Half a million dollars in state funds is to be made available for tours of colleges to provide low-income students, which will be of interest to the local colleges. .

The idea is to give young people from across the state chance to get a first-hand look at college and raise their interest in moving on to college from high school.

A visit to a college campus can significantly influence a student’s motivation to continue education beyond high school, according to the announcement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. While going on a college tours is a “rite of passage” for many high school students, the expense is often beyond the reach for low-income students and their families.

“We are giving low-income high school students and their families the opportunity to explore colleges firsthand,” Cuomo said. “These grants are an important investment in our children, allowing disadvantaged students to visit campuses and realize that a bright academic future is within their reach.”

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), which administers the program, is dedicating $500,000 to support sub-grants of up to $45,000 for organizations that provide college tours to low-income students. The tours are to be provided by schools, not-for-profit agencies, and community-based organizations that work directly with at-risk populations and populations that are traditionally underserved.

More than 700 low-income students participated in tours under a $250,000 summer program.

Detailed information about the College Access Challenge Grant Program, including application information for the College Tour Initiative, recipients of CACG sub-grant awards and their projects, is available at HESC.ny.gov/CACG.