Part-Time TAP FAQ for Financial Aid Professionals

• No. Advanced Placement (AP) credits and college credits a student earned in high school are not accepted towards Part-time TAP. 

• No. 

• Yes. Students must maintain a minimum "C" average throughout their part-time course of study.

• Yes. Eligible colleges are the State Universities of New York (SUNY), the City Universities of New York (CUNY),  not-for-profit Independent Degree Granting Colleges and beginning in 2024 proprietary schools.

• No. The maximum number of TAP points a student is eligible to receive is 36 points for associate degree; 48 points for 4 years of undergraduate study and 60 points for an approved 5-year program of study. 

• Credits are to be rounded down.

• Since HESC does not know what the student’s true status will be, all students will appear on the roster and will be calculated for a full-time TAP award.

Yes, the student would accumulate more than 6 points. The student cannot accumulate more than 12 points per year. Schools should work with students to make sure they are aware that if they use more than 6 points for term 1 they will not be eligible for a full award in the following term.

Once certification is submitted, HESC will calculate the Part-time TAP award based on the reported credits. The following schedules reflect the percentage of the full-time award and the undergraduate TAP points accrued based on the Part-time TAP credits reported on the roster. The Remittance Advice and Student Status List will reflect the new award.