New York State Financial Aid

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New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) (School Code – 2038)

TAP is a New York State grant program available to qualified New York State residents who attend an approved postsecondary institution within the State. Eligibility is based on the family’s New York State taxable income. Awards will range from a minimum of $500 per year to a maximum of the annual cost of tuition or $5,665, whichever is less. Students and families will initiate the TAP application process online at HESC.NY.GOV. The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) administers the TAP program. TAP is a grant and does not have to be repaid. New York State TAP requires a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average after a student has received 4 payments.

New York State Satisfactory Academic Progress

New York State academic standards require that a student complete a certain number of credits each term an award is received, accrue degree credit at specified levels, and maintain a certain grade point average. The specific requirements, however, are based on the number of state awards received, no matter at what institution, as outlined in the chart below. An Aid for Part-time Study award counts as one-half of a TAP award.

Academic Requirements for the New York State Programs

Before being certified for this TAP Payment

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

You must have completed (passed or failed) this many credits since your last TAP payment*

0

6

6

9

9

12

You must have accrued at least this many credits since your last TAP payment*

0

6

15

27

39

51

With at least this cumulative grade point average

0

1.3

1.5

1.8

2.0

2.0

*Grades A, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, S, or U constitute completed credits.

 TAP Payments

  • TAP payments are limited to three years (6 payments) for students enrolled in a two-year associate program.
  • Payment and any TAP award or scholarship can only be made after a student begins classes and is matriculated in an approved program.
  • Students may not repeat a course in which a grade of D or better was achieved. Students may not repeat a course for which credit was already granted.
  • Transfer students must submit all academic transcripts for credit evaluation.
  • To retain eligibility for a TAP award or scholarship, a student must maintain good academic standing as determined by the college.
  • If, after completing one associate degree, students pursue a second associate degree, they may be eligible for TAP if the second degree program is entirely new subject matter with the student taking 12 credits of required course work in the new program. It is strongly recommended to check with the TAP certifying officer in the Registrar’s Office regarding the use of TAP funds for a second associate degree.

TAP (with ADA)

Education Law section 661(d) (4) provides that for students who are disabled as defined by the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, “the full-time attendance requirement is eliminated. Such disabled students may be in part-time attendance, as defined by the commissioner in order to be eligible to receive payments. . .”

According to section 145-2.1(a)(4) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, for a student with a disability, “part-time study or attendance shall mean enrollment for at least three but less than 12 semester hours per semester or the equivalent, or at least two but less than eight semester hours per quarter.” ADA Part-Time TAP recipients must meet all TAP eligibility requirements. Prior to the 2015-16 academic year, good academic standing was determined using the same satisfactory academic progress standard used for Aid for Part-Time Study – that was, for each ADA Part-Time TAP award, a recipient had two semesters to meet the progress standard.

Beginning with the 2015-16 academic year, for ADA students who received their first state award during the 2010-11 academic year and thereafter and who are enrolled less than full-time, good academic standing will be determined using new SAP standards which does not modify the requirements for disabled students, but aligns them to be equivalent with those required of full-time students.

New York State Aid for Part Time Study (APTS)

The APTS grant program provides funding for students who are attending college on a part- time basis (3-11 degree applicable credits per term). At C-GCC this grant is awarded to students who have a 2.00 cumulative grade point average and earned a minimum of 6 credits. APTS awards range from $100 to $1000. A separate APTS application is required along with a signed copy of the NYS tax return.

New York State Part-Time Scholarship (PTS)

The New York State Part-time Scholarship (PTS) Award Program provides tuition awards to students attending a SUNY or CUNY community college who are enrolled in at least 6 but less than 12 credits each term.

Eligibility:

In order to apply a student must be a resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the term; be a U.S. citizen or eligible non- citizen; have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma, or passed a federally approved “Ability to Benefit” test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department; be matriculated in an approved undergraduate program at a SUNY or CUNY community college; be enrolled in at least six but less than 12 credits per term; maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher; be in a non-default status on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award; and be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award. A recipient of a PTS Award will receive an award that covers the cost of six credit hours or $1,500 per term, whichever is less, at a SUNY or CUNY community college. Recipients will be selected and prioritized based on financial need. Financial need is established in the year the award is first granted and is determined by the applicant’s federal Expected Family Contribution as reflected on the applicant’s federal student aid report. A lower Expected Family Contribution demonstrates evidence of greater financial need.

The Excelsior Scholarship

New York’s tuition-free degree program, the Excelsior Scholarship, is the first of its kind in the nation. Even as higher education becomes more necessary for an individual to succeed, the cost to attain a college degree is rising beyond what most families can afford.

Eligibility:

In order to apply, students must: Be residents of New York State. Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year degree program and take 30 credits per year and make progress towards graduation. Continue to maintain good academic standing and be on track to graduate on time with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four years.

How it Works:

Covers full tuition for eligible SUNY and CUNY students. Up to $5,500, minus amounts received for TAP, Pell or other awards: A credit from the SUNY/CUNY school will cover the difference.

Other New York State Scholarship Programs

New York State offers several scholarships to students with specific criteria. Listed are several scholarship opportunities available to New York State students. Please refer to New York State Higher Education Services Corporation’s website www.hesc.ny.org for details.

  • New York State World Trade Center Memorial Scholarship
  • Awards for Children of Veterans
  • Memorial Scholarships for Families of Deceased Firefighters, Volunteer Firefighters, Police Officers,
  • Peace Officers and Emergency Service Workers
  • Persian Gulf Veterans Tuition Awards
  • Vietnam Veterans Tuition Awards
  • New York State Aid to Native Americans
  • New York State Volunteer Recruitment Service Scholarship

Veteran’s Benefits: U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Educational Benefits

Eligible veterans and their dependents are entitled to receive monthly educational benefits for full- or part-time study under the provision of several different veteran programs. They are as follows:

Type:
  • Chapter 30 Montgomery G.I. Bill – Active Duty
  • Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Chapter 32 Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program
  • Chapter 33 Post-9/11 G.I. Bill
  • Chapter 35 Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
  • Chapter 1606 Montgomery G.I. Bill
  • Selected Reserves
  • Chapter 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program
  • VRAP Veterans Retaining Assistance Program (Subject to availability and program expiration date)

Application Procedures: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website describes the various VA education programs, eligibility, and benefit rates. Applicants may file an online application through the website: https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/. Applicants will receive a Certificate of Eligibility that must be submitted to the college VA Certifying Official for certification of benefits.