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Sponsored by the State of New York, TAP provides tuition assistance for New York State residents who are matriculated and enrolled full-time, i.e., a minimum of twelve (12) credits and/or chargeable hours in the major, a minimum of six (6) credits must be in credit-bearing courses, and recipients must be income- eligible, as defined by TAP. A student must reapply for TAP on an annual basis. The application may either by completed by clicking on the TAP link which is displayed on the confirmation page once the FAFSA is submitted or by visiting New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYS-HESC) directly at:

https://www.tap.hesc.ny.gov/totw/ . Like the FAFSA, the TAP application may be completed beginning October 1st each year. For further details go to https://www.hesc.ny.gov/ A TAP award year at Kingsborough Community College consists of the fall session and winter module ("Fall Term") as well as the spring session and summer module ("Spring Term"). For additional information regarding TAP eligibility requirements, visit www.hesc.ny.gov and/or the Kingsborough website, https://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/financialaid/index.html .

A student whose application for TAP is approved will receive an award certificate from NYS-HESC. The amount of the TAP award is scaled according to the level of study, tuition charges, the verified net- taxable income, and the number of TAP payments previously received. For 2025-2026 the maximum TAP award a student attending Kingsborough Community College may receive is $4,800.

A community college student is limited to three (3) years of TAP eligibility, or six (6) full-time TAP payments for a total of thirty-six (36) TAP points.

If a student receives the award certificate prior to registration, tuition will be reduced by the amount stated on the certificate. If a certificate is received after registration, a student must pay the tuition at the time of registration and will receive a refund of the TAP award during the 12-week session.

To be eligible for TAP, a student must be:

1.

A New York State resident, 2.

A U.S. citizen or permanent resident and apply for and be approved for TAP through a traditional TAP application, the Alternative Eligibility Path, or qualify through the Senator Jose Peralta NYS DREAM Act TAP application.

3.

Matriculated, 4.

Income eligible, 5.

NOT be in default of any Title IV Student Loans 6.

Enrolled full-time (a minimum of 12 credits/chargeable hours required in the student's major) by the seventh day of the 12-week session.

7.

Able to meet minimum standards of satisfactory academic standing, academic progress, and program pursuit as defined by NYS-HESC.

8.

Must have a U.S. high school diploma, earned a high school equivalency diploma through Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™), formally known as G.E.D., or pass a federally approved Ability to Benefit test (ATB). The ATB test must be taken and passed prior to the twenty-first (21) day of classes of the 12- week session.

9.

And, enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12) credits, at least one course must be required for their degree/major, if they are graduating at the end of the term and enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12) credits with at least six (6) credits required for their degree/major if they are in the semester prior to their graduating semester.

To receive payments under New York State Tuition Assistance Programs (TAP) a student must maintain good academic standing. The good academic standing requirement for New York State financial aid programs consists of two components:

academic progress and pursuit of program . This requirement applies to all students receiving payments from either TAP, Part-Time TAP, or Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) Program, and certain NYS Scholarships.

A student who fails to pursue a program of study or who fails to make satisfactory academic progress will lose TAP eligibility for the following semester. Additional information/explanation is available from the TAP Certification Office, U-201.

To be in good academic standing for TAP, a student should be aware of the following:

  • The need to attain a minimum grade point average as specified in the charts below for each
  • payment requested.
  • A student uses six (6) TAP points for every full-time TAP payment received. A student can
  • receive a maximum of six (6) semesters or 36 points of TAP while seeking an associate degree.

For some special programs a student can earn an additional year of TAP.

