Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

New York State residents are encouraged to apply for the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). This can be done immediately after completing the FAFSA on the Web by following the directions provided for New York State residents. If this opportunity is missed, the U.S. Department of Education will transmit data reported on the FAFSA to the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC) if a New York State school is listed on the FAFSA. NYSHESC will, in turn, generate an Express TAP Application (ETA) and contact the student by email. The ETA must be evaluated for accuracy, corrected, if necessary, and submitted with signature(s) to NYSHESC. NYSHESC will determine TAP eligibility and will inform the student and the College of the TAP award.

TAP eligibility is based upon the New York State Net Taxable Income. Annual TAP awards are subject to change, but in the 2012-2013 academic year they ranged from $500 to $5,000. Eligible students may receive a maximum of eight semesters of full-time TAP funding. TAP eligibility and award amounts are subject to the New York State budget process each year.

The Financial Aid Office will estimate TAP eligibility based upon data reported on the FAFSA. Because NYSHESC determines the actual TAP award and their determination is final, the TAP award estimated by the College may be adjusted accordingly.

While the College makes every effort to accurately estimate TAP eligibility, the College does not assume responsibility for TAP award adjustments effected by NYSHESC. Therefore, any student account balance created by a TAP award adjustment is the responsibility of the student.

TAP recipients must adhere to standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress and Program Pursuit in order to continue receiving TAP funding. Academic progress is evaluated each semester a student is awarded TAP and/or a NYS scholarship. There are currently two TAP Satisfactory Academic Progress charts. A student’s applicable chart is determined by the year he/she first received a TAP Award and/or a NYS Scholarship. The charts are listed below:

First TAP/NYS Scholarship Payment Received Prior to the 2010-11 Academic Year and All HEOP Students:

First TAP/NYS Scholarship Payment Received Beginning With the 2010-11 Academic Year and Thereafter:

TAP recipients must also achieve what is referred to as “satisfactory program pursuit.” This is defined as completing, with either a passing or a failing grade, a certain percentage of a full-time course load (12 credits per semester) in each term for which an award is received. The percentage is 50% of the minimum full-time course load in each term of study during the first year in which an award is received; 75% of the full-time course load in each term of study in the second year for which an award is received; and 100% of the minimum full-time course load in each term thereafter. Courses that were previously passed but repeated to achieve a better grade do NOT count toward TAP eligibility, nor toward pursuit-of-program requirements during the semester in which the repeat takes place.

Failure to maintain the above standards will result in suspension of TAP eligibility until academic deficiencies have been remedied. It should be noted that these standards apply to the determination of TAP eligibility only and are different from the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards for other types of financial aid.

If a student loses eligibility for TAP, he/she may submit a request for a one-time-only waiver, along with documentation that supports the reason for the waiver request. Waiver requests will be evaluated by the Institutional Status Review Committee (ISRC). A TAP waiver may be utilized only once.