1. Eligibility. A New York opportunity promise scholarship shall be awarded to an applicant who meets all of the following conditions:

1. (a) is at least twenty-five years of age or older, but in no case more than fifty-five years of age, as of January first of the calendar year for the semester for which the applicant makes initial application;
2. (b) has applied for a New York state tuition assistance program award pursuant to section six hundred sixty-seven of this chapter, a federal Pell grant pursuant to section 1070 of title 20 of the United States code, et. seq., and any other applicable financial aid;
3. (c) is matriculated at a New York state public institution of higher education in an approved program directly leading to an associate's degree in a high-demand field; provided that for the two thousand twenty-five -- two thousand twenty-six academic year, such fields shall include but not be limited to advanced manufacturing, technology, cybersecurity, engineering, artificial intelligence, nursing and allied health professions, green and renewable energy, and pathways to teaching in shortage areas, provided further that such fields may be updated annually thereafter by the department of labor no later than one hundred eighty days prior to the first start date of the fall term of such New York state public institutions of higher education, and provided further that the eligibility of such approved program established in the semester for which the applicant makes initial application shall continue;
4. (d) is eligible for the payment of tuition and fees at a rate no greater than that imposed for resident students in the applicable New York state public institution of higher education; and
5. (e) has not already obtained any postsecondary degree, provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit the eligibility of a student who is already enrolled in an eligible associate degree program on the effective date of this section and who meets all the other eligibility requirements of this subdivision, and provided further that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit the eligibility of a student who, though having previously obtained a postsecondary degree, is enrolled in an approved program leading to an associate's degree in nursing.

5. Reporting. By September first, two thousand twenty-six, and by September first of each year thereafter, the chancellor of the state university of New York and the chancellor of the city university of New York shall each submit a report to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, and the temporary president of the senate, including but not limited to the following information:

1. (a) enrollment data by full and part-time status;
2. (b) retention and completion rates by full and part-time status;
3. (c) barriers to student participation;
4. (d) demographic data related to the program;
5. (e) average prior learning and transfer credit awarded;
6. (f) the total amount of funds awarded and the average award per student; and
7. (g) post-completion outcomes including transfer, employment, and wages, as applicable.