Laptop Loan Program
SUNY Empire State College continues to offer a limited number of laptops for loan to students on a term by term basis. Now is the best time to make a request to prepare for the start of the fall semester.
To be eligible for a laptop, students need to be enrolled in a current or upcoming term, such as the summer or fall terms of 2021. This includes students who received incompletes for either term.
Priority will be given to those students who have completed the FAFSA process and who are recipients of Pell grants and/or have a low expected family contribution (EFC).
There is no cost to students associated with this loan. Shipping costs will be covered by the college.
Students may apply for a laptop loan by following the link below and completing the brief application. The application includes FAQs about the kind of laptops we have available, as well as other questions you may have.
Laptop Request Form
Laptop Loans: Frequently Asked Questions
All degree seeking students enrolled in an upcoming term are eligible. Priority is given to students who are PELL recipients/have a low Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as established by the FAFSA process
It is not possible at this time to choose from the laptops. The laptops which are currently being distributed are:
HP 250 G7 Notebook PC or Dell Latitude 5500 XCTO
- 15” monitor
- Windows 10 Pro (64bit)
- WiFi
- Bluetooth
- Camera, mic, and speaker
- 256GB Solid State Drive (m.2)
- 8 GB RAM
- i5-8365U CPU with integrated graphics
- No DVD/CD
The laptops are treated as personal technology. The user sets it up as they wish with the understanding that the college may not be able to support all the set-up, that is, if the user downloads a virus or has trouble with installation of any software beyond what we would support on their personal computer.
There is no tracking software installed. Upon return, the college ensures it is wiped of data and reset back to default factory settings before repurposing it.
All applicants will be notified of their status within 7-10 days of application submission via e-mail.
It will take 3-5 business days to arrive after notice to recipient that the laptop has been shipped
Yes, laptops are wiped down with sanitizing wipes prior to being boxed and shipped
Empire State College pays for the shipping of the laptops to and from the student. Be sure to retain all packaging for return shipment.
Laptops will come with factory default settings. Instructions for how to download Microsoft Office 365 are provided with the laptop.
By default, anything sent to your SUNY Empire email address will automatically be forwarded to the personal email address you have on file. Your access to your SUNY Empire Outlook email account, as well as the other Microsoft software that SUNY Empire offers, will become available the first day of the term that you are registered for. I have included a link to an article about this that may be helpful once your license becomes active.
Microsoft 365 for Students - Getting Started
No, the laptops are not available for purchase
Yes, the loans are on a term to term basis. Be sure to retain all packaging for return shipment
The college will send students a shipping label to stick on the original box. Students will then need to get them to UPS
When you know you are finishing your last class, reach out to us and let us know.
The college will be in touch with you via email to your ESC email address
If you are in need of accommodations due to a disability, or if you are unsure whether or not you qualify for disability services from the college, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources & Services at disability.services@esc.edu
Prepare the Box
Locate the box and make sure original paperwork for the laptop are included in the box.
If you do not have the box, you will need to purchase another box, designed for shipping laptops. We will need to reuse this, as was the original objective with the box it was sent to you in.
Prepare the Laptop for Return
Wipe the unit down to remove any finger prints, etc. We recommend using a paper towel or wipe. Avoid getting liquid inside the computer. Avoid spraying anything directly on the computer.
The Charger
Don’t forget it, we need it!
- We do not have extra chargers, therefore, the charger is critical for the operation of the unit.
- If you lost the charger, you will need to replace it. To know which charger to replace with, you will need to look online, identifying the specific model of laptop, to ensure the correct charger. The model information is on the underside of the laptop.
Shipping
- When you get the return label, place it on top of the original shipping label on the original box.
- Place the laptop in the box securing it with the packing materials.
- Include the charger and cords
- One strip of packaging tape across the opening of the box will suffice. There is no need for excessive tape.
- Drop the shipping box off with UPS.
Factory Reset of the Laptop
- We will perform a factory reset of the laptop when we receive it.
