University at Buffalo (UB)
The Office of the Registrar calculates Degree Applicable Credit (DAC), which is used to award degrees and evaluate student eligibility for certain New York State award programs, including the Excelsior Scholarship and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).
The following guidelines are provided for informational purposes only, and may not cover every student situation. Students should discuss the circumstances of their specific New York State awards with UB’s Financial Aid office. The following information is also subject to change based on updated regulations and guidance from New York State and the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC).
Degree Applicable Credit (DAC) refers to the courses needed to obtain a degree in a designated plan of study. Courses count as DAC if they are listed as a required course in a given plan, or if they fulfill an open general education/UB Curriculum requirement. Eligible free electives may count as DAC.
UB takes a snapshot of students’ DAC enrollment immediately after the add/drop period for the standard session of each fall and spring term. Students are evaluated every fall and spring based on the following requirement:
To establish initial eligibility for Excelsior, students must meet minimum credit thresholds based on the number of semesters they have completed after they are a matriculated student.
| Semesters Completed | Required DAC | Required DAC for EOP Students |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 15 | 12 |
| 2 | 30 | 24 |
| 3 | 45 | 36 |
| 4 | 60 | 48 |
| 5 | 75 | 60 |
| 6 | 90 | 72 |
| 7 | 105 | 84 |
| 8 | - | 96 |
| 9 | - | 108 |
The Office of the Registrar evaluates students every fall and spring. Students must satisfy the following DAC requirements to maintain their Excelsior Scholarship eligibility:
| Years of Study Completed | Required DAC | Required DAC for EOP Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | 24 |
| 2 | 60 | 48 |
| 3 | 90 | 72 |
| 4 | 120 | 96 |
| 5 | - | 120 |
DAC for New York State awards is calculated using the following formulas:
| Start | Start with the number of credits used toward general education |
|---|---|
| + (add) | Number of credits used toward major(s)/concentrations(s) |
| + (add) | Number of credits of eligible free electives |
| = (equals) | Number of degree applicable credits (DAC) for the term/year |
| Start | Start with 120 credits |
|---|---|
| - (subtract) | Credits completed for general education/UBC |
| - (subtract) | Credits completed for majors(s) |
| + (add) | Number of completed credits that satisfy more than one requirement |
| - (subtract) | Credits remaining to complete general education/UBC |
| - (subtract) | Credits remaining to complete for major(s) |
| = (equals) | Allowable free elective bucket |
| - (subtract) | Previously completed free electives; this includes all previously completed electives, including transfer work completed in high school, transfer work, and test credit |
| = (equals) | Eligible free electives |
Repeated courses in which the first attempt resulted in a grade of R, F or W may be counted as DAC on the second attempt. If a major requirement has a minimum degree requirement for the major that is not met on the first attempt in the course, the grade from the second attempt may count as DAC.
Students may lose Excelsior and/or TAP awards for a number of reasons, even if they satisfy their DAC requirements.
Students should contact Financial Aid with questions about:
Additional information on Excelsior eligibility and TAP eligibility is located on the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website.
Students in need of assistance with satisfying DAC requirements in their future enrollment should contact their academic advisor.