Does Tap Cover for a Double Major?

[sybbie719]

TAP only covers 4 years.

You will have to check with your individual school as TAP will not cover classes that are not part of your degree plan. The goal of TAP and Excelsior is for you to go in, get a degree and get finished. Unless you are an EOP/HEOP student, TAP only covers 4 years (8 terms) whether or not you complete your degree.

@HESC

Credit-bearing courses in the student’s minimum full-time course load (12 semester hours or the

equivalent) must consist of courses applicable to the student’s program of study as a general
education requirement, major requirement, or elective.
https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/grants/tap-eligibility.html

@HESC

** Reasons why students lose their aid**

You must be taking classes that go toward your major or electives that are accepted towards completion of your degree.

TIPS to ensure you meet the full-time requirement for your NYS award:

Check your award program details or speak with your financial aid office about the award requirements.

Take 12 credits or more each semester that will be credited toward your program of study, if you are an undergraduate student.

If you drop a class before the drop/add period and are not identified by the school as enrolled for at least 12 credits, you may not be eligible for your award payment.

If you are identified as being enrolled for at least 12 credits and subsequently drop below 12 credits, you are eligible for your award payment if you incurred full-time tuition.

Check before repeating a class.

If you repeat a class that you already passed and received credit for while in college, the class is not counted toward your full-time status for NYS financial aid purposes.

If, as a college student, you repeat an Advance Placement or other college-credit bearing class that you took as a high school student, the class is not counted toward your full-time status for NYS financial aid purposes.

EXCEPTION: If you repeat a class for your major in which you did not initially receive a passing grade, credits for the repeated class WILL count toward your full-time status. For example, if you require a “B” in a certain class but you earned a “C,” you can repeat the class and the class credits will count toward meeting the full-time requirement for your major.

If you repeat a class because you received a failing grade, the class is counted toward your full-time status for NYS financial aid purposes.

Check before taking classes not needed for your major.

If you are taking a class that is not needed for your major, be sure to take at least 12 credits in classes that go toward your major, including electives, to be deemed in full-time status for NYS financial aid purposes.

In short you cannot take classes for a second major at the expense of the first major. If you are not taking 12 credits toward your major (not your second major), you will be at risk of losing your aid.

If most of the courses toward your second major, comprise the majority of your schedule, it is probably not going to be paid by TAP and you will probably lose your aid for not meeting SAP.

Stick with one major.