Healthcare Workers for Our Future (HWFOF) FAQ for Financial Aid Professionals

If a HWFOF recipient receives Pell, will the HWFOF scholarship be applied towards the cost of attendance first or after the Pell award has been applied? 
HWFOF awards are applied first before any other forms of financial assistance.  Other awards including Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Institutional Scholarships, and Private Scholarships will be applied after the HWFOF award.  The total of all awards must not exceed a student’s cost of attendance. HWFOF recipients are not eligible to receive any other NYS awards. 

Should the HWFOF award only be disbursed once the passing grade is confirmed?
No.  HWFOF recipients can be certified once the 100% tuition liability date has been reached. 

What if the student fails a class?
Students who fail a class(es) during the semester should receive their full payment. 

Do student’s need to complete a TAP application?
Students need to complete a NYS Student Aid Payment Application prior to the start of their first semester. 

How are the funds being disbursed to schools?
Funds for the HWFOF Scholarship will be disbursed by HESC directly to schools.

Should a school defer recipients’ costs?
Yes. Recipients can either provide you a copy of their prize agreement or schools can see the HWFOF program code of 73 on HESC Web in the ‘View Student Record’ section.

How do I know if a student is receiving the NYS Healthcare Workers for our Future Scholarship?
For students who are using the scholarship starting in 2024, schools can see eligibility on HESC Web on View Student Record.  Students may also provide you with a copy of their prize agreement as proof.  Please remember that students have until fall 2026 to begin matriculation in an approved program of study. 

Are students entitled to a refund, if generated, from this scholarship?
Yes. This award is a cost of attendance scholarship.  There may be instances where refunds will be generated for living expenses, travel and/or books and supplies.  However, since the total value of all awards cannot exceed the cost of attendance, students will not receive refunds for any amount that surpasses this limit. 

How can HWFOF recipients apply for 2025-26?
Selected recipients have until fall 2026 to enroll in an approved program and utilize their award. The HWFOF Award was a one-time opportunity and only the 500 previously selected recipients are eligible.  There are no plans, at this time, to open another round of applications and lotteries.

How many lifetime payment points can a HWFOF recipient receive?
Recipients cannot exceed (24) lifetime payment points, over the equivalent of two years of full-time study in an approved program.

If a HWFOF recipient has exhausted their TAP eligibility, are they still eligible for HWFOF?
Yes.  HWFOF points are separate from TAP.  If a student has exhausted their TAP eligibility at a two-year or four-year college, they can still receive HWFOF funds, provided they are matriculated in an eligible program of study.

How will schools know how many payment points a HWFOF recipient has earned?
HESC Web View Student Record will show the HWFOF cumulative points.

When can schools certify their HWFOF students?
Schools can certify at/after the 100% liability date.

Are schools certifying recipients on HESC Web or through the Consolidated Scholarship Roster (CSR) process?
Certification will be on the 800 series rosters to schools using the consolidated roster process (similar to World Trade Center).

What is the CSR budget code for a non-traditional student (i.e. adult student, not living with parents)?
Budget code 4.  This code is for students who meet TAP independence criteria or dependent students who were denied space in institutional housing and their parents’ home in not within commuting range.

What email address should the completed CSR be sent to?
[email protected]

Is it the school’s responsibility to verify a HWFOF recipient, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, had an associate’s degree or at least 60 credits in an approved program by the end of the spring 2024 term? 
Yes, the school must verify the recipient met this criterion before certifying eligibility.  If the student did not, they are no longer eligible for the scholarship.

What information should we provide on the CSR when a student withdraws with tuition liability?
Students who withdraw prior to 100% liability date will have their awards based on the percentage of liability from the school’s refund chart.  Please include all COA components on the CSR.

Students who withdraw after 100% liability date will be certified normally with all COA components reported on the CSR.

Are there GPA and/or POP requirements?  Must the GPA requirement be met before the start of the term or afterward?
Students must meet and maintain the college’s academic standards and qualifications for their enrolled program of study to receive payment of their award.

How should eligibility be determined if a student withdraws from a course?
Students who withdraw from a class(es) during the semester should receive the full payment.

What is considered matriculated in an approved program? 
A HWFOF recipient must be accepted and enrolled in an approved program leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree in an approved field of study to be eligible for payment of their HWFOF Scholarship. 

The approved fields of study are: 

• Registered Nurse (associate or bachelor’s)
• Respiratory Therapist (associate or bachelor’s in respiratory care)
• Clinical Laboratory Technologist
  • Associate degree in Medical Laboratory Technology
  • Bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology (also known as bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science)
• Radiologic Technology
  • Associate degree in Radiologic Technology
  • Bachelor’s degree in Radiological Science
• Surgical Technology (associate only)

Students who are working on pre-requisites are not eligible to receive funds. 

