New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

This grant program for New York State residents who are full-time undergraduate students enrolled in an eligible program at an institution within the state currently provides for annual awards ranging from $500 to $5,000 or tuition, whichever is less.  Awards are based on the family’s New York State net taxable income.  If more than one member of the family is attending an approved post secondary educational institution on a full-time basis, the net taxable income figure is reduced by $3,000 for the second person when the applicant’s TAP award is computed and $2,000 for each additional student.

Undergraduate students may receive TAP for four years of full-time study. Students enrolled in approved five-year programs or in State sponsored opportunity programs may receive undergraduate aid for five years.

Academic Progress Requirements for New York State Aid
[More Information]

Credits from repeating a course do not count towards the TAP full-time requirement. [More Information]

Summer TAP

At UAlbany, enrollment for the summer term is always considered accelerated study. In addition to meeting general TAP eligibility criteria, you must have passed at least 24 credits in the prior fall and spring terms while enrolled in a degree program at UAlbany to receive an award for accelerated study. The 24 semester hours must be credits earned at UAlbany and applicable to your program of study. Transfer credits cannot be used to meet this requirement.

Students must be enrolled full time in an approved program in New York State during the preceding spring term or subsequent fall term to be eligible for TAP for half-time accelerated study. You may receive up to 8 semesters (10 semesters if you are in the EOP program) of TAP as an undergraduate student. You must be enrolled for at least 6 credits to receive a TAP award for the summer term. Students who are disabled, as defined by the 1990 federal Americans with Disabilities Act, are eligible for a partial TAP award if they are attending at least three credits, meet all other TAP eligibility requirements, and are registered with the UAlbany Disability Resource Center.

A half-time summer TAP award (6 to 11 credits) will use a half semester of your TAP eligibility. A full-time summer TAP award (12+ credits) will use a full semester of your eligibility. Using summer TAP counts toward the total number of payments you may receive. As a result, you could exhaust your TAP eligibility before completing your academic program.

You must meet NYS good academic standing requirements at the end of the summer term to be eligible for TAP in subsequent term(s). If you receive a summer TAP award and fail or drop summer classes, you may jeopardize your eligibility for TAP in subsequent term(s). Information about good academic standing is available on the Academic Requirements of the UAlbany Financial Aid website.

Visit www.hesc.org to view the status of your TAP application, submit a TAP application, or to add the summer term to your existing TAP application. The UAlbany undergraduate college code is 0895. If you have questions regarding how summer TAP may affect your financial aid, you are encouraged to contact the Student Financial Center.

Important TAP Dates