Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) | HESC (2024)

You can receive TAP if you meet the following residency requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen. AND
• You are a legal resident of New York State and have resided in New York State for 12 continuous months.

Not a citizen or eligible noncitizen? Learn more about the NYS DREAM Act application.

High School, GED, or Ability to Benefit

• Graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma (GED), or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test.

College & Program

Once in college, you must meet the following requirements:

• Attend an approved college in New York State.
• Be a full-time student taking 12 or more credits each semester.
• Be enrolled in a degree-granting program of study and maintain good academic standing.
• Be charged at least $200 for tuition per year.

You are eligible to receive TAP if you fall under any of the following income limits:

For the 2023-24 Academic Year:

• $80,000 or less net taxable income (NTI):
  • If you are a dependent undergraduate student within a household earning under the income limit, or
  • If you are an independent student (married or single) with tax dependents, or
  • If you are a student who qualified as an orphan, foster child, or ward of the court at any time since the age of 13.
• $40,000 or less net taxable income (NTI):
  • If you are an independent student (married) without tax dependents.
• $10,000 or less net taxable income (NTI):
  • If you are an independent student (single) without tax dependents.

For the 2024-25 Academic Year:

• $125,000 or less net taxable income (NTI):
  • If you are a dependent undergraduate student within a household earning under the income limit, or
  • If you are an independent student (married or single) with tax dependents, or
  • If you are a student who qualified as an orphan, foster child, or ward of the court at any time since the age of 13.
• $60,000 or less net taxable income (NTI):
  • If you are an independent student (married) without tax dependents.
• $30,000 or less net taxable income (NTI):
  • If you are an independent student (single) without tax dependents.

Financial Status

To receive TAP, you must:

• Be in good standing (a non-default status) on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or on the repayment of any NYS award, and
• Be in compliance with the terms of the service condition(s) imposed by any NYS award that you have previously received.