New York State HESC Tuition Assistance Program
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, an annual TAP award can be as high as $5,000. Because TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back!
To be eligible for TAP, a student must:
- Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Be a legal resident of New York State
- Study full time (at least 12 credits per semester) at an approved post-secondary institution in New York State
- Have graduated from high school, or have a GED, or have passed a federally-approved exam demonstrating the student can benefit from the education offered
- Be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing
- Have at least a cumulative “C” average after receipt of two annual payments
- Be charged at least $200 tuition per year
- Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by HESC and not be in default on any repayment of state awards.
- Meet income eligibility limitations (dependent undergraduate students or independent students who are married and have tax dependents, or independent students who are unmarried and have tax dependents - $80,000 NYS taxable income; independent undergraduate students who are married and have no other tax dependents - $40,000 NYS taxable income; single independent undergraduate students with no tax dependents - $10,000 NYS taxable income)
Awards cannot exceed the maximum amounts shown or 100 percent of tuition, whichever is less. For more information, please visit our website.