Apply for New York State TAP

The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York State residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York State. TAP is one of the grants, scholarships and awards programs administered by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). See if your school is approved for TAP.

An annual TAP award can be up to $5,665. TAP is a grant – it doesn’t have to be paid back. New York State students attending college in New York State – including high school seniors who plan to attend college the following fall – should apply for TAP.

TAP is available for eligible college students studying full- or part-time.

• View other NYS Grants, Scholarships and Awards.

To be eligible for TAP, you must:

• Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen and a resident of New York State
• Have graduated from high school in the United States, or earned a high school equivalency diploma
• Study full-time undergraduate (at least 12 credits per semester) at an approved postsecondary institution in New York, be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing with at least a cumulative "C" average as of the 4th semester payment
• Be charged at least $200 tuition per year
• Not be in default on any state or federal student loans and not be in default on any repayment of State awards
• Meet income requirements:
  • $80,000 for dependent undergraduate students or independent students who are married and have tax dependents, or independent students who are unmarried and have tax dependents
  • $40,000 for married independent undergraduate students who have no other tax dependents
  • $10,000 for unmarried independent undergraduate students with no tax dependents

How is the Award Amount Determined?

• Academic year in which first payment of TAP or any state award is received
• Type of postsecondary institution and the tuition charge
• Combined family NYS taxable income, Federal, State or local pension income and private pension and annuity income, if applicable
• Financial status (dependent or independent)
• Other family members enrolled in college

When should I apply?

The TAP application is available at the same time as the FAFSA: October 1

When is the application deadline?

The application deadline for TAP is June 30 of the academic year in which the grant is sought.

Refer to this step by step process to apply for TAP:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Click link that says, “Apply for TAP”. If you missed the link on the FAFSA you will receive information from HESC about how to apply.
3. Once you are on the HESC website, create a HESC-specific user name and personal identification number called a HescPIN.
4. You will use your HescPIN to "sign" your TAP application and access your HESC account information in the future.
5. After you apply, check your TAP status by logging into your HESC account.

What you need to complete the FAFSA:

• Student’s social security number
• Parents’ social security numbers
• Parents’ date of birth
• Student’s driver’s license number, if student has one
• Student’s Permanent Alien Registration Number, if not a U.S. citizen
• Copy of student’s 2014 Federal Income Tax Return
• Copy of parents’ 2014 Federal Income Tax Return
• Records of student’s untaxed income for the following sources:
  • Child support the student received in 2014 for all children in the household
  • Interest income
  • Veterans non-education benefits
  • Workers' compensation benefits
  • Disability benefits
  • Money received or paid on your behalf
  • Records of parents’ untaxed income for the following sources:
    • Child support received for all children
    • Interest income
    • Veterans non-education benefits
    • Untaxed portion of pension benefits
    • Untaxed portion of IRA distributions
    • Workers’ compensation benefits
    • Disability benefits
  • Your Federal Aid Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), if you have them already
  • A valid email address, if you have one

APPLY

Check your TAP status by logging into your HESC account at HESC.NY.Gov.