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New York State Aid and Outside Scholarships

New York State Aid (HESC, TAP)

New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) administers both state and federally funded student financial aid programs for undergraduate and graduate students. Some programs are administered solely by HESC, while others are administered jointly with other state agencies. See the Grants, Scholarships and Awards Quick Reference pages for information on eligibility and award amounts.

Information about Tuition Assistance

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York State. Depending on the academic year in which you begin study, an annual TAP award can be up to $5,000. Because TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back.

  • TAP is available for students attending SUNY, CUNY, and not-for-profit independent degree-granting colleges on a part-time basis.

    To be eligible for TAP, you must:

    • Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen
    • Be a legal resident of New York State
    • Study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State (NYS)
    • Have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a GED, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department
    • Be enrolled as a full-time student taking 12 or more credits per semester
    • Be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing
    • Have declared a major no later than within 30 days from end of the add/drop period:
    • in the first term of your sophomore year in an approved two-year program; or
    • in the first term of your junior year in an approved four-year program
    • Meet good academic standing requirements as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department
    • Be charged at least $200 tuition per year
    • Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by HESC or on any repayment of state awards.
    • Meet income eligibility limitations

Special Application Procedures for New York State Awards

Students who wish to apply for TAP should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). While completing your FAFSA, you will be prompted to complete your online TAP application at the end of the FAFSA session. When your FAFSA is complete you will be asked to do the following:

  • Establish a HESC PIN (Personal Identification Number) for TAP.
  • You MUST establish your PIN in order to apply, keep track of your application information or make changes.
  • Information from your FAFSA and your family's calculated NYS net taxable income will be pre-filled on your application for TAP.

Applications for NYS TAP and scholarships should be made through the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYS HESC). Contact them at 1-(888)-NYS-HESC or visit the New York State HESC website for more information.

The TAP application deadline is June 30 of the academic year for which aid is sought.

Academic Standing Requirements

NYS Satisfactory Academic Progress means the student must pass a certain cumulative number of credits with a certain cumulative QPA prior to receiving each semester's award. A student may receive state aid for a maximum of eight (in some cases 10*) semesters. The following chart outlines the number of credits passed and cumulative QPA a student must achieve in order to be eligible for each semester's state aid award.

Review the following charts for a breakdown of how NYS Satisfactory Academic Progress is determined for New York State aid eligibility purposes:

  • This chart applies to students first receiving aid in 2010-11 through and after:

    Before being certified for this payment you must have accrued at least these many credits with at least this cumulative grade point average.

    • 1st payment – 0 credits – 0.00 GPA
    • 2nd payment – 6 credits – 1.50 GPA
    • 3rd payment – 18 credits – 1.80 GPA
    • 4th payment – 30 credits – 1.80 GPA
    • 5th payment – 45 credits – 2.00 GPA
    • 6th payment – 57 credits – 2.00 GPA
    • 7th payment – 69 credits – 2.00 GPA
    • 8th payment – 84 credits – 2.00 GPA
    • 9th* payment – 96 credits – 2.00 GPA
    • 10th* payment – 108 credits – 2.00 GPA

    *Note: Only students in five-year programs, approved pursuant to Section 145–2.7 of the State Regulations, are eligible for more than eight semesters of undergraduate awards.

  • This chart applies to students first receiving aid in 2010-11 through and after:

    Before being certified for this payment you must have accrued at least these many credits with at least this cumulative grade point average.

    • 1st payment – 0 credits – 0.00 GPA
    • 2nd payment – 6 credits – 1.30 GPA
    • 3rd payment – 18 credits – 1.50 GPA
    • 4th payment – 30 credits – 1.80 GPA
    • 5th payment – 42 credits – 2.00 GPA
    • 6th payment – 54 credits – 2.00 GPA

Requirements of Program Pursuit

In addition to these NYS Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, the student must also meet requirements of Program Pursuit.

What is Program Pursuit?

Program Pursuit means the student must receive passing or failing grades in a certain number of credits during each semester that he/she receives a state award. ("W" grades (withdrawals) do not meet this requirement.) The following chart outlines the number of passing or failing credits the student must receive in each semester that a state award is received in order to continue to qualify for the award.

See the chart below:

  • This chart applies to students first receiving aid in 2010-11 through and after.

    Each semester that you receive a TAP payment, you must pass or fail at least the number of credits listed below:

    • 1st Semester - 6 credits
    • 2nd Semester - 6 credits
    • 3rd Semester - 9 credits
    • 4th Semester - 12 credits
    • 5th Semester - 12 credits
    • 6th Semester - 12 credits
    • 7th Semester - 12 credits
    • 8th Semester - 12 credits

A recipient of New York State aid who fails to meet the Program Pursuit or NYS Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in a particular semester, may wish to make up the necessary credits or achieve the required cumulative QPA by pursuing credits at their own expense in a given semester. By so doing, they may be able to make up the deficiency and be eligible to receive their New York State aid in the following semester.

