Accessing the Opportunities Fund

Review the Opportunities Fund Guidelines to confirm your activity is eligible for funding. Applications for the Opportunities Fund will be accepted only during two access periods, fall and spring. You must request reimbursements during the first access period following the activity.

Speak with your Macaulay Advisor about your academic goals before you submit an application or commit to any one program and/or activity.

Please select the appropriate checklist below for your requested activity. Upload the completed and signed checklist with your supporting documents on your application.

• Study Abroad/Study Away
• Internship/Research/Fieldwork

Pass the Opportunities Fund Quiz

It’s not difficult!

Fill out the Opportunities Fund Application. Be sure to complete all relevant tasks as indicated on the checklist. Your Macaulay Advisor may set earlier deadlines for you to submit draft statement of justifications in order to advise you more effectively. Click here for sample statements of justification.

The application will guide you through the process of uploading the statement of justification and relevant documentation.

Click submit to have your application reviewed by your Macaulay Advisor during an official access period.

Be on the lookout for emails from your advisor throughout the application review process.

Direct deposit is a fast, convenient and secure way of receiving your financial aid, scholarships and Opportunities Fund award. Without direct deposit, a check lost in the mail will take 6-8 weeks to reissue. Click here for more info on how to sign up.  If you prefer to receive a check, make sure your mailing address is up to date on CUNYfirst.

Payments are made as funds become available. If approved, we cannot guarantee payments will be made in time for payment deadlines or before the activity takes place.  Please consider these out-of-pocket costs before making program deposits and/or purchasing items.

Keep in mind that your financial aid budget determines how much federal, state, city, and scholarship money you can receive in any given year based on your cost of attendance. If the approved Opportunities Fund exceeds this federally regulated budget, your award may be reduced or canceled.

After receiving funding, you may be required to provide us with additional documents. Access the receipts submission form via the Opportunities Fund Application and click  “Submit Receipts.”

Please keep in mind that circumstances are constantly changing. Any of the following recommendations are subject to change, in accordance with CUNY policy, CDC guidelines, or federal, state, and city laws. 

Study Abroad and Study Away

Can I use Opportunities Funds to Study Abroad?

No. No funding, tuition waivers, or credit towards honors requirements may be awarded for any study abroad or away (outside NYC), through Spring 2021. This also includes awarding requirement completion credit (study abroad/internship) for self-funded activities. Doing so would amount to tacit endorsement of international travel, which still poses an unacceptable public health risk. 

The prohibition also includes study abroad opportunities directly arranged outside of CUNY, via international universities, or 3rd party study abroad providers. For the fall 2020 semester, if a student earns credit while attending a college in-person outside the US, they should be advised that those credits are not transferable to CUNY. 

We are not endorsing “virtual,” “remote,” or “online” study abroad programs at this time. While some of these programs may have merit beyond traditional online courses, we do not currently have the capacity to evaluate their applicability to Macaulay’s standards of experiential learning. 

Remote Internships/Research

Can I use Opportunities Funds for a remote internship or research?

Yes. Fully remote internships and research positions are eligible for Opportunities Funds (including reimbursements) as well as honors requirement fulfillment, as long as the placement meets the minimum standards outlined in the Careerpath Student Handbook, including weekly virtual supervision meetings. 

As is the case with study abroad, in-person internships/research located outside the US may not be funded nor fulfill requirements.

In-person Internships/Research Within NYC

Can I use Opportunities Funds for an internship or research within NYC?

Yes. In-person research and internships/research within the 5 boroughs of New York City may be funded and awarded requirement credit, from Fall 2020 onward. These opportunities should strictly adhere to state and city regulations regarding public health and safety. 

Can I get a reimbursement for an in-person internship/research which happened while the state was on quarantine in Spring-Summer 2020?

No. We cannot accept reimbursement funding requests for in-person internships that violated the New York Stay-at-Home order, or CUNY travel suspension period.

In-person Internships/Research Outside NYC

If I live outside NYC, can I fund a local in-person internship/research that was also outside the city?

Maybe, but consider alternatives. If a student lives outside New York City (for example, Nassau or Westchester Counties, or other US states), their eligibility for in-person internships/research is contingent on approval of the CUNY Travel Warning Waiver Petition process. This process requires students first petition the home campus provost for approval, with additional levels of approval required at CUNY Central. 

Internship Learning Agreement forms for in-person, non-NYC activities must be completed in advance to qualify for Opportunities Funds this fall access period. In past terms, we have been able to accept learning agreements which had the basic info but were missing signatures from the internship/research supervisor. But in this case, the ILA must be complete to be submitted to the waiver process. 

Because approval is not guaranteed, we recommend students living outside NYC try instead to secure a remote internship, if possible. But if you want to engage in this process, please discuss with your advisor.