Reasons Your Awards Change

If you attend less-than full-time during any term, your Cost of Attendance and financial aid award amounts will be adjusted. This could result in reduction or removal of your awards.

Below Are Some Reasons Your Awards May Change

Changes in funding - Your financial aid award is based on projected funding from federal, state, and institutional sources. If the projected funding is more than the actual funding available, your financial aid award(s) will be adjusted to reflect these changes.
Changes in federal and/or state regulations - All federal and state-funded programs are subject to change at any time as a result of legislative action. If there are changes that impact your eligibility, your financial aid award(s) will be adjusted to reflect these changes.
Scholarship and grant eligibility requirements - Scholarships and grants listed on your CUNYfirst Award Summary may require you to maintain a specific enrollment status, a grade point average, or other academic or performance requirements. If these requirements are not met, you may not be eligible to continue receiving this funding. In most cases, your award may be adjusted to reflect your enrollment status.
Receiving financial assistance from other sources not included on your CUNY award notification - If you receive any additional funds from outside sources, including scholarships or private loans, that were not included on your financial aid award notification, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can include the funds in your Award Summary. Students are required by federal regulations to notify the Financial Aid Office of all outside scholarships and/or private loans.

If the amount of funding from the outside source changes from what is listed on your award, please contact our office immediately so we can adjust your award accordingly.

Verification Review - If you are selected for a review process known as verification you are required to submit additional documentation in order for us to determine your financial aid eligibility.

Once the verification process is complete, your awards may be revised to reflect your correct eligibility. Students who fail to complete the verification process will not receive the financial aid funds projected on their initial award notification.

Mid-Year FAFSA Updates - Mid-semester or mid-year changes or updates to your Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) can result in selection for the verification review process. This review may result in an adjustment in your financial aid eligibility.

Disbursement of future aid will not occur until the verification review process is complete. If you attended another school and we are notified that there has been a change in your Federal Direct Stafford loan(s) or Federal PELL Grant amounts, your award will be reviewed and may be revised.

Change in the number of credit hours in which you are enrolled - The amount of your financial aid award depends on the number of credit hours you are taking. Your initial award is prepared based on full-time, full-year enrollment. If you are not enrolled in at least 12 credit hours or do not plan to come back to York for the spring semester, your awards will need to be adjusted to reflect these changes.

Financial aid award amounts vary depending on the number of credit hours you are enrolled for during that term. Please review the PELL Chart to determine the enrollment necessary for the disbursement of your financial aid awards.

Before you make a change to the number of credit hours you are enrolled in, please contact the Financial Aid Office. A change in credit hours can affect your financial aid award even after you have accepted the award. This is also to make sure your financial aid is properly disbursed. It is your responsibility to notify us of any changes in the number of credit hours you are enrolled in for that specific term.

After the drop/swap and add period has ended, the Financial Aid Office reviews financial aid eligibility for students with financial aid awards. Please note, financial aid may be adjusted after the drop/swap and add period due to a variety of factors.

The Financial Aid Office will review the enrollment status of students at the close of the seventh (7th) day of the semester to determine their financial aid eligibility. Courses added after this day will NOT be considered for financial aid purposes. Direct loan recipients will have their enrollment reviewed at the time of disbursement.

Repeat Coursework - You are only allowed to repeat a class with a passing grade, D- and above, one time and receive financial aid for it. Regardless of your performance in this second attempt (pass or fail), you will not be able to receive financial aid for that same course again. Please review “Repeat Coursework Policy” in the school bulletin for additional information.
Taking Coursework Not required for your Curriculum - A student may only receive financial aid funds for courses that count towards their current degree program. To comply with this regulation, York College must track the courses that a student is registered for and ensure that they count towards their current degree program. Check FACTS and Degree-Works often to track your program progress.
Approaching federal direct loans aggregate limit and/or PELL Grant maximum Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) - If we receive information from the federal government that you are approaching the maximum amounts of your awarded loans or Pell Grant, your awards will be adjusted accordingly.
Class attendance - Federal financial aid regulations require confirmation that you have begun attendance in your courses before aid is disbursed.
Award denied due to ineligibility - You may appeal but are still responsible for tuition charges pending the outcome of your appeal.

If you are reported as not attending a class or classes and received a WN grade, the Financial Aid Office cannot include the course credit hours in your financial aid award disbursement. The reduced number of credits may reduce the amount of financial aid that you are eligible to receive for the term. As instructors report your attendance your awards will be adjusted

An “attendance” is defined as but not limited to:

Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students;

Submitting an academic assignment;

Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; attending a study group that is assigned by the instructor;

Participating in an online discussion about academic matters and initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

Special Circumstances -Please contact our office if you have a special circumstance that comes up during the semester. A special circumstance may include involuntary loss of employment, high medical expenses, or other things that impact your financial situation.
Estimated TAP Award - The estimated TAP Award in your award letter or CUNYfirst is based on information you provided at the time of application. HESC determines your actual TAP award based on verified information, including your income as verified by the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

To check your TAP award status, you must create a HESC-specific user name and personal identification number called a HescPIN. You will use your HescPIN to sign your TAP application and access your HESC account information in the future. After you apply, check your TAP status by logging into your HESC account.