  • A student must be enrolled full-time, that is, enrolled for at least twelve (12) credits that meet the
  • requirements of their degree/major.
  • In a student's first TAP term, they must take at least three (3) degree credits as part of their full-
  • time course load. A minimum of six (6) degree credits must be taken every term after the first TAP payment.
  • If a student repeats a course that was previously passed, the repeated course cannot be counted
  • towards full-time enrollment for TAP purposes. If repeating a course that was previously failed, that course can be included towards full-time enrollment for TAP purposes.
  • If a student fails to meet good academic standing requirements for NYS financial aid purposes, the
  • College's Forgiveness Policy for Academic Standards does not necessarily restore the student's eligibility.
  • Developmental courses can be counted for TAP purposes. However, to qualify for TAP a student
  • must always be registered for a minimum of twelve (12) credits and/or chargeable hours that apply toward their degree/major to qualify for a full-time payment; refer to the charts that follow.
  • To receive TAP payments, you must make academic progress towards a degree/major. The
  • minimum academic requirements are indicated in the charts that follow.

IMPORTANT NOTES A.

A student who withdraws from all courses during a term will lose eligibility for TAP in the subsequent term.

B.

A student on probation or continued probation who makes satisfactory academic progress during this probationary period and continues to maintain their academic standing will regain their eligibility for TAP.

C.

A repeated credit course cannot be included as part of a student's minimum full-time or part-time course load for New York State financial aid purposes, except in the following cases: (1) when the repeated course was previously failed, (2) when the course was previously passed, but with a grade too low to be accepted in the enrolled degree/major, or (3) when a course may be repeated and credit earned each time.

D.

A repeated non-credit (developmental) course cannot be included as part of a student's minimum full-time or part-time course load for New York State financial aid purposes if: (1) a student has already received two payments for that course or (2) a student has previously received passing grades for that course.

E.

Loss of TAP eligibility : A student who fails to meet the standards of academic program pursuit, academic progress, and/or attendance will lose their TAP eligibility. In addition, a student who registers for courses without having met these standards will be liable and billed for the full amount of their TAP award retroactively.

F.

A transfer student or a student planning a change of curriculum/major should first review their status with an Academic Advisor and a Financial Aid Counselor in order to ensure their continuing TAP eligibility status at Kingsborough Community College.

G.

Waiver Policy:

A student who can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances beyond their control caused them to have a substandard academic record may be eligible for a one-time, undergraduate waiver of the TAP regulations. A waiver will be granted to a student in these exceptional cases only when (1) there is a reasonable probability that a student will regain good academic standing, (2) full documentation of the circumstances is presented, and (3) the waiver is recommended and approved by the Office of Financial Aid after the student has applied for the waiver and provided necessary documentation.

A student who wishes to apply for a TAP waiver must submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office, U-201. There are two types of TAP waivers: (1) one-time good academic standing waiver, or (2) "C" average waiver based on undue hardship.

Refer to the chart that applies to you; First TAP Award received:

1.

after 7/1/2010 2.

between 7/1/2006 and 6/30/2010 3.

before 7/1/2006 4.

ADA TAP eligible student First NYS TAP Award received AFTER July 1, 2010 Meeting the Academic Progress Standard requires that a student:

  • accumulates at least fifteen (15) degree credits by the end of the 2nd TAP-supported term and at
  • least fifteen (15) credits each term thereafter, and attain the minimum grade point average as specified in the table below for each payment
  • requested.

To receive TAP payment #:

2* 6*** Have earned at least this # of credits With at least this GPA:

1.30 1.50 1.80 2.00 2.00 * A transfer student must register for at least six (6) degree/major credits to receive TAP.

*** Each TAP payment is equivalent to six (6) TAP points. A student is only allowed thirty-six (36) points or six (6) payments at a two-year institution.

First NYS TAP Award received BETWEEN July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2010 Meeting the Academic Progress Standard requires that a student:

  • accumulates at least nine (9) degree credits by the end of the 2nd TAP-supported term and
  • between nine (9) and fifteen (15) credits each term thereafter, and attain the minimum grade point average as specified in the table below for each payment
  • requested.

To receive TAP payment #:

2* Have earned at least this # of credits With at least this GPA:

.50 * A transfer student must register for at least six (6) degree/major credits to receive TAP.

*** Each TAP payment is equivalent to six (6) TAP points. A student is only allowed thirty-six (36) points or six (6) payments at a two-year institution.

