New York State Programs

Excelsior Scholarship

The Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid programs, allows students to attend a SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free.

More Information about Excelsior Scholarship

If the cost of full-time tuition is met with a combination of your New York State TAP grant and your Federal Pell grant plus other funding (excluding loans), then you would not be eligible for the award. You will only be eligible for an award if there is a shortfall between your total grants and the cost of full-time tuition.

The award is managed through the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. Please visit HESC’s website for Questions and Answers regarding the funds.

New York State TAP

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grant is available to New York State residents enrolled in a full-time and part-time degree, certificate, and non-degree programs.  All state aid calculations are processed by NYSHESC (New York State Higher Education Services).  After HESC makes the calculation and notifies The Financial Aid Office, The Financial Aid Office must then verify the following:

  • Students seeking full-time TAP awards must be full-time status from the start of the semester.  Students seeking part-time TAP awards must be part-time status from the start of the semester.
  • Whether or not a student is matriculated into an approved program of study.
  • The State Standards of Progress are being met.

After you have filed your online FAFSA, you will be linked to HESC's website. Proceed onward, then complete the TAP application. If you are not linked to the TAP application directly from the FAFSA, you will have to wait until your FAFSA is processed by the Department of Education before completing the TAP application.  You will know if your FAFSA was processed via email from the Department of Education. Check your email (the address you provided on your FAFSA) for notification about the status of your application and what additional action may be required of you.  

With the information you provide on your FAFSA, HESC will attempt to complete your electronic TAP application. In some instances, the application is skeletal (insufficient data). When this is the case, you will need to provide the required information. Once the application is finalized and an award determined, both you and the school will be alerted.

Full-time TAP awards are limited to eight semesters of study (48 TAP points). Six of these semesters (36 TAP points) can be used at a two-year college such as MVCC. If you intend to continue your education at a four-year institution, you should plan carefully so you will not exhaust your future TAP eligibility. MVCC's Financial Aid Office will be able to provide you with additional information regarding your specific instance.

ADA Part-Time TAP

An ADA part-time TAP award may be available if you have a documented disability. The Financial Aid Office, as well as the Office of Accessibility Resources, can provide additional information.

Repeated Courses

A TAP award cannot be counted toward courses that a student is repeating but has previously received a passing grade in.  A TAP award can be counted once if a student repeats a failed course.” 

Academic schools reserve the right to determine if a course content is no longer current, thereby making it necessary for the student to repeat the course so it will be relevant to your degree or certificate program. You must have eligibility for the award.

Remedial Courses

During the first semester of study, 9 hours of remedial coursework can be included in a full-time courseload.  After the first semester, 6 hours of remedial coursework can be included in a full-time courseload.

Other NYS programs

Additional grants are offered through NYS, they include:

  • Academic Excellence Scholarship
  • Part-Time Scholarship
  • MERIT (Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive & Tribute) Scholarship
  • STEM Incentive
  • Veteran’s Tuition Awards (VTA)

For additional information, please contact NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC) at 888-697-4372 or visit www.hesc.ny.gov.
 
Funding is also available through Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR). For more information, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources at MVCC.