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HomeTypes of AidNew York State AidTuition Assistance Program (TAP)

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

 The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York State. Depending on the academic year in which you begin study, an annual TAP award can be up to $5,665. Because TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back.

 

Important Communications
  • Ability to Benefit Exam (ATB)

    In order to be eligible for New York State TAP/Scholarships, you must have graduated from a high school in the United States and we must have a copy of your diploma or final high school transcript (showing graduation and the date) on record.

     If you did not graduate from a United States high school and you have an associates or bachelor’s degree form a United States college we can accept this in lieu of graduation from a United States high school.  We must have a final official transcript on file showing the degree awarded.

     If you have completed minimally 24 college credits from a United States college, we can also evaluate your credits.  You must have completed with a C or higher, 6 credits in English Language Arts, 3 credits in Math, 3 credits in Natural Science, 3 Credits in Social Science, 3 credits in Humanities and 6 credits in your degree program as determined by the University. 

     If you do not meet one of the above criteria, you must take and pass an Ability to Benefit Exam in order to be eligible for your awards by the add/drop deadline of the semester in which you are in which you are seeking the TAP/scholarship award. .

    For more information, please visit:

    https://www.hesc.ny.gov/partner-access/financial-aid-professionals/tap-and-scholarship-resources/tap-coach/ability-to-benefit.html

  • Email and SOLAR Communication

    (Sent several times a semester)

    As a potential recipient of New York State Tuition Assistance (TAP) and/or any other NYS Scholarships, it is extremely important that you are familiar with the eligibility requirements set forth by the State of New York. In order to be eligible for any TAP and/or NYS Scholarships, you must meet all of the criteria established by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (http://www.hesc.ny.gov) as well as the following criteria each semester:

    1. You must enroll as a full-time student each semester (at least 12-degree applicable credits). Full-time status is determined each semester by the add/drop deadline of the certification term. Credits added to your schedule late or via petition, after the semester’s add/drop deadline, cannot be counted towards full-time status for the NYS aid degree applicable credit review.
    2. You may receive a partial award (TAP only) for being enrolled full-time in minimally 12 credits overall, with only 11 to 6 credits being degree applicable. Tuition for degree applicable credits only is sent to HESC for certification and the award is prorated by them based on number of degree applicable credits. We are unable to tell students the award amount they will receive until certification is sent to HESC and they send back the prorated amount. Please be aware that this may open a balance on the student account if a full-time award is already anticipated for the term.
    3. Degree applicable course include those satisfying university requirements, (SBC or DEC and 39 upper division credits) and the declared primary major. The Excelsior Scholarship also allows courses towards a second major to be counted as degree applicable.  Majors, minors, specializations and/or concentrations MUST be declared on your record to have courses counted towards them. Courses you are taking for minors, specializations and/or concentrations can ONLY be counted as degree applicable credits if your major requires completion of the minor, specialization, or concentration.
    4. You may enroll in elective courses (that is, courses that do not count toward degree requirements noted in item #3), if you have any free elective room. To see the elective room, please look at your Degree Works Report, courses in the fall through included area are degree applicable; courses in fall through not included area are not degree applicable as there is no elective room available. You may also see this information on the TAP and Excelsior Certification Summary Pages on your SOLAR account.
    5. If you retake a course in which you received a C or higher previously, you cannot count this course as degree applicable.
    6. Courses graded NF or W may negatively affect your TAP/Scholarship eligibility for future semesters.

    7. You must declare a valid major after you have earned 57 credits, which is considered Junior standing. This must be completed by the semester’s deadline to declare a major according to the academic calendar.  Earned credits include any test or AP credits and transfer credits brought into Stony Brook University, including those that have not been posted to your record yet. General, Undeclared, and Area of Interests are NOT valid majors.

    8. You must have graduated from a high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma (GED), have an associate degree from an accredited college, or passed a federally approved Ability to Benefit Exam as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department, by the add/drop deadline of the certification semester according to the academic calendar. This requirement can also be met by having completed at least 24 college credits from a United States college. You must have completed with a C or higher, 6 credits in English Language Arts, 3 credits in Math, 3 credits in Natural Science, 3 Credits in Social Science, 3 credits in Humanities and 6 credits in your degree program as determined by the university in which you are seeking the award.

    Please review your TAP and/or Excelsior Summary Page on SOLAR to see your enrollment and its degree applicability.

    Please also log on to Degree Works to view specifically what requirements each course is fulfilling.

