Homeschool benefits: Hudson Valley Community College

Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) gave homeschooled students living in its service-area school districts a full-tuition scholarship for one summer course of up to four credits in 2026, and homeschoolers outside the area paid $70 per credit. Summer 2027 registration is expected to open in April 2027, and HVCC says summer scholarships vary by year and are not guaranteed.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Is in high school

   College in the High School (CIHS) is mainly for 11th and 12th graders, and a student may start as early as the summer before ninth grade with approval. Graduates are not eligible.

2. Lives in a service-area district

   Homeschooled students who reside in HVCC's service-area districts, which include Albany, Troy, Cohoes, Mechanicville, Ballston Spa, Clifton Park, and Waterford, were eligible for the summer 2026 scholarship.

3. Is approved by a reporting entity

   The district, BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services), or other entity that receives your quarterly or annual reports must approve each course request. A parent cannot approve it.

4. Files a Certificate of Residence

   New York residents submit one in Voyager, HVCC's registration system, dated no more than 60 days before registering.

What it is worth

HVCC's summer 2026 terms: full tuition for one course up to four credits in the service area, and $70 per credit outside it, which HVCC says is one-third of standard tuition.

3-credit course, service area

$0

4-credit course, service area

$0

3-credit course, outside the area

$210

4-credit course, outside the area

$280

4-credit course at standard tuition

$840

The scholarship does not cover textbooks or course materials, and courses outside the summer session dates are charged full tuition and fees.

From applying to keeping it

1. Before you register

   Line up your approver

   Ask the district or BOCES that receives your homeschool reports to act as your high school contact and approve course requests.

2. From April 2027

   Request a course in Voyager

   Create a Voyager account and request the course. Enter the name of your reporting district or BOCES as the high school, not the word Homeschool.

3. Within 60 days of registering

   Submit residency proof

   Get a Certificate of Residence no sooner than 60 days before you register and upload it in Voyager.

4. By the due date

   Settle the bill

   Pay any HVCC tuition bill, including the $70 per credit rate if you live outside the service area.

5. Summer session

   Take the course

   In 2026, summer CIHS courses ran July 6 to August 13.

What it pays for

Covered

• Online summer CIHS courses

Not covered

• Textbooks and course materials
• A second summer course
• Students who have graduated

Who to contact

The College in the High School office in the Administration Building, Room 220, answers questions about summer courses and approvals, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

cihs@hvcc.edu 518-629-8164 Summer CIHS page

Homeschool rules and statewide help in New York

Send a letter of intent by July 1 each year, or within 14 days of a midyear start. You must submit the IHIP within four weeks after receiving district forms or by August 15, whichever is later.

New York sets these rules:

• Subjects: Teach the subjects required for each grade band by Part 100.10, including patriotism and citizenship. Provide the equivalent of 180 days: 900 hours annually in grades 1–6 and 990 hours in grades 7–12.
• Testing: Annual assessment: grades 1–3, test or written narrative; grades 4–8, standardized test at least every other year, with a written narrative permitted in alternate years; grades 9–12, standardized test annually. A score above the 33rd percentile or one year of growth meets the progress standard.
• Records: Keep attendance records and make them available to the district on request. Submit an annual IHIP, quarterly reports, and the annual assessment.
• Teachers: New York requires the instructor to be competent; it does not require a teaching certificate.

Read the New York homeschooling guide See statewide programs in New York

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