Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

LET NEW YORK'S TAP HELP YOU PAY FOR COLLEGE!
The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York residents attending in-state postsecondary institutions pay for tuition. Depending on the academic year in which the student began study, annual TAP awards can be as much as $4,800 for Hostos Community College students. And because TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back!
Who is eligible?

To be eligible for TAP, a student must:

  • be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen;
  • be a legal resident of New York State (that is, you must have lived in the State for at least one year prior to the start of the term for which you are seeking payment);
  • have a high school diploma from a U.S. high school, earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) formally known as a GED, or passed a federally approved  ability-to-benefit test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;
  • study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State;
  • be matriculated in an approved program of study, maintain good academic standing and meet program pursuit standards;
  • be enrolled as a full-time student taking twelve or more credits applicable toward the degree program. 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;
  • not be in default on any state or federal student loans and not be in default on any repayment of State awards;
  • be charged at least $200 tuition per year;
  • be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award; and
  • meet income eligibility limitations.
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How to Apply

  • Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you apply using FAFSA-on-the-Web, you will be able to link to your online TAP application at the end of the FAFSA session.
  • At the beginning of the online Tap application, you will be asked to create a HescPIN. You will use your HespPIN when "signing" your TAP application, to keep track of your application information or make changes, as needed.
  • If you exited the FAFSA before completing the TAP application – and you filled in your New York State address and a New York State college on the FAFSA – HESC will automatically receive your information in about three days.  HESC will then send you an email or postcard with directions to complete the TAP application online.
  • The TAP application deadline is June 30 of the academic year for which aid is sought.
  • Complete your online TAP application (A FAFSA must be completed before you can apply for TAP).

After you apply:

  • About 4 to 6 weeks after submitting your application, you will receive an email notification of your award from New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). This notice will indicate the amount of TAP you can expect to receive at Hostos each term. HESC also notifies the college of your TAP award so you don't have to return anything to the college.
  • If you have not heard from TAP after 6 to 8 weeks, you may check your application or award status using HESC's TAP Online Status Check.
  • Before your TAP award can be credited to your Hostos account for any given semester, the college must first determine whether or not you meet the State's requirements for full-time or part-time enrollment and good academic standing. If you do not meet one or more of these enrollment and progress criteria for TAP eligibility, you will not be able to use your TAP award for that term.
  • If you are determined eligible to receive a TAP award, it will be posted to your Financial Aid Award Summary page in CUNYfirst.  To view this page, login to your Student Center in CUNYfirst, and click on "View Financial Aid."

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TAP Enrollment Requirements

  • You must be enrolled full-time, that is, enrolled for at least 12 credits or equated credits that meet the requirements of your curriculum/major. In your first TAP semester, you must have at least 3 degree credits as part of your full-time course load. After your first semester, you must have at least 6 degree credits as part of your full-time course load.
  • Be enrolled part-time in at least 6 but fewer than 12 equated credits with at least 3 of these being degree credits. To receive Part-Time TAP (or PTAP), you must have earned 12 degree credits in each of the 2 consecutive semesters immediately preceding the term for which you request your first PTAP payment. You must also have at least a 2.0 GPA.

TAP Income Limits

                                              Student Type NYS Taxable Income Limit
Dependent undergraduate students or Independent students who are married and have tax dependents, or Independent students who are unmarried and have tax dependents, or beginning with the 2014-15 academic year, students who qualify as an orphan, foster child or ward of the court $80,000
Independent undergraduate students who are married and have no other tax dependents $40,000
Single independent undergraduate students with no tax dependents $10,000
   

 

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TAP Award Amounts

At Hostos, TAP awards range from $500 to $4,800 (maximum awards can equal to but no greater than the full tuition charges).
The amount of TAP you receive depends on your family income (combination of NYS taxable income, Federal, State or local pension income and private pension and annuity income), the number of family members attending college full-time, the number of semesters you have received TAP, and the size of the annual appropriation for the program.