    If you are not full time, please adjust your class schedule by the add/drop deadline of each semester to ensure you meet the enrollment eligibility requirement.

    The New York State requirements are very specific by law, and if not adhered to will result in a loss of eligibility for your NYS aid funding. 

    It is the student's responsibility to ensure compliance with all eligibility criteria. To review all other eligibility requirements, visit the New York State Higher Education Services website at http://www.hesc.ny.gov

    Important Note:
    The NYS Excelsior Scholarship has certification criteria in addition to the information above. This includes staying on track for graduation by having earned enough degree applicable credits based on your standing. The academic year requirement for NYS Excelsior is to have at least 30, 60, 90, or 120 earned degree applicable credits after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year of college study.  AP/pre-matriculation credits can be used to make up for deficiencies if available, degree applicable, and necessary. This would happen automatically, and the specific amount needed would be used. Degree applicable credits earned the following Summer can be used as well, if necessary.

    The Excelsior Certification Summary page on SOLAR will show, specifically, how credits are applying. The bottom of the chart will show the amount of available AP/pre-matriculation credits. This academic year requirement only applies to the NYS Excelsior scholarship. This would be based upon the major on record at the time of review. NYS Excelsior is the only form of NYS aid that considers credits applying to a second major as degree applicable. 

    Important Note:
    The NYS STEM scholarship follows all the above NYS aid criteria for eligibility in addition to also earning at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA at the end of each semester and being in a valid NYS STEM approved major.

  • TAP Certification Summary Page

    In an effort to provide TAP recipients/applicants with a means of gauging their progress toward meeting New York State criteria for TAP eligibility, we have developed a new tool that appears as a page in SOLAR.    

    The page is called the TAP Certification Summary page and provides students with timely information and updates regarding their status in satisfying TAP criteria, which include enrollment in degree applicable credits, good academic standing, current major declaration, just to name a few.

    Both students and advisors will find the page helpful, specifically during registration when TAP recipients must select a minimum of 12 credits that are required for either their major or SBC/DEC requirements.

    As the TAP Certification Summary  page  updates nightly ,   the page can be viewed to confirm that a TAP recipient is registered in courses that meet the enrollment requirement for TAP eligibility 24 to 48 hours after any registration transaction.   Students are strongly encouraged to make all registration changes two days prior to the deadline date – this would ensure their course enrollment can be viewed and confirmed for the 12 degree application credit regulation.

    As all other TAP criteria are also noted on the TAP Certification Summary page, a student will know months prior to our certification period whether or not they are currently meeting requirements.  This early warning system will give students ample time to make corrections, submit documents and seek assistance before coming up against deadlines for declaring majors and specializations and for changing course enrollments.

    While no advising department is being asked to inform students whether or not they will receive a TAP award, advising for degree applicable credits (courses specifically required to satisfy major and Core requirements) are conversations advisors regularly have with students.  As such, please do not hesitate to use, or refer your students to, the new TAP Certification Summary page. 

    Academic Waivers, Exceptions, or Course Substitutions

    Please note, any academic waivers, exceptions, or course substitutions in majors, minors, or specializations for students must be submitted by the appropriate designee from the specific academic department.  Exceptions should be sent to the Degree Audit Team within the Office of the Registrar at  ug_graduation_west_campus@stonybrook.edu for posting in Degree Works.

  • TAP No Major Declared - by junior level status (57 earned credits)
     

    To be eligible for a New York State Tuition Assistance Award (TAP) and/or NYS Scholarship,  you need to be aware of New York State Education Department requirements that state you must be in a major that leads to a degree when you are entering your junior year (57 completed credits) or you will not be eligible for TAP/NYS Scholarship award(s). Please refer to the  Academic Calendar for the semester deadline date.     You will not be eligible for a TAP/NYS Scholarship award if you have junior level status (57 earned credits) and have not declared a major by the deadline date

    You are strongly encouraged to seek assistance in making a decision about your major by contacting Academic Advising. 

    Once you have selected a major, the signature(s) of a departmental advisor is required on a Declaration of Major form. After you have obtained the appropriate signature(s), the form should be brought to the Registrar’s Office in the Administration Bldg., Room 276 (Phone 631-632-6175), no later than the deadline date noted on the Academic Calendar.  Please do not select an area of interest (AOI), as they are not approved majors.

TAP FAQs
 
Important Links:

Higher Education Services Corporation

HESC TAP School Code List

HESC TAP FAQs  

Undergraduate Bulletin

Bulletin Archives