Queens College and Townsend Harris High School Reunited

A new bridge program allows high school seniors to earn six tuition-free college credits in New York City.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Financial Aid

Queens College and Townsend Harris High School Reunited

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Should local high schools offer college credit programs to prepare students for higher education?

Queens College and Townsend Harris High School have launched a new bridge program that enables students to earn six college credits through the CUNY College Now initiative. This effort restores a collaborative academic pathway at no cost to students.

Why it matters

The partnership reduces the financial burden on the high school while encouraging future college enrollment for local seniors. By integrating high schoolers into the campus environment, the program aims to improve long-term student outcomes.

Seniors enroll in one Humanities Seminar course each semester at the Queens College campus. This initiative replaces a previous bridge program that spanned 40 years before funding was cut by the New York City Department of Education in 2020.

The players

Queens College

This is a public research university located in Flushing that serves as the host site for the bridge program.

Townsend Harris High School

This is a selective public high school in Kew Gardens Hills that is partnering with the college to provide advanced coursework.

CUNY College Now

This is a City University of New York initiative designed to provide high school students with opportunities to earn college credit.

The details

Students gain direct access to the Queens College library and attend classes alongside current undergraduate students. This environment allows high schoolers to interact directly with college faculty during their academic tenure.

The original bridge program operated between 1980 and 2020.
The New York City Department of Education cut funding for the original program in 2020.
Townsend Harris High School could no longer sustain the bridge program funding in 2025.
The new partnership was celebrated on October 1, 2026.

Roadmap

This program reflects a broader trend of leveraging established university systems to fill gaps left by fluctuations in municipal education budgets. By utilizing the CUNY College Now initiative, the schools are formalizing a pathway to keep local academic standards competitive.

Local families benefit from the removal of tuition costs for six college credits that were previously at risk of disappearing. Students can now plan their senior year with the expectation of entering college with a jump-start on their degree requirements.

The takeaway

This partnership highlights the importance of institutional cooperation to maintain academic access after public funding cuts. Students looking to participate should prioritize their enrollment in the Humanities Seminar courses early to secure their spots.