New York College Grants: TAP and Excelsior Scholarship Guide for 2027-28

By Steve Levine · Updated November 8, 2026

New York college grants are led by two state programs: the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), a need-based grant of up to $5,665 a year, and the Excelsior Scholarship, which covers remaining tuition, up to SUNY resident tuition, for families under an income cap. Both are run by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). You apply by filing the FAFSA first and then a separate state application, and Excelsior comes with a condition that TAP does not: you must live in New York after you graduate.

The agency that runs these programs is HESC. Its site blocked automated requests when this guide was checked, so the rules below are taken from New York’s Education Law and from a SUNY campus aid office, each labelled with its source. The federal 2027-28 FAFSA opened on September 23, 2026, according to CNBC.

TAP and Excelsior side by side

	TAP	Excelsior Scholarship
Type	Need-based grant	Tuition scholarship after other aid
Income test	New York net taxable income, $125,000 or less for most dependent students	Household adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less
Award	$1,000 to $5,665 a year	Up to actual tuition, reduced by TAP, Pell and other tuition aid
Credit requirement	Full-time, 12 or more credits a semester	At least 30 combined credits per year
After graduation	No requirement	Must live in New York for as many years as you received the award

Sources: New York Education Law section 667 (TAP), section 669-H (Excelsior), and Stony Brook University’s TAP page.

How much TAP pays

The TAP maximum for dependent undergraduates has been $5,665 since 2021-22, and the minimum award is $1,000 for 2024-25 and after, under Education Law section 667. A TAP award also cannot exceed your tuition. Students at non-degree private schools other than nursing have a lower maximum, $4,500 from 2021-22 on.

Where you fall in that range depends on your family’s New York net taxable income, the number of family members in college, your dependency status, your tuition, and your history of state awards, according to Stony Brook’s aid office. Lower income means a larger award.

Who qualifies for TAP

Stony Brook lists these net taxable income limits for TAP:

$125,000 or less: dependent undergraduates, independent students with tax dependents, and students who were an orphan, foster child or ward of the court at any time since age 13.
$60,000 or less: married independent students with no tax dependents.
$30,000 or less: single independent students with no tax dependents.

You must also be a full-time student taking 12 or more credits each semester, and to keep TAP you must complete a minimum number of credits each year. Your college can tell you the exact standard for your year in school.

The Excelsior Scholarship

Excelsior is often described as free tuition, but it works as a last-dollar award. Under Education Law section 669-H, the award is applied after TAP, Pell and other tuition aid, and is reduced by those payments. The combined total cannot exceed SUNY resident undergraduate tuition. The law sets the household income limit at $125,000 for 2019-20 and after.

Two conditions matter most:

Credits. You must complete at least 30 combined credits per year toward your program, or the equivalent. Students who fall short can lose the award, so plan summer or winter courses if you need to catch up.
Living in New York afterward. You must agree to reside exclusively in New York for a continuous number of years equal to the length of your award, starting within six months of your last payment. If you do not, the award converts to a student loan. The law allows deferral for further study and a waiver for extreme hardship.

That second rule is the one families most often overlook. A student who takes four years of Excelsior and then moves out of state for a job can end up owing the money back.

How to apply for New York grants

File the 2027-28 FAFSA and list your New York college. Our FAFSA walkthrough covers each section.
Complete the TAP application at HESC. Stony Brook says you will be directed to it after the FAFSA, or you can go to the HESC site directly. Include your college’s school code.
Ask about Excelsior at HESC or your college if your household is under the income cap. It is a separate program from TAP, so confirm its application steps and date for 2027-28.
Check your HESC account for your award status and any requests.

TAP deadlines run late in the year. For 2026-27, Stony Brook lists the TAP deadline as June 30, 2027, and for 2025-26 it was June 30, 2026. The 2027-28 date was not yet listed when this guide was checked. A late deadline does not mean you should wait; your college needs time to build your package. See our FAFSA deadlines guide for how state and college dates interact.

A checklist for New York families

Know your New York net taxable income for the tax year the application uses
File the FAFSA, then the TAP application, using your college’s code
If under $125,000 household AGI, apply for Excelsior and read the residency agreement
Plan for 12 credits a semester (TAP) and 30 credits a year (Excelsior)
Renew every year with a new FAFSA and TAP application

Your 2027-28 timeline

The 2027-28 FAFSA has been open since September 23, 2026. Here is how the rest of the year lines up, using the dates the sources in this guide publish:

Now: file the FAFSA, then the TAP application at HESC.
Winter and spring 2027: check your HESC account and answer any requests.
Before enrolling: confirm Excelsior’s 2027-28 application date if you plan to apply.
By the TAP deadline: June 30 of the following year in recent cycles, though filing early is safer.

Common questions

Can part-time students get TAP?

Standard TAP requires full-time study of 12 or more credits a semester, according to Stony Brook’s aid office. If you plan to study part time, ask your college’s aid office which state aid, if any, you can use.

Does Excelsior pay for private colleges?

Excelsior awards are capped so that combined benefits cannot exceed SUNY resident undergraduate tuition, under section 669-H. Private college students should look at TAP, which can be used at eligible private colleges, and at the college’s own grants.

What happens if I fall below 30 credits in a year?

Excelsior requires at least 30 combined credits per year toward your program, with limited exceptions set by regulation. Falling short can end the award. Talk to your aid office before the end of the year about summer or winter courses that could close the gap.

How New York aid fits with other aid

TAP is paid in addition to the federal Pell Grant, while Excelsior fills in after both. Housing, books and transportation are not covered by Excelsior, so many students still need scholarships for those costs. Our free scholarship finder can help, and our guide to state grants for college explains how New York’s approach compares with other states.

If you are weighing Excelsior, read the residency requirement in section 669-H before you accept the award, and talk it through with your family, because it shapes where you can work for years after graduation.

Sources

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