Does matriculation include students in undeclared programs? (i.e., Liberal Arts major pursing an approved field of study)
To receive payment of the HWFOF Scholarship, students must be matriculated and enrolled in an approved field of study. 

Is there a deadline for students to enroll in an approved program of study in order to receive HWFOF?
The deadline to enroll in an approved program is Fall 2026. 

At the start of fall 2024, a student has less than two years remaining to complete their approved program of study for HWFOF. Will they have access to the full support of the scholarship?
No.  The scholarship only covers the coursework required to complete the degree program (associate or bachelor) starting in the fall 2024.  If the student has only one year remaining, they can access the HWFOF scholarship for one year. Coursework completed prior to fall 2024 are not covered or reimbursed by the scholarship.

Are only new students eligible or are students who were currently enrolled in an approved program prior to being awarded the scholarship eligible?
A HWFOF recipient who was enrolled in an approved program in pursuit of an associate’s degree at the time they received the Scholarship is eligible to receive payment of the award beginning with the fall 2024 semester.  

An HWFOF recipient who was enrolled in an approved program in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in an approved program is eligible to receive payment of the award beginning with the fall 2024 semester, provided they had an associate’s degree or at least 60 credits in an approved program by the end of the spring 2024 term. 

A HWFOF recipient cannot be reimbursed for any attendance prior to fall 2024. 

How many years does a student seeking an associate degree have to complete their degree? What about students seeking their bachelor’s degree?
All HWFOF recipients regardless of the type of degree they are pursuing (associate or Bachelor’s) must complete their degree within 3 years of initial enrollment if attending full-time or 5 years of initial enrollment if attending part-time or forfeit the remainder of their award.  A HWFOF recipient cannot be reimbursed for any attendance prior to fall 2024. 

What date is determined for FT/PT enrollment (i.e., add/drop period)? 
Full-time or part-time enrollment follows your school’s guidelines for tuition liability.

How are schools deferring the cost of attendance? 
HWFOF recipients should have their cost of attendance deferred if enrolled as a matriculated student in an approved program at your institution. Recipients have been instructed to provide their colleges with a copy of their prize agreement as proof of the scholarship.  Schools can also view HESC Web in the View Student Record section to confirm the program code 73 associated with HWFOF.

If a student transfers to another school without receiving a degree in one of the approved programs, will they maintain eligibility?
Yes. Winners must complete their degree within three (3) years of initial enrollment if attending full-time and within five (5) years of initial enrollment if attending part-time or forfeit the remainder of the award. If a recipient does not complete their degree within the specified timeframe, they will be responsible for paying back the full amount of the award payments made on their behalf via a ten-year zero-interest loan. 

If a HWFOF recipient has a prior bachelor’s degree and is now matriculated in an approved program of study (associate or bachelor), are they still eligible for the HWFOF funds?
Yes.  HWFOF recipients must be matriculated in an approved program of study either at the associate or bachelor’s level.  Student pursuing a bachelor’s degree must have an associate degree or at least 60 credits in an approved program by the end of the spring 2024 term. 

How many semesters of HWFOF scholarship funds can full-time students receive before exhausting the support?
Full-time students in approved programs can receive four semesters of HWFOF support.

If a student attends full-time in the fall, winter and spring semesters, how many semesters of HWFOF scholarship remain?
The student would have one full-time semester of eligibility remaining.

Can a full-time student attend the winter or summer semester as a part-time student?
It is recommended that students do not use HWFOF funds during these semesters unless they are completing their degree program early.  Students may use the Pell grant (if eligible) and/or federal loans (if eligible) during these semesters.

Is part-time status defined as enrolled in any number of credits, as low as one credit, or is there a minimum number of credits? 
Part-time students can enroll in as few as one (1) credit per semester.  Part-time students are eligible for a lifetime award that is equivalent to four (4) full-time semesters.  Part-time students must complete their approved program of study within five (5) years of initial date of enrollment.

How are part-time students’ HWFOF payment points calculated?
The chart below shows the payment points according to the number of credits.

Are schools responsible for prorating the housing/food and books/transportation fields on the CSR for part-time students? 
No.  Enter the full time COA amounts on the CSR in the room/board and books/transportation fields and HESC will prorate based on the below chart.

How should a school certify a part-time HWFOF award on the CSR?
See the certification calculation sheet for this information. 

Books and transportation = please list the actual COA value.  HESC will prorate the value based on the chart below.

Pell: please enter the student’s Pell award for the semester. HWFOF is a first-payer which means this award will apply first prior to Pell, SEOG, and/or institutional funds. All awards combined cannot exceed COA. In some cases, students will not be eligible for their Pell grant and that award will need to be removed from the student’s award. Title IV COA: total COA for that semester