Dear Colleagues,

In a recent communication, HESC outlined the changes that were included in the enacted 2021-22 budget, which can be found here. Among the changes is the tuition credit for TAP recipients enrolled at SUNY or CUNY institutions of study where the tuition rate exceeds the maximum tuition assistance award. HESC has received questions from many of our partners on how the tuition credit is calculated so they may incorporate it into their financial aid programming. Below is a further clarification of the change and how the tuition credit is calculated.

The Statute regarding the SUNY/ CUNY Tuition credit was changed in this year's budget and is now calculated using the maximum award instead of a predetermined amount. This allows for changes in the maximum award without having to change the language that deals with the credit. The formula is
(A-B) *(C/ D) where;

A= The Annual undergraduate tuition being charged

B= The maximum award for a dependent student (always 5665)

C= The annual TAP award the student qualifies for

D= The maximum TAP award the student would receive based on the schedule they are on if their income was zero.

Example: For the 2021-22 year a dependent student (maximum award $5665) has an annual award of $4850 and the annual tuition is $7070.

Dependent Student

Tuition

Maximum TAP

Student's Award

Schedule Max

Tuition credit

7070

5665

4850

5665

1203

(7070-5665)* (4850/5665) =(1405*.8561) =1203

For an independent student without dependents the formula is the same. The maximum award for this student for the 2021-22 academic year is $3525. If the student qualified for an annual award of $2750 based on income and the tuition remains at $7,070.

Independent without dependents

Tuition

Maximum TAP

Student's Award

Schedule Max

Tuition credit

7070

5665

2750

3525

1097

(7070-5665)*(2750/3525)=(1405*.7801)=1097

Notice that regardless of the schedule the student is on we always subtract $5,665 from the tuition amount and the percentage of that difference is based on what the student receives divided by the maximum of their respective schedule. These are annual amounts and should be broken into term awards for your institution.

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