First Grant Increase In 14 Years
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that for the first time in 14 years, New York State will increase funding for the maximum Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award.
With this increase, New York State has allocated more than $1 billion for grants and scholarships for New York students who pursue higher education at a public or independent college or university in the state.
Last year, TAP served nearly 400,000 students across the State.
“New York was built on the promise of opportunity for all, and with this dramatic increase in the Tuition Assistance Program we are helping hundreds of thousands of students pursue world-class educational opportunities,” Cuomo said. “TAP helps to make college more affordable for students across the state, and as we mark its 40th anniversary, I am proud that New York is investing in our future leaders by raising the level of grants and scholarships to a record $1 billion.”
The maximum TAP award is now $5,165, available to New York State residents who attend any public or private college or university in the state. This represents a $165 increase in the maximum award, from $5,000 per student since 2000.
Additionally, students who qualify as an orphan, foster child or ward of the court for the purposes of federal student financial aid programs will now be considered dependent students for the purpose of determining their TAP awards, making them eligible for the maximum award.
This means some of the highestneed students will receive an additional $2,140 per year.
“New York has a long-standing commitment to ensuring that its students have access to a college education,” said Elsa Magee, acting president of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), the administrating agency of New York’s grants and scholarships. “The state tuition awards our students receive support them in their pursuit of a postsecondary education and position them to be active and skilled members of our state’s workforce.”
In 2012-2013, more than 372,000 New Yorkers attending college were awarded $931 million in TAP funds to help pay their college tuition costs, averaging $3,049 per student.
To learn more about New York’s Tuition Assistance Program and other scholarships, grants and loan forgiveness programs offered by the State, visit the HESC website at HESC.ny.gov.
