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The New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York residents pay for their undergraduate college tuition.

Awards vary according to applicant’s school, level of study, tuition, and net taxable income as reported on your TAP application and FAFSA.

The application deadline for Academic Year 26-27 is June 30, 2027.

There are three pathways through which students may access New York State financial aid: the FAFSA, the NYS DREAM Act, or the new alternate eligibility pathway.

The HESC has launched a New Application Pathway for eligible students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens who do not want to complete a FAFSA due concerns related to the privacy of their information, but still wish to apply for New York State financial aid.

This application offers a clear and secure pathway from impacted students to access many NY State grants and scholarships, including the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) without requiring them to complete the FAFSA.

While the path provides access to many NY state financial programs, it’s important to note that students who apply for state-funded financial aid through this path, will not be eligible for Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA) program, which is require a completed FAFSA as part of their application process. Thay also won’t be eligible for federal financial aid, including the Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, and Federal loans unless they submit a FAFSA.

Updated guidance, eligibility criteria, and FAQs are available on the application page information.

Eligibility

In order to qualify, students must meet certain requirements:

  • be a legal resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to enrolling, or qualified under NYS DREAM Act (Students who do not meet residency requirements may be eligible for TAP through the NYS DREAM Act);
  • be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen; or eligible under the NYS DREAM Act application.
  • have graduated from high school in the United States, or the recognized equivalent (GED), or earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test identified by the NYS Board of Regents and independently administered and evaluated by the Commissioner of Education;
  • study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State;
  • be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing with at least a "C" average as of the 4th semester payment
  • meet Good Academic Standing (GAS) requirements each term, which include Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Pursuit of Program (POP), in order to receive and retain an award;
  • be enrolled as a full-time student taking twelve or more credits applicable toward the degree program, per semester;
  • be charged at least $200 tuition per year;
  • meet income eligibility limitations; beginning with Academic Year 2024-25 and thereafter, net taxable income cannot exceed $125,000 for dependent students; $60,000 for married students with no dependents; $30,000 for independent single students with no dependents;
  • not be in default on any state or federal student loans and not be in default on any repayment of State awards;
  • be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.

The minimum award increased to $1,000 effective 2024-25.

Average annual TAP awards range between $1000 and $5,665 for dependent students or independent students who are married and have tax dependents or independent students who are single and have tax dependents. Awards range between $1000 and $3,025 for independent students who are married and have no other tax dependents.

Students can receive up to eight payments of TAP for full-time study in an undergraduate program.

Academic Standing Chart for Financial Aid Eligibility

To determine the number of credits students must complete and the minimum grade point average they must achieve to remain in good academic standing and eligible for financial aid, students should consult the college bulletin.

TAP Waiver

Students may not be eligible to receive their TAP Award without a TAP waiver if, in the previous semester, they:

  • Withdrew from all courses sometime after the add/drop period; OR
  • Completed less than 6 credits in each semester of the first year of awards, less than 9 credits in each semester of the second year of awards, and less than 12 credits in each semester of the third and fourth year of TAP awards; AND/OR
  • Earned fewer credits and have less Grade Point Average (GPA) than required in order to be eligible to receive further TAP awards for subsequent semesters.

According to state guidelines, students may receive only one TAP waiver from these guidelines during their undergraduate career.

The "C" Waiver

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher to be eligible for a fifth TAP payment. However, students who fall below a 2.0 may petition the Committee on Academic Standing for a "C" waiver. A student can receive more than one "C" waiver, providing the circumstances are not the same.

Part Time TAP

Eligibility

  • Matriculated in an eligible program of study at a TAP eligible degree granting NYS college.
  • Enrolled in at least 3 but fewer than 12 credits degree-applicable undergraduate coursework.
  • Have a cumulative C-Average. Good Academic Standing Waivers cannot be used to qualify students who do not meet the C-Average requirement.
  • Must apply for and be approved for TAP through a traditional TAP application, the Alternative Eligibility Path or NYS DREAM Act TAP application. 

Enrollment Requirements

  • Beginning with 2025-26, students must be enrolled in at least 3 but fewer than 12 credits of degree-applicable coursework to qualify for a Part-time TAP award.
  • New guidelines, enacted July 1, 2022, allow full-time students who have at least 6 to 11 credits of degree-applicable coursework to receive a Part-time TAP award for their eligible part-time enrollment and tuition charges.
  • For schools with modular/short term programs, students must be registered and enrolled in all coursework at the start of the term and one course must be 15 weeks in length to meet full-time requirements. Students who cancel/drop their enrollment in the full 15-week course are not eligible. The 15-week rule also applies in summer. Even during summer sessions, at least one course must be 15 weeks long if the program is modular. Students cannot add courses to be paid after the end of the add/drop period.
  • Students taking remedial courses may be eligible for Part-time TAP, provided the student takes at least one 3-credit course for the term.
  • Advanced Placement (AP), pre-college, or non-matriculated credits cannot be applied toward enrollment status for Part-time TAP eligibility.
  • While new guidelines enacted July 1, 2022, have eliminated the prior full-time enrollment requirement for Part-Time TAP, there still is a 24-credit previous enrollment requirement for TAP awards subject to the Accelerated Study requirements for students who were full-time at any point during the academic year.
  • The ‘Last Semester’ and ‘Semester Prior to Last Semester’ leniency for course applicability does not apply to part-time TAP. This guidance is only for full-time study.
  • Students are capped at a maximum of 12 TAP payment points (equivalent of two full-time semesters) for the year (excluding accelerated study TAP awards.

The Enhanced Tuition Awards (ETA) Program

The Enhanced Tuition Awards (ETA) program provides tuition awards to students who are New York State residents attending a participating private college located in New York State. Recipients will receive $6,000 through a combination of their TAP award, ETA award and a match from their private college.

Eligibility includes New York state residency, income eligibility, and course-load requirements. Students must graduate on time and live and work in New York state after graduation for as many years as they receive the award or the ETA award amount will revert to a loan that must be repaid. Students interested in the ETA program should read all of the eligibility criteria and post-graduation requirements.

You can contact the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 888-697-4372 or scholarships@hesc.ny.gov with questions about ETA.

Additional State Scholarships