New York State Grants

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York State. An annual TAP award can be up to $5,665. Because TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back.

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant must:

• Be a legal resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months;

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen;

• Have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a GED, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;

• Study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State;

• Be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing with at least a "C" average after the 4th semester payment

• Be enrolled as a full-time student taking twelve or more credits applicable toward the degree program, per semester;

• Be charged at least $200 tuition per year;

• Meet income eligibility limitations;

• Not be in default on any state or federal student loans and not be in default on any repayment of State awards;

• Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award.

* Credit-bearing courses in the student's minimum full-time course load (12 semester hours or the equivalent) must consist of courses applicable to the student's program of study as a general education requirement, major requirement, or elective.

TAP Income Limits

How to Apply

If the FAFSA was exited before completing the TAP application – and the student filled in their New York State address and a New York State college on the FAFSA – the New York Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will automatically receive the information in about three (3) days. HESC will then send the student an email or postcard with directions to complete the TAP application online.

OCC's TAP School Code is 2185

Part-time TAP is available for students attending SUNY and not-for-profit independent degree-granting colleges on a part-time basis.

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant must:

• Be a legal resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months;

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen;

• Have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing the GED, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;

• Study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State;

• be matriculated in an approved program of study and has a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00;

• Be enrolled as a part-time student taking six to eleven credits applicable toward the degree program, per semester; (at least four, but fewer than eight credits per trimester/quarter)*

• Be charged at least $200 tuition per year;

• Meet income eligibility limitations;

• Not be in default on any state or federal student loans and not be in default on any repayment of State awards;

• Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award;

• Must have been a first-time freshman in the 2006-07 academic year or thereafter.

* Credit-bearing courses in the student's minimum part-time course load (6-11 semester hours or the equivalent) must consist of courses applicable to the student's program of study as a general education requirement, major requirement, or elective.

TAP Income Limits

How to Apply

If the FAFSA was exited before completing the TAP application – and the student filled in their New York State address and a New York State college on the FAFSA – the New York Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will automatically receive the information in about three (3) days. HESC will then send the student an email or postcard with directions to complete the TAP application online.

OCC's TAP School Code is 2185

Part-time TAP is available to part-time students, taking 1-11 credits who are enrolled at eligible non-degree workforce credential programs at participating SUNY schools.

Eligible Programs

SUNY - SUNY Part-time TAP eligible non-degree programs

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant must:

• Be a legal resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to enrolling in the program or be qualified as a non-NYS resident under the NYS DREAM Act;

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen or be qualified under the Senator Jose Peralta the NYS DREAM Act;

• Study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State;

• Be enrolled as a part-time student taking the equivalent of one to eleven credits, applicable per semester at a participating college located in New York State;

• Be accepted for admission in an approved non-degree workforce development eligible program.

• Be charged at least $200 tuition per year;

• Not have exhausted Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) eligibility;

• Meet income eligibility requirements;

• Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award; and

• Not be in default on a federal or State student loan or on any repayment of state awards. 

Income Limits

How to Apply

If the FAFSA was exited before completing the TAP application – and the student filled in their New York State address and a New York State college on the FAFSA – the New York Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) will automatically receive the information in about three (3) days. HESC will then send the student an email or postcard with directions to complete the TAP application online.

OCC's TAP School Code is 2185

The Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) program provides grant assistance up to $2,000 per year to eligible part-time students enrolled in approved undergraduate studies. An APTS award cannot exceed tuition charges.

For this program, part-time study means being enrolled for at least 3 but fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.

Recipients must meet the criteria outlined below and are selected on a first-come, first-served basis at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a legal resident of New York state and have resided in NYS for at least 12 continuous months prior to the start of the term;

• Have graduated from a high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing a Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) formally known as a GED, or passed a federally approved “Ability to Benefit” test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;

• Be enrolled as a part-time student;

• Be matriculated in an approved program of study in a participating New York State postsecondary institution;

• Be in good academic standing;

• Be charged at least $100 tuition per year;

• Meet income eligibility limitations;

• Not have exhausted Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) eligibility;

• Not be in default on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or repayment of any NYS award;

• Be in compliance with the terms and service conditions imposed by a NYS award.

APTS Income Limits

Eligibility for an APTS award is based on New York State net taxable income, Federal, State or local pension income and private pension and annuity income, if applicable, from the preceding calendar year.

• For students who were eligible to be claimed as tax dependents by their parents, family New York State NET taxable income may not exceed $50,550. Family income includes student AND parent income.

• For students who were not eligible to be claimed by their parents as tax dependents, their New York State NET taxable income (including spouse’s income) may not exceed $34,250. The spouse’s income must be included if they were married on or before December 31 of the previous calendar year.

• For students who were not eligible to be claimed by their parents but were eligible to claim tax dependents other than self and/or spouse, their New York State NET taxable income (including spouse’s income) may not exceed $50,550. The spouse’s income must be included if they were married on or before December 31 of the previous calendar year. 

Apply for Part-time Study Aid!

The Senator José Peralta New York State DREAM Act gives undocumented and other students access to New York State‐administered grants and scholarships that support their higher education costs.

The DREAM Act opens the doors of higher education to thousands of students, providing access to the new Excelsior Scholarship, the Tuition Assistance Program, as well as other state‐administered scholarships that were not previously available to them.

For additional information and to apply, visit NYS DREAM Act.