Repeated Courses - If the student repeats a course in which an acceptable passing grade has already been received, such a course cannot be considered in determining whether the NYS academic progress or program pursuit requirements have been met. There are two exceptions to this rule:

  • If the passing grade received for a course is unacceptable in a particular curriculum (e.g., a student enrolled in the nursing program who receives less than a "C+" grade in a nursing course).
  • If the course can be taken more than once and credits earned each time toward the completion of a student's degree program (e.g., NYC 290).

Undecided Majors - In addition to the NYS academic progress and program pursuit requirements, students must have an approved major prior to the midpoint of their academic program. Students in a baccalaureate degree program must have an approved major prior to the first day of their junior year. Students in an associate degree program must have an approved major prior to the first day of their sophomore year.

Special Notes for Transfer and Readmitted Students - Transfer students and students readmitted after an absence of at least one year from college are reviewed for satisfactory academic progress for New York State assistance on a somewhat different basis. While the student must meet the Program Pursuit Requirements based on the number of New York State award payments he/she has received, the NYS Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements the student will have to meet may be based on either the number of state aid payment he/she has received or the number of transfer or readmit credits awarded upon admission to the University. Pace will place the student on the chart for NYS satisfactory academic progress based on whichever placement is of greater benefit to the student.

Accelerated Study TAP - To qualify for Accelerated Study TAP, students must be enrolled in at least six credits and must have completed 24 credits in the prior two semesters (fall and spring) to receive payment for accelerated study during a summer term at Pace. This requirement does not apply if the student is enrolled full-time in the summer.

Waiver Provision: Exceptional Cases

A TAP recipient who does not make NYS Academic Progress or Program Pursuit in a particular semester due to extraordinary circumstances (serious illness, death in the family, etc.) may request a one-time waiver of these requirements. A waiver can be used only once as an undergraduate student so its use must be carefully considered and timed. During the waiver semester, the student must make up any academic progress or program pursuit deficiency.

A waiver may be granted only when the following conditions are met:

  • Detailed documentation must be provided to verify the extraordinary circumstances. The documentation must include an explanation of how these circumstances resulted in the loss of good academic standing.
  • Based on the documentation and the student's academic record, there must be a reasonable expectation that all future academic progress requirements will be met.

(Please note: Successful appeals of academic standing with the Dean of the student's school or division at Pace and Academic Progress waivers granted by the Financial Aid Office for Federal and/or institutional aid programs do not constitute a waiver of the good academic standing requirements of the New York State aid programs. In addition, documentation submitted to either the Office of the Academic Dean or the Financial Aid Office to support an appeal of academic standing or academic progress is not shared with the TAP coordinator's office. Students must submit such documentation separately when requesting a waiver of the good academic standing requirements of the New York State aid programs.)

A student who believes they have grounds for a waiver of the good academic standing requirements of the New York State aid programs or who has any questions concerning his/her eligibility for New York State aid should email the Student Accounts Office directly.

Outside Scholarships

An outside scholarship is a scholarship that the university does not provide. Students with outside/ private scholarships should submit their scholarship letter online using the Outside Scholarship Letter Document Submission form.

Checklist of what your outside scholarship acknowledgment letter should include:

  • Your name
  • Your Pace University ID number
  • Semester(s)/academic year covered
  • Scholarship conditions or terms of agreement
  • Scholarship amount
  • Scholarship company’s name, address, contact person, email address, and telephone number.
  • Is the scholarship is tuition-specific, or can it be applied to other charges.

Once we receive the acknowledgment letter and you have registered for classes, your account and bill will be conditionally credited for the amount guaranteed by your scholarship.

Scholarship Check payments can be mailed to:

Pace University
Payment Processing Center
161 William St, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10038

Please note:

  • The total funding a student may receive cannot exceed the student’s total Cost of Attendance for the academic year.
  • If you receive an outside scholarship, the Financial Aid Office will be informed which may result in adjustments to your financial aid package. Consult directly with Financial Aid for more details.

If you receive a scholarship check made co-payable to you and Pace University,

please endorse the back of the check before submitting. If a check is

made payable to you and/or Pace University, no endorsement is required.

We do not accept third party check payments made payable solely to the student.

If you have any questions please email outsidescholarships@pace.edu, call the Student Accounts Office at (877) 672-1830, or schedule an appointment through Qless.