Financial Aid: Grants and Scholarships

Grants and Scholarships

Work Study Programs

Loan Programs

Programs for Parents

Grants and Scholarships - Grants and scholarships are funds for college that you do not have to repay.

Grants and Scholarships from New York State's private colleges and universities

• More than $2.2 billion awarded each year
• In 2007-08 students attending New York's private colleges and universities will receive more than $2.2 billion in aid from their colleges.
• Aid from a college may range up to $33,000 or more, per year, covering part or all of your tuition, fees, and related costs. Eligibility is determined primarily by financial need as calculated from the financial aid forms you completed (need-based awards). Colleges may also take into account academic achievement, or talent in athletics, music or other fields (merit awards).
• To be considered for aid from many private colleges and universities, you'll be asked to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). An additional college financial aid application or the PROFILE may also be required for the college's own grants and scholarships. Check with each college's financial aid office to determine which forms you need to complete to be considered for need-based and merit-based aid. See Campus Profiles for college addresses and phone numbers. File the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 of your high school senior year. File all other financial aid forms by their specified deadlines. Reapply each year.

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Sample College Financial Aid Packages 2007-08
Estimated Student Financial Aid
Read down each column for different family financial circumstances and college choices.

Note: Based on 2007-08 federal methodology and 2007-08 TAP and Pell schedules; parent age 45; two parents working. Merit scholarships not based on need are often available. Check college's requirements. Students not qualifying for a need-based Subsidized Stafford Loan may borrow through the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan program.

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• Grants and scholarships are available from many community organizations such as Dollars for Scholars (matched by some colleges,) businesses, corporations, unions, and churches. The key to finding out about these scholarships is research and persistence.
• Check with your school counselor, public library, employer, Chamber of Commerce, union, church, community and special-interest organizations for additional information.

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• TAP is a grant program for NYS residents attending a NYS college full time. In 2007-2008, awards for first-time freshmen at NYS private colleges and universities range from $500 to $5,000 per year for up to four years (five years for certain programs).
• Eligibility for TAP is based on NYS net taxable income (federal adjusted gross income minus NYS exemptions and deductions). However, if you itemize your deductions, your estimated NYS taxable income will be lower and your TAP award will be higher.
• Part-time TAP is now available for NYS resident students who will be freshman in the 2006-2007 academic year or thereafter. Students must earn 12 credits or more in each of two consecutive semesters, and maintain a "c" average.
• To apply for a TAP grant, you must first file the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA). If you list a NYS college or university on your FAFSA, New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC) will e-mail you a pre-printed NYS Express TAP Application (ETA) by mail or, if you file a FAFSA online, you will be prompted to complete an on-line TAP application. When you receive your ETA in the mail, review the data printed on it, sign and return your corrected ETA back to NYSHESC. If you have any questions about the TAP application process, visit www.hesc.org (search for TAP), or call NYSHESC at toll-free 1-888-NYSHESC.

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• APTS awards range up to $2,000 per year or the cost of tuition (whichever is less) for part-time undergraduate study at participating New York State colleges. You must be enrolled for at least 3, but less than 12 credits per semester. The colleges select students based on financial need as determined by your NYS net taxable income and funding available for the program at each college.
• For additional information and an APTS application, contact the college's financial aid office.

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• A comprehensive program offered at many NYS private colleges and universities to academically and economically disadvantaged NYS students. It provides financial aid to cover the majority of college costs plus academic tutoring and personal and educational counseling.
• Contact the college's admissions or Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) office.

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• A scholarship program for NYS residents attending a NYS college or university for 12 or more credits in an approved undergraduate program. Students are selected based on the weighted average of their scores on certain Regents exams taken prior to the senior year.
• The top graduating senior of each high school in the state will receive a $1,500 award; $500 awards will be awarded to other eligible students based on the selection criteria and the size of each high school's graduating class.
• If you receive a scholarship, you must file the Express Tap Application (ETA) to receive the funds for this award.
• Contact your school counselor for additional information.

• A scholarship program open to NYS residents, these awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 per year, based on need, for up to four years of full-time study in approved programs (five years in specified programs).
• You must agree to work for one year in NYS in the profession studied for each year of scholarship aid received. Economically disadvantaged minorities are given top priority.
• Contact the NYS Education Department at 518-486-1319 for more information on how to apply.