First NYS TAP Award received BEFORE July 1, 2006 Meeting the Academic Progress Standard requires that a student:

  • accumulates at least six (6) degree credits by the end of the 2nd TAP-supported term and between
  • twelve (12) and fifteen (15) credits each term thereafter, and attain the minimum grade point average as specified in the table below for each payment
  • requested.

To receive TAP payment #:

2* Have earned at least this # of credits With at least this GPA:

* A transfer student must register for at least six (6) degree/major credits to receive TAP.

** A student who has two (2) years of TAP or the equivalent must have a 2.00 GPA or higher to remain eligible for TAP.

*** Each TAP Payment is equivalent to six (6) TAP points. A student is only allowed thirty-six (36) points or six (6) payments at a two-year institution.

6*** .75 1.30 2.00 2.00 6*** 1.00 1.20 2.00** 2.00

Based on New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYS-HESC) regulations, an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) student may attend part-time, taking at least three (3) credits/hours, but less than twelve (12) credits/hours in their degree/major per semester, to be considered for a partial TAP award.

Associate Program 2015-2016 Semester and Thereafter ADA Part-time Students Meeting the Academic Progress Standard requires that a student:

  • attain the minimum grade point average as specified in the table below for each payment
  • requested.

Before being certified for payment #:

2* Have earned at least this # of credits With at least this GPA:

1.30 1.50 1.80 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 * A transfer student must register for at least six (6) degree/major credits to receive TAP.

Part-Time TAP (PT-TAP) is a New York State program implemented in the 2007-2008 academic year. It allows a student to receive partial TAP payments for taking at least three (3) but fewer than twelve (12) degree-applicable credits of undergraduate coursework. This program is available to CUNY students who meet the specified requirements. Because PT-TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back.

To be PT- TAP eligible a student must meet the following requirements:

1.

Be a New York State resident, 2.

Must apply for and be approved for TAP through a traditional TAP application, the Alternative Eligibility Path, or NYS DREAM Act TAP application.

3.

Be admitted into a degree program, 4.

Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher ( Good Academic Standing Waivers cannot be used to qualify studens who do not meet the "C" Average requirement), 5.

Be enrolled for at least three (3), but fewer than twelve (12) credits in the degree/major or enrolled full-time (twelve [12] credits or more) with only three (3) to eleven (11) credits (three [3] to eleven [11] credits for ADA students) in the degree/major.

6.

Maintain Good Academic Standing in accordance with New York State's rules and regulations, and 7.

Meet all of the TAP eligibility requirements.

  • IMPORTANT NOTES Students must be pre-registered for Winter and/or Summer sessions by the 7th day of the Fall
  • and/or Spring Term. For Part-time TAP, students must be enrolled in at least one course that runs the length of the 12-week Fall and/or Spring sessions.
  • Students taking remedial courses may be eligible for PT- TAP, provided the student takes at
  • least one 3-credit course for the term.
  • The "Last Semester" and "Semester Prior to Last Semester" leniency for course applicability does
  • not apply to part-time TAP. This provision is only for full-time study.

Enables many New York State residents to attend a CUNY college tuition-free. The Excelsior Scholarship provides full in-state tuition for eligible CUNY students up to $5,500 minus any amounts received from TAP, Pell, or other scholarships.

For 2025-2026 the combined household federal adjusted gross income must be less than $125,000 to qualify for the award.

Recipients of this award must:

1.

File the FAFSA and the TAP applications, 2.

Attend full-time, and 3.

Complete 30 credits per year.

Awardees must also agree to reside exclusively in New York State and not be employed in any other State for a continuous number of years equal to the duration of the award received. The Excelsior Scholarship will be applied to each qualifying student's financial aid package after all other aid, including Pell, TAP, City Council Scholarship, college scholarships, and other grants or scholarships have been applied.

For additional Excelsior Scholarship eligibility requirements, visit, https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for- college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior- scholarship.html .

For information about other New York State Grants, Scholarships and Loan Programs, visit:

https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid.html#horizontalTab2