Part-time students at approved schools in New York State who were first-time, full-time freshmen in 2006-07 may be eligible for Part-Time TAP to help them pay for college beginning in 2007-08. Part-Time TAP is a grant and does not have to be paid back. Part-Time TAP is not the same as Aid for Part-Time Study.
Student Eligibility
To be eligible for Part-Time TAP, a student must:
- Be a first-time freshman in the 2006-07 academic year or thereafter
- Have earned 12 credits or more in each of the two consecutive semesters, for a minimum total of 24 credits earned
- Maintain a minimum of a “C” average
In addition, the student must:
- Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Be a legal resident of New York State
- Have graduated from high school in the United States, or earned a GED, or passed a federally approved “Ability to Benefit” test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department
- Be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing
- Be charged at least $200 tuition per year
- Be taking 6 but fewer than 12 credits per semester or 4 but fewer than 8 credits per trimester
- Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by HESC or on any repayment of state awards
- Meet income eligibility limitations
Eligible Institutions
To be eligible, students must attend one of the following:
- The State University of New York (SUNY)
- The City University of New York (CUNY)
- Not-for-profit independent degree granting colleges
How to Apply
To apply, complete and submit the FAFSA and TAP applications and follow the instructions provided.
Income Limits
The income limits for Part-Time TAP are the same as those for undergraduate TAP:
- Dependent undergraduate students or students who are married or have tax dependents - $80,000 NYS net taxable income.
- Single independent undergraduate students with no dependents - $10,000 NYS net taxable income.
TAP Credits
Semester Schools
Partial TAP payment will be made for students taking 6-11 credits as shown below:
| Points Accrual for Part-time TAP Payments - Semester Schools |
| Credits | Percent of Full Award | Points Accrued |
| 6 | 50.00% | 3 |
| 7 | 58.34% | 3.5 |
| 8 | 66.67% | 4 |
| 9 | 75.00% | 4.5 |
| 10 | 83.34% | 5 |
| 11 | 91.67% | 5.5 |
Trimester Schools
Partial TAP payment will be made for students taking 4-7 credits as shown below:
| Points Accrual for Part-time TAP Payments - Trimester Schools |
| Credits | Percent of Full Award | Points Accrued |
| 4 | 50.00% | 2 |
| 5 | 62.50% | 2.5 |
| 6 | 75.00% | 3 |
| 7 | 87.50% | 3.5 |