Education programs cover high school equivalency (GED) prep and testing, adult literacy, English classes, college access and programs that continue college work started in prison. Most adult education here is free.
Tip: if you earned credits, a certificate or a diploma while incarcerated, request your transcript from the facility or the college that ran the program, so you get credit for that work instead of repeating it.
Queens has fewer local listings than Manhattan or Brooklyn, so the citywide services below, many of which work by phone, fill much of the gap.
13 services based in Queens, plus 70 citywide
Full-service reentry hub: housing (emergency to permanent), benefits enrollment, case management, education, employment, outpatient substance use and mental health treatment, family services, HIV/AIDS services and ATI programs. No legal services.
Beginner to advanced digital literacy training (email, smartphones, Google Suite, video conferencing, resume writing, digital safety) and free devices for people impacted by the criminal legal system.
Free HSE prep or college prep track with tutoring, counseling, parenting seminars, financial incentives and job preparation.
Offers ESOL classes and conversation groups, Adult Basic Education, HSE/pre-HSE prep (including for ages 16-24), citizenship prep, technology training, and case-manager referrals to social services; the New Americans Program adds free workshops on citizenship, jobs, and other topics in Queens' most widely spoken immigrant languages.
Free technology-focused training and workshops for job seekers, entrepreneurs and business owners.
Serves public housing residents and other low-income New Yorkers with employment services, financial counseling, free tax preparation, a federal credit union, youth development, a college access program, a worker cooperative initiative, and free mental health counseling at locations across NYC.
Supports formerly incarcerated women, girls, and gender-fluid individuals with trauma-informed care, safe housing, employment pathways, and entrepreneurship support. Programs include 'She Writes Her Trauma,' a writing-based healing workshop, and 'When She Comes Home,' which offers care packages and transitional support to women and girls returning from incarceration.
Provides a network of mediation and conflict resolution programs to individuals, youth, and families in NYC. Visitation/custody and divorce mediation offered on a sliding fee scale. Other services include court diversion programs, therapeutic interventions, specialized educational programs, and school-based services.
Support for formerly incarcerated people applying to law school: support letters, LSAT tutoring, and an affinity group once enrolled.
HSE prep, English classes and job training programs through CUNY.
Software engineering and AI training program with job placement.
Connects justice-impacted people to resources, helps get a NYS ID through ID Assist, and publishes a Queens Reentry Resource Guide.
Free computer classes from mouse basics and email to Microsoft Office certification prep; lends tablets and laptops at some branches.
These serve people from every borough, often by phone, online or at more than one office.
Free ESOL, ABE and English-for-Work classes in 10-week cycles.
A joint program of NYC's three public library systems offering free, one-on-one tech support to help New Yorkers use devices, connect to the internet, set up online accounts, and build tech skills.
Free computer-training workshops: internet basics, Microsoft Office, video chat, coding, online job searching.
State office providing information on all pathways to a High School Equivalency diploma: application forms, eligibility, required documents and test sites. The call center gives recorded information Tue-Thu 10am-12pm.
Provides services to children, families, and adults, including therapeutic, educational, vocational, and supportive services for young adults on Rikers Island before and after release, Multi-Systemic Therapy for court-involved youth, foster care, early childhood education, and family/community services such as counseling, employment, and substance use treatment.
Free ESOL, Basic Education and HSE/GED preparation classes at CUNY campuses.
Free basic education, ESOL and HSE test preparation for adults 21+ without a US high school diploma or equivalency, plus tuition-free career and technical education classes; some classes may have material/exam fees.
Offers free or low-cost early childhood education for children ages six weeks to three years old who are not yet eligible for 3-K, including education, health, nutrition, and social services.
Offers counseling, substance use treatment, early childhood mental health and education programs (including Head Start and Early Head Start), and after-school and enrichment programs for youth in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. The Jamaica Family Wellness Center serves court-involved youth, and the Benefits Access program helps families enroll in entitlement benefits and health insurance and get referrals for financial and legal assistance.
26 colleges plus adult education (ESOL, HSE, college transition). Support page for students with conviction records.
A faith-based organization offering housing, continuity-of-care support, and education for formerly incarcerated individuals at Abraham House and Ignacio House. Residents can access scholarships to partnering colleges and job-readiness and career-development support, plus help finding permanent affordable housing; a food pantry operates Saturdays at its Bronx location (340 Willis Avenue).
Scholarships for Native students at accredited nonprofit colleges.