• A federally-funded program that provides $1,500 per year for up to four years to high school seniors from each county in NYS. A total of 416 NYS scholarships are awarded annually. Actual award amounts may vary from year to year, depending on federal funding. Eligibility is determined by a combination of high school grades (75%) and your SAT or ACT scores (25%), or by SAT or ACT scores and GED scores.
• Minimum qualifications are a 95 average (or a GED score of at least 310) and a combined SAT score of 1250.
• Applications are available in the fall from the guidance office. You must take the SAT or ACT test before the application deadline. The application deadline is usually in March. Check with your guidance office for additional information.

• A program for NYS residents who are New York Army/Air Guard and Naval Militia members. This Educational Incentive Program will award up to $4,500 per calendar year toward tuition costs at participating colleges and universities in the state. Students must be matriculated for at least six credit hours per semester and remain in good academic standing.
• For additional information, call your local Army National Guard recruiter (listed in the telephone directory)
  or visit www.1-800-GO-GUARD.com.

• A scholarship program for members of a NYS tribe and their children who are attending, or planning to attend, a college in NYS and are also NYS residents. Awards for full-time students are up to $2,000 annually, $1,000 per semester.
• Part-time awards are approximately $85 per credit hour.
• To apply, contact the Native American Education Unit at the NYS Education Department at 518-474-0537.

• An award program for NYS residents whose parent(s) served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of war or national emergency and, as a result of service, died or suffered a 40% or more disability, is classified as missing in action, or was a prisoner of war.
• For more information or to receive an application, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A scholarship program providing financial aid to children, spouses and financial dependents of individuals killed as a direct result of American Airlines Flight 587’s crash in the Belle Harbor neighborhood of Queens, New York on the morning of November 12, 2001.
• The award covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study, or five years in an approved five-year bachelor’s degree program.
• For more information or to receive an application, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372, or visit www.hesc.org.

• Loan forgiveness program for social workers licensed to practice in New York State and who have at least one year of prior employment working in a critical human service area in the fields of health, mental health, substance abuse, aging, HIV/AIDS and child welfare or communities with multi-lingual needs.
• Awards will be paid in annual disbursements for each period of qualified service. For more information on how to apply, contact NYS Higher Education Services Corporation at 1-888-NYS-HESC, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A loan forgiveness program for licensed registered nurses holding graduate degrees and who have taught in the field of nursing.
• To apply, complete and return all 6 pages of the Nursing Faculty Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program Supplement. Be sure to read pages 5 and 6 of the supplement and provide the required documentation according to the instructions.
• For more information, contact NYS Higher Education Services Corporation at 1-888-NYS-HESC, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A loan forgiveness program for teachers who have worked full-time as an elementary or secondary school teacher for five consecutive, complete school years, at least one of which was after the 1997-98 academic year in an elementary or secondary school that has been designated as a "low-income" school by the U.S. Department of Education. Up to $17,500 of Federal Family Education Stafford Loan (FFEL) maybe forgiven for teachers meeting all requirements.
• Applications are available from your lender or the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP). For more information, contact NYS Higher Education Services Corporation at 1-888-NYS-HESC, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A scholarship program that provides an annual award of a maximum of $4,350 for students, either at the bachelor or master’s degree level, who enter into a contract with NYS HESC agreeing to teach full time for five years in the field of math or science in a middle or secondary school in New York.
• Awards are made upon the successful completion of the academic year.
• For more information on how to apply, contact NYS Higher Education Services Corporation at 1-888-NYS-HESC, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A scholarship program for children, spouses and financial dependents of members of the armed forces of the United States or state-organized militia who, at any time on or after Aug. 2, 1990, while NYS residents, died or became severely and permanently disabled while engaged in hostilities or training for hostilities. MSRS provides funds to help meet the cost of attending college.
• The award covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study, or five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program. To apply, you must provide the information requested on the supplement and submit it and the necessary supporting documentation to the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC).
• For more information, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372 or visit www.hesc.com.

• A $4,000 scholarship awarded to one student from every participating public and nonpublic high school that applies.
• The scholarship is paid over four years, in increments of $1,000 per year to NYS residents attending a college or university in NYS.
• Visit your guidance office for an application. For more information, click here, or contact the NYS Lottery at 518-388-3415.

• Memorial Scholarships provide financial aid for college to children, spouses and financial dependents of deceased firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers, peace officers, and emergency medical service workers who have died as the result of injuries sustained in the line of duty in service to the State of New York.
• The award covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study (up to amount of SUNY tuition plus average mandatory educational fees and allowances for room and board, books, supplies and transportation), or five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program.
• For more information, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372, or visit www.hesc.org.

