Graduating high school seniors outside of New York City in the coming days will be automatically accepted to their local community college as public higher education officials seek to boost college and university enrollment. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday the plan that was initially outlined this week by State University of New York Chancellor John King during his state of the university address this week. 

"Access to quality higher education is an engine for social mobility and we are taking comprehensive steps to ensure that college is affordable and accessible for students from all backgrounds," Hochul said. "My administration remains committed to removing barriers and easing the pathway to higher education for all high school seniors - lifting up students to build a brighter future for themselves and New York."  

Letters will be sent in the coming days to 125,000 graduating students in New York. The City University of New York earlier in May announced it will be sending 65,000 seniors on pace to graduate personalized letters informing them of their acceptance to the system as well. 

New York lawmakers and Hochul in May agreed to a budget that boosted operating aid to public colleges and universities in New York to more than $1.3 billion, an allocation that also turned back a proposed increase in tuition for in-state students initially proposed by Hochul. 

Officials at SUNY have sought to stress how an undergraduate or graduate degree can be beneficial over a lifetime. 

"There is a place for every New Yorker at SUNY, and we are excited to make college an easy decision because our high school seniors and their parents understand their options," said King. "High-demand jobs increasingly require a college education, and thanks to New York's generous financial aid offerings, SUNY is an extraordinary value proposition."