Part-Time College Students In NY Now Eligible For Tuition Assistance

NEW YORK — Part-time college students in New York will now be eligible to receive tuition assistance beginning in the fall.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday the launch of a $150 million expansion of the state's Tuition Assistance Program.

The program will now provide assistance to about 75,000 additional students who are pursuing a degree part-time.

Hochul said every person who calls New York home should have the opportunity to better themselves and invest in their education.

"A degree changes more than just the life of its holder, it changes the lives of those all around them," she said.

Expanding part-time TAP to part-time learners creates pathways to an affordable education for individuals of all ages who are often balancing other responsibilities such as a family and work, according to a spokesperson.

Full-time TAP awards can be up to $5,665 annually for full-time students. Part-time TAP will be available on a pro-rated basis to eligible students taking six to 11 credits per semester with no full-time prerequisite.

As with full-time TAP awards, there are residency and income requirements for part-time awards. The awards do not need to be repaid by any recipient.

Students enrolling in the fall 2022 semester may apply for part-time TAP by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.

Once it's been submitted, New York residents attending New York campuses can link directly to the TAP application. For students who have already enrolled and submitted their FAFSA for the 2022-23 academic year, TAP awards will automatically be adjusted based on the number of enrolled credits.

New York State TAP is one of the nation's largest need-based college financial aid grant programs, according to a spokesperson. Overall, more than 6 million New Yorkers were awarded nearly $30 billion in tuition assistance awards through TAP. During the 2020-21 academic year, 250,000 New Yorkers were awarded more than $700 million in tuition assistance awards.

As a result of state and federal financial support, more than 190,000 New York residents attend CUNY or SUNY tuition-free, according to the state.

Because about 2 million New Yorkers between 25 and 44 and 2.5 million between 45 and 64 don't have a degree, expanding part-time TAP is part of a broader push to invest in public higher education and improve access and affordability for every student.