• This is a competitive scholarship program for NYS resident applicants who are registered professional nurses enrolling in master's degree programs which will qualify them as nursing faculty or adjunct clinical faculty. Successful applicants must agree to serve as nursing faculty member, or as an adjunct clinical faculty member teaching at least 12 academic credit hours or its equivalent for four years at an institution in New York State following completion of their master's degree program.
• To apply, complete and return all four pages of the Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program Supplement to the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation. For more information, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A scholarship program for eligible Vietnam, Persian Gulf, and Afghanistan veterans that provides up to $1,000 per semester for full-time study or $500 per semester for part-time matriculated study at an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting institution or in an approved vocational training program in NYS.
• For more information on how to apply, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372, or visit www.hesc.org.

• A scholarship program for volunteer firefighters and ambulance personnel enrolled in an approved undergraduate degree program in NYS.
• Students may obtain an application from their volunteer organization. For more information, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372 or visit www.hesc.com.

• A scholarship program for children, spouses and financial dependents of deceased or severely and permanently disabled victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States or the subsequent rescue and recovery operations.
• This includes victims at the World Trade Center site, Pentagon or on Flights 11, 77, 93, or 175. The award covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study (up to amount of SUNY tuition plus average mandatory educational fees and allowances for room and board, books, supplies and transportation), or five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program.
• For more information, contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372, or visit www.hesc.org.

• Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students enrolled full or part time in a degree or approved certificate program. In 2007-08, Pell Grant awards range from $400 up to $4,310 per year. Eligibility for Pell is based on financial need determined by a national formula that takes into account total income, net worth (excluding home and family farm equity), family size, and the number of children in college.
• To apply, file the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA).

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• Funded jointly by the federal government and the colleges, FSEOG awards range up to $4,000 per year to full- or part-time enrolled undergraduate students with financial need who are Pell Grant recipients. Colleges select recipients and determine award amounts based on the FSEOG funds available at their college.
• To apply, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

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A new federal grant program beginning in the 2006-07 academic year. Awards range up to $750 for the first year, and $1,300 for the second year. Initial eligibility requirements for ACG:

• U.S Citizens;
• Graduated from high school after January 1, 2005, and completed a rigorous high school program. In New York state, a rigorous program has been defined as completing a program that culminates in a Regents diploma with honors or advanced designation;Completing a set of courses similar to the State Scholars Initiative; or 2 Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in HS with a minimum passing score on the exams in these classes;
• Pell Grant eligible;
• Enrolled or will be enrolled as a full-time, first-time student in a 2- or 4-year degree program.

Colleges determine eligibility based on the initial criteria listed above.

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The National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant ( National SMART Grant)

A new grant program beginning in the 2006-07 academic year. Awards range up to $4,000 per year for the third and fourth year years of study in a specific majors. Initial eligibility requirements for the National SMART Grant.

• U.S Citizens;
• Pell Grant eligible;
• Cumulative minimum 3.0 GPA;
• Enrolled as a full-time third or fourth year student in a specific baccalaureate programs;
• Eligible programs include: computer science, engineering, critical foreign languages, life sciences, mathematics, physical sciences, technology, or multidisciplinary studies. To view a complete list of eligible majors, visit www.studentaid.ed.gov and search "SMART grants."

Colleges determine eligibility based on the initial criteria above.

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Federal
TEACH Grant

Beginning in the 2008-09 academic year, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. Initial eligibility requirements for the TEACH Grant:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Be enrolled as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate student in a postsecondary educational institution that has chosen to participate in the TEACH Grant Program.
• Be enrolled in coursework that is necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework. Such coursework may include subject area courses (e.g., math courses for a student who intends to be a math teacher).
• Meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25).
• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve.

Note: Not all institutions participate in the grant program. Contact your financial aid office to see if your institution is a participating college or university.

For more information visit www.studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp

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• Scholarship program for individuals who are a member of, or at least one-quarter degree Indian blood descendent of a member of an American Indian tribe who are eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to Indians because of their status as Indians.
• For more information, visit www.oiep.bia.edu/faqs_grantinfo.html or call 202-208-6156, or call 202-208-6123.

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• The Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force offer financial assistance to qualified students. Scholarships may range up to full tuition plus fees, books and uniform; a monthly stipend may also be awarded. Students incur a service obligation (generally for a total of eight years) in return for a four-year scholarship (some three-, two- and even one-year scholarships are available).
• Contact your high school counselor for details, or call your local Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force recruiting office (listed in the telephone directory). The application deadline is usually in December of the high school senior year.