New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

NYIT TAP CODE – 2120

The following information is taken from the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website at hesc.ny.gov. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for specific program eligibility requirements.

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York State residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York State. Depending upon the academic year in which you begin study, an annual TAP award currently has a maximum eligibility of $5,665. TAP is a grant from the state. It does not have to be paid back.

To be eligible for TAP, you must:

  • Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen
  • Be a legal resident of New York State and have resided in New York State for 12 continuous months prior to the start of the term
  • Have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™) formerly known as a GED, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test as defined by the commissioner of the New York State Education Department
  • 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 fourth semester payment
  • Be enrolled as a full-time student taking 12 or more credits applicable toward the degree program* per semester to receive TAP
  • 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
  • Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award
  • Meet income requirement
    See the following income eligibility limitations below:
    • $80,000 NYS taxable income for dependent undergraduate students, or those who qualify as an orphan, foster child, or ward of the court, or independent students who are married and have tax dependents, or independent students who are unmarried and have tax dependents
    • $40,000 NYS taxable income for married independent undergraduate students who have no other tax dependents
    • $10,000 NYS taxable income for unmarried independent undergraduate students with no tax dependents

* Credit-bearing courses in the student's minimum full-time course load (12 semester hours or the equivalent) must consist of courses applicable to the student's program of study as a general education requirement, major requirement, or elective.

Students who do not meet all of the New York State residency and/or United States citizenship eligibility requirements for the TAP Grant may apply under the the Senator Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act. For eligibility requirements and application information, visit the NYS HESC website.

TAP Certification Process: Each semester, the Office of the Registrar must certify the TAP award based on eligibility guidelines listed above. TAP certification begins after the end of the add/drop period and continues throughout the academic year.

What Determines the Amount of the TAP Award?
The award amount is determined by:

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

How to maintain eligibility for TAP
To remain eligible for New York State student financial assistance, you must remain in good academic standing. Two elements make up good academic standing: making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and pursuing the program of study. See Satisfactory Academic Progress for TAP and Four- and Five-Year Baccalaureate Programs at hesc.ny.gov.

How to apply for TAP
To apply for TAP, you and your parents (if dependent) must first create a FSA ID. The student logs onto Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with their FSA ID, and both the parent and student sign the FAFSA using their FSA ID and submit it to the federal government.

If you are eligible to receive federal student aid (also known as Title IV aid), you must complete both the FAFSA and the NYS TAP application. If you are not eligible to receive federal student aid (also known as Title IV aid), you must simply complete the NYS TAP application under the provisions of the NYS DREAM Act (see eligibility criteria for NYS TAP through the NYS DREAM Act).

If you are a New York State resident and did not complete the NYS TAP application after filing your FAFSA, you will receive an email from HESC—usually within three to four days of completing the FAFSA—with instructions on how to complete the TAP on the web application, provided you selected at least one NYS college on the FAFSA.

At the beginning of the online TAP application on HESC, you will be prompted to create a HESC-specific user name and personal identification number called a HescPIN. You will use your HescPIN when electronically signing your TAP application and when accessing your HESC account information in the future. The NYS TAP school code: 4 Years Undergraduate – 2120.

If you are a qualifying New York State resident, you should complete the TAP application online using the New York State link on the FAFSA Submission Confirmation page, or by going to hesc.ny.gov.

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