New York students pursuing part-time programs will now benefit from a new state-sponsored tuition assistance program.
Governor Kathy Hochul has added $150 million to the state’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), enabling it to cover an additional 75,000 students enrolled in part-time classes.
Starting this fall, the program will cover part-time students enrolled in six or more credits every semester.
Part-time TAP grants are subject to the same residency and income restrictions as full-time TAP awards. TAP awards are not subject to repayment.
Changing Lives Through Higher Education
The maximum annual amount of a full-time TAP grant is $5,665. A prorated amount will be available for part-time study.
When registering for classes in the fall, students can submit a FAFSA form to request part-time TAP funding. Additionally, grants will be automatically modified based on the number of credits enrolled for students who have already started classes and submitted their FAFSA.
“A degree changes more than just the life of its holder, it changes the lives of those all around them,” Hochul said in a statement. “Every person who calls New York home should have the opportunity to better themselves and invest in their education.”
More than 190,000 New Yorkers attended CUNY or SUNY schools tuition-free thanks to state and federal financial aid, and 250,000 received TAP awards totaling more than $700 million in the 2020–2021 school year.