To be eligible for State student aid programs, a student must be matriculated in an approved program at a participating institution in New York State.
To receive any state-sponsored award or scholarship, students must submit an application to HESC by June 30 of the academic year for which assistance is sought. Exception: To receive assistance through the Aid for Part-Time Study program, a campus-based program, students must submit an application to the participating institution—not to HESC.
TAP on the Web (TOTW)—Electronic Process
NY residents can apply for both federal and state financial aid using a single online session. After filling out the FAFSA on the Web, NYS resident can link to TAP on the Web, which is pre-filled with their FAFSA data and, if applicable, historical data from HESC’s system.
Express TAP application (ETA)—Paper Process
Students initiate the TAP application process by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
New York State students who list at least one New York State college on the FAFSA will receive an email or postcard from HESC containing instructions on how to file an online application or how to request an ETA be mailed to them. Paper applications are no longer mailed automatically. Information from the FAFSA and the family's calculated NYS income will be preprinted on the ETA. The applicant should review this information, make any necessary corrections, complete any missing items and then sign and mail using the return envelope.
Schools may request an ETA for individual students by using HESC's secure G&S Transaction Processing. Select Request TAP Form in the left hand task bar in View Student Record. The ETA can also be printed from the G&S Transaction Processing Standard Reports area of HESC's Website. HESC will process returned ETA forms and then issue award notifications, denials, or requests for additional information.
Students can update information on the original application or report information not previously reported by submitting either:
- Request for information—This is a form that HESC sends via email to students requesting information not reported on the application. Students can use it to change any information on the application or to withdraw a financial independence claim.
- Change form—HESC sends students an award notification via email (or postcard if no email address is available). Students can make changes online to update information previously reported, to supply missing information, or to withdraw a financial independence claim.
