Appendix J: NYS Math & Science Teaching Incentive Program Payment Procedures and Certification Instructions

 

 

The NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program provides scholarships to eligible full-time undergraduate or graduate students in approved programs that encourage students to pursue careers as  math and science teachers in secondary education (grades 7-12) in New York State.

NOTE:  Graduate students who are recipients of NYS Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship Porgram awards are ineligible for this Program.

Disbursement of Scholarship Funds

Awards are paid directly to schools on behalf of students upon the successful completion of each academic year. The recipient must successfully complete the academic year prior to receiving payment. Schools must complete and certify student eligibility for this scholarship for all applicable terms and they must receive a Remittance Advice (authorizing payment) prior to disbursing the scholarship funds.

Eligibility

Successful completion mandates that the applicant meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • be a U.S citizen or eligible non-citizen;
  • be attending a college located in New York State;
  • be in full-time attendance.
    • For undergraduate programs, a student must be enrolled as a full-time student taking 12 or more credits per semester applicable toward his or her program of study.
    • For graduate programs, a student must be enrolled as a full-time student taking the number of credits per semester for the graduate program as established by the institution.
  • be matriculated in an approved undergraduate or graduate progrm leading to a career as a math or science teacher in secondary education.  Summer or winter credits may be used to obtain the number of credits needed for full-time status for the academic year but may not be combined with fall or spring credits to achieve the minimum number of credits for full-time status. (The academic year begins with the summer term - example 2016-17 academic year would begin approximately May 2008);
  • have a minimum GPA of 2.5 for the academic year;
  • have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher for all academic years of undergraduate and graduate study;

* A recipient may attend less than full-time during the last year if a less than full-time course load is sufficient  to complete the degrees. In this case, the award amount will be prorated by credit hour. This is true for the last year of both undergraduate and/or graduate study.

Students who will be graduating at the end of the fall term will be eligible for payment for the fall term only and must be decertified for the spring term. 

Award Amounts

A recipient will receive an annual payment equal to the average SUNY tuition or actual tuition, whichever is less. In all cases, the total of all aid received by the recipient cannot exceed the student's cost of attendance. 

Duration

A recipient may receive award payments for up to four academic years of full-time undergraduate study and one academic year of full-time graduate study. Early graduation from the undergraduate program does not increase the number of payments at the graduate level. Students completing their undergraduate studies early continue to be eligible for only two semesters of payment as a graduate student.

Certification

When certifying a recipient’s award the “CERT CODE” and “STATUS” components MUST be completed.
NOTE: If the term you are certifying is the student’s final term, indicate the student has graduated. 

Cert Code:
Indicate appropriate certification code. Refer to the Consolidated Scholarship Roster (CSR) certification instructions and use certification codes 1-9 as indicated. 

Status Field:

The certifying officer must record, in the STATUS field of the CSR, the number of credit hours completed by the student for that term. In cases where the student attended a summer term, add the number of summer and fall earned credits together and record the total in the fall status field. If the semester that is being certified is the student's final semester it should be note on the roster that they have graduated next to the student's credits under STATUS.

The student's eligibility cannot be determined by HESC without the total credits for that semester listed on the roster.

Tuition:
Enter actual term amount. 

Other Aid:
Enter all other grants and scholarships received for the term with the exception of TAP, HESC Scholarships or Loans. 

Cost of Attendance:
Enter total term amount of the cost of attendance used in the administration of federal student aid programs.

Certification of each document by the TAP Certifying Officer is required using the Affirmation section on the bottom of the CSR. Certification of student eligibility for students on the CSR should be returned to HESC no later than 30 days from the date of the roster. Submit post-certification changes via e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Refer questions regarding Math & Science certification to Barbara Hochberg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Terms of Payment

Semester-based schools will be paid awards for fall and spring terms. Trimester-based schools will be paid awards for fall, winter and spring terms. Although there is no provision for the NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program to pay summer awards, credits earned during summer study may be used toward the full-time requirement.

Payment

New York State Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program payments for student(s) on the CSR will be sent to the school upon the successful completion of each academic year.

NOTE: Schools must refund the money to the student if no longer in attendance. To expedite payment, complete and return the certification of all terms to HESC simultaneously. Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) or checks will be made payable to the college for the total value of the awards on the list. If it is determined that a student on the CSR is not eligible for an award, an amount equal to the award must be refunded within 30 days of the receipt of payment. Please return any refund checks to:

HESC
Cashiers Unit 
99 Washington Avenue 
Albany, NY 12255

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