TAP Coach

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Term Definition
Eligible Program

Section 601(4) of the Education Law establishes the kinds of academic programs that are approved for State student financial assistance. These include:

  • Collegiate level programs leading to a degree, or programs leading to a diploma or certificate that are fully creditable towards a degree program in that institution;
  • Study and training programs offered by a hospital school, a community college, a unit of the State University of New York, a unit of the City University of New York, or an institution chartered by the Regents or by the Legislature for the purpose of granting degrees, leading to licensure as a professional registered or practical nurse or to certification in an area of medical or health technology; and
  • Two-year programs offered in a registered private business school.


Eligible programs of study, other than health-related programs approved by the Department of Health, are those approved by the Commissioner of Education and registered by the State Education Department. The Department maintains an Inventory of Registered Programs, the official record of registration of every program. The Inventory includes information about whether a program is eligible for TAP, APTS, and/or VA and is available from the State Education Department

Education Law specifies whether different award programs are available for undergraduate study only or for both undergraduate and graduate study. For example, the VeteransTuition Award provides awards for undergraduate and graduate study; Aid for Part-Time Study is for undergraduate study only.

Entitlement Program
An entitlement program refers to a program that is available to every student who meets the eligibility criteria. TAP, Part-Time TAP, Accelerated TAP, and STAP are examples of entitlement programs.

Aid for Part-Time Study is not an entitlement program. It is a campus-based program; participating colleges select students from a pool of candidates who meet the eligibility criteria and determine individual award amounts.
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