A PTAP award will be based on your part-time credit load and will be calculated as a proportional fraction of the normal full-time TAP award.

New York State Good Academic Standing Standard

NYS Education Law requires a student to remain in good academic standing to continue to be eligible for State student financial assistance. Good academic standing consists of two elements: making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and pursuing the program of study:

  • Program Pursuit- is a measure of the student’s effort to complete a program. It is based on the number of award payments a student has received. In each term an award is received, the student must receive a passing or failing grade in a minimum percentage of the full-time or part-time course load, as applicable, to remain eligible for a subsequent award. A student who fails to complete (get a grade in) the appropriate percentage of the minimum course load loses eligibility for a subsequent award. www.hesc.ny.gov
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress-   is a measure of the student’s achievement toward a degree or certificate. This standard has two components:

1.     Students must accrue a specified number of credits;
2.     Students must achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA).
                       (See charts) 

Students must satisfy both elements to remain in good academic standing. Failure to satisfy either element results in a loss of good standing and loss of a subsequent award until eligibility is regained
 
NYS Good Academic Standing Charts

To receive payments under New York State Tuition Assistance Programs you must maintain good academic standing.  This requirements applies to all students receiving TAP payments.

Meeting Program Pursuit requires that you complete the specified percentage of a minimum full-time or part-time course load for each payment received
Before Being Certified for This TAP Payment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
A Student Must Have a Prior Semester Course % Completion of 00 50 50 75 75 100

 
 

Academic Progress: Applies to undergraduate students first receiving aid  in 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 & remedial students first receiving aid in 2010-11 and thereafter (if a student’s first award was in 2010-11 and thereafter, and he/she does not meet the definition of a remedial student, see charts for non-remedial students)
Before Being Certified for This Payment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
A Student Must Have Accrued at Least This Many Credits 0 3 9 18 30 45
With At Least This Grade Point Average 0 .5 .75 1.3 2.0 2.0

               
 
remedial student is defined as a student:
(a) who must take 2 semesters of remediation as indicated by CUNY test scores; or
(b) who is enrolled in at least six semester hours of non-credit remedial courses in the first term a TAP award is received; or 
(c) who is or was enrolled in the College Discovery program..
 

Academic Progress: Applies to non-remedial undergraduate students first receiving aid in 2010-11 and thereafter
Before Being Certified for This TAP Payment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
A Student Must Have Accrued at Least This Many Credits 00 6 15 27 39 51
With at Least This Grade Point Average 00 1.3 1.5 1.8 2.0 2.0

 

Academic Progress: Applies to undergraduate students receiving their first TAP award PRIOR to Fall 2006
Before Being Certified for This TAP Payment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Must Have Accrued at Least This Many Credits 00 00 06 18 31 45
With at Least This
Grade Point Average
0.00 0.00 1.00 1.20 2.00 2.00

     

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ADA (AMERICAN WITH DISABILITY ACT) 

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.

PROGRAM: ASSOCIATE PROGRAM CALENDAR: SEMESTER 2015-16 AND THEREAFTER (ADA PART-TIME STUDENTS)
Before Being Certified for This Payment 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH 8TH
A Student Must Have Accrued at Least This Many Credits 0 3 9 18 30 42 51 60
With at Least This Grade Point Average 0 1.3 1.5 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

 
Reminder for TAP Appeal/Waiver - BE ADVISED 

You can only appeal if you have not exceeded six semesters of TAP. If you choose to appeal, you must submit your TAP appeal package to the Student Life Office. Appeals are not granted automatically. A committee must review your package and it will take a minimum of five working days to process a response. The decision made by the Committee is final.

Student Appeal Check-Off List:

The official documents that will substantiate your unusual circumstances (i.e., letter from the doctor).
A detailed letter of explanation, describing the unusual circumstances responsible for your poor performance.
Description of the remedial action that you will take to improve your academic performance and reach the requirements for the next semester of TAP eligibility.
A copy of your grade transcript.

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