023 PA Budget Letter
• 2023 SNAP
• 2023 IRS Non-Tax Filer Statement
• 2023 Child Support Report
• 2023 Unemployment Benefits
• 2023 Social Security Benefits
• Other Document(s); if required

Mission:

The College Discovery Program (CD) is committed to increasing the college access, sense of belonging, academic excellence and retention of New York City’s historically underserved students. Students are provided with academic advisement, supportive counseling, pre-freshman summer orientation, tutoring support and transfer-out assistance to enable them to successfully complete all requirements for graduation.

Goals:

1. Provide academically and economically disadvantaged eligible students academic advisement in their chosen program of study.

2. Provide students through a pre-freshmen seminar to prepare them for their first semester in college.

3. Continue to provide necessary supportive tutoring services that assist students to succeed academically and ultimately graduate.

4. Promote transfer opportunities for students and assist them with the next step beyond graduation in alignment with their future goals.