New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Satisfactory Academic Progress

Policy for Undergraduate Financial Aid Applicants

The New York State Education Department regulations regarding eligibility to receive Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and all other New York State Scholarships require that students be in good academic standing. To maintain good academic standing a student receiving a general or academic performance award must: (1) pursue the program of study in which he or she is enrolled, and (2) make satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of his or her program's requirements. The two elements of program pursuit and satisfactory academic progress must be met for each term of study in which a State award is received.

In pursuit of the program of study, students must enroll in a certain number of credit hours each semester and earn a specific number of credit hours for that semester. To be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, students must maintain specified grade point averages and proceed through the program at a pace leading to completion within a specified time frame. Note that the criteria for the New York State Tuition Assistance Program satisfactory academic progress differ from the federal and Cornell University satisfactory academic progress criteria.

The table below illustrates the specific requirements needed to receive TAP. It is important to note that the number of credit hours that must be completed and earned depends on the number of TAP payments the student has received, not on the year of enrollment. Visit the NYS HESC website for full information.

Effective 2011-12 for non-remedial students receiving first New York State award payment in 2010-11 and thereafter

*Only students enrolled in the EOP/HEOP program or in approved five-year bachelor’s programs are eligible for ten TAP payments. The maximum number of payments for other students is eight.
Tap Payment Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9* 10*
MINIMUM NUMBER OF NEW CREDIT HOURS THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED FOR 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
A STUDENT MUST HAVE ACCRUED AT LEAST THIS MANY CREDITS 0 6 15 27 39 51 66 81 96 111
MINIMUM CUMULATIVE GPA 0.0 1.5 1.8 1.8 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

The Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment will notify students who fail to meet the New York State criteria for receiving TAP. These students will receive a revised financial aid award letter indicating that an adjustment has been made to their financial aid award as a result of TAP eligibility.

Students found ineligible to receive their next TAP payment may have their eligibility for that payment restored if a special or unusual circumstance contributed to the student’s lack of satisfactory academic progress. The student may submit a written appeal to the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment detailing the extenuating or mitigating circumstances and provide documentation where applicable.

Students found ineligible to receive their next TAP payment can reestablish eligibility for future payments by successfully completing the required number of credit hours and by attaining the overall required grade point average by the end of the next semester.