Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is a grant for New York State residents that helps cover tuition costs and does not need to be repaid.

Program Details

  • Award amounts are based on your New York State net taxable income and tuition charges.
  • You must complete the NYS Student Aid Payment Application each year.
  • Funding levels depend on the New York State budget, and final award amounts are determined by HESC (Higher Education Services Corporation).
  • The application deadline is June 30 of the academic year (which begins with the summer semester).

Eligibility

To be eligible for TAP, you must:

  • Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen and a resident of New York State;
  • Have graduated from high school in the United States or earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) formally known as a GED. (Must be on file with the university BEFORE the first day of classes in the term in which you are seeking the award);
  • Be an undergraduate student and or being charged undergraduate tuition if in a dual degree or combined degree program;
  • Be registered for at least 12 credit hours that are applicable towards the student’s primary degree;
  • Be an admitted, matriculated student;
  • Be in good academic standing, per the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards, with at least a 2.00 as of the 4th semester payment;
  • Be charged at least $200 tuition per year;
  • Be in an approved major once the student has earned 60 or more credit hours (Please Note: An intended major does not satisfy the approved major requirement. Students enrolled in intended majors with 60 or more credit hours will be ineligible for a TAP payment);
  • Not be in default on any state or federal student loans; and
  • Meet income requirements listed below:
Income Requirements
Student Type NYS Taxable Income Limit
Dependent undergraduate students or independent students who are married and have tax dependents, or independent students who are unmarried and have tax dependents $125,000
Independent undergraduate students who are married and have no other tax dependents $60,000
Single independent undergraduate students with no tax dependents $30,000

What You Need to Do

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • After completing the FAFSA, apply for TAP by linking to the application directly from your FAFSA confirmation page.
  • If you miss the TAP link after finishing the FAFSA, you must wait three (3) business days until your FAFSA data is received by HESC. After the information is received, you can complete a TAP-on-the-Web application.
  • You must supply the school code for the institution you are attending. The first institution you list on the FAFSA will be automatically placed on your TAP application. UB’s school code is 1010.
  • To check the status of your TAP application or make changes, log onto the HESC site.
TAP Application Deadline

The TAP application deadline is June 30 of the academic year for which aid is sought. The academic year begins with the summer semester.

Initial TAP and SUNY Tuition Credit amounts are listed as estimates on your Financial Aid Award Letter, based on your FAFSA income data.

TAP FAQ