Navigating Financial Aid at Queens College: A Comprehensive Guide

Financing a college education can be a daunting task. Queens College offers various financial aid programs to help students meet their educational expenses. This article provides a detailed overview of the financial aid options available at Queens College, eligibility requirements, and the application process.

Understanding the Cost of Attendance

The cost of education extends beyond tuition and fees. Queens College recognizes this by assigning a Cost of Attendance (COA) budget to each student. This budget includes expenses such as books, supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal costs. Students participating in Study Abroad programs, Consortium Agreements, or those with other school-related expenses not reflected in their COA can request an increase to their budget.

Types of Financial Aid Available

Queens College offers a variety of financial aid programs, including federal, state, and institutional aid.

Federal Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grant: This grant is an entitlement program, meaning that all eligible students receive it. The Pell Grant is the foundation of federal student financial aid and does not need to be repaid. The grant amount depends on the Student Aid Index (SAI), the cost of attendance, enrollment status, and the length of the academic year. Students are limited to a maximum of 12 terms of full-time Pell payments or its equivalent for part-time study. Pell Grants are exclusively for students pursuing their first undergraduate degree.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): This grant is for students with exceptional financial need who meet the federal eligibility requirements.
Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP): This program provides students with the opportunity to work part-time and earn money to help pay for their education. Students can apply for FWS by completing the FAFSA and indicating their interest in work-study. Preference is given to students with greater financial need. The college arranges jobs on and off campus, with public or private nonprofit agencies, for up to 20 hours per week during the academic year. The salary is at least the minimum wage.
William D. Ford Direct Loan Program: This program offers low-interest loans to both undergraduate and graduate students. These loans carry a small origination fee.

New York State Aid Programs

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): TAP is an entitlement program for eligible New York State residents. To be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, legal New York State residents, and enrolled full-time in an approved program. Additional requirements include meeting income eligibility limitations, being charged a tuition of at least $200 a year, not being in default on a student loan, and having declared a major by the specified deadline.
Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS): This program provides financial assistance to eligible part-time students. To be considered, students must complete the HESC application and the CUNY Supplement Form, be a New York State resident, not have received the maximum number of APTS/TAP awards, and be matriculated for at least 3 but not more than 11.5 credits per semester.
City University Supplemental Tuition Assistance (CUSTA): CUSTA is available to eligible New York State residents who are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program at a CUNY senior or technical college, are eligible for the maximum TAP award, and are at least a fifth-semester TAP recipient with a TAP reduction.
NYS Memorial Scholarship: For families of deceased firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers, peace officers, and emergency medical service workers.
NYS World Trade Center Memorial Scholarships
Flight 587 Memorial Scholarships
Flight 3407 Memorial Scholarships
Military Service Recognition Scholarships
NYS Excelsior Scholarship
NYS Math & Science Teaching Incentive Scholarships
NYS Scholarships for Academic Excellence
NYS Volunteer Recruitment Service Scholarships
NYS Regents Awards for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans
NYS Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program
NYS Achievement and Investment Merit Scholarship (NY-AIMS)

Other Aid Programs

The Percy E. Sutton SEEK Program: Eligibility requirements include being a New York State resident and either a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen; showing evidence of need; not being in default of a federal student loan, or owe a repayment of a Federal Pell or FSEOG; making satisfactory academic progress in your course of study.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for financial aid at Queens College, students must meet certain general requirements:

Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. Undocumented students, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, are not eligible for federal financial aid but may apply for alternative student loans and can also apply for state aid through the Dream ACT.
Have a valid Social Security number. The federal government will confirm that the Social Security number on the FAFSA application matches other data in their files. Students whose records do not match will be required to verify their Social Security number.
Be registered with Selective Service, if male and between 18 and 25 years of age.
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Not be in default on a previous federal student loan or owe the federal government a refund of previously received financial aid.
Be willing to verify the information provided on the FAFSA.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

All students who submit the FAFSA and those who receive any type of financial assistance are evaluated for SAP. Students must make SAP towards their degrees, as defined by New York State, in order to continue to receive New York State aid including APTS and TAP. For New York State aid, SAP consists of two elements: academic progress and pursuit of program. Academic progress is a measure of earning credits toward a degree with a specified grade point average. Pursuit of program is a measure of the student’s degree completion. Students will be measured against the SAP standard at the end of each term to determine eligibility for receipt of New York State student financial assistance for the upcoming year.

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For Title IV aid programs, CUNY has established a minimum percentage of credits a student must successfully complete each academic year. Students will be measured against these SAP standards at the end of the Spring term to determine eligibility for receipt of Title IV aid for the upcoming academic year.

Undergraduate SAP Requirements:

150% Cap: Students may not attempt more than 150% of the credits normally required for completion of the degree.
Regular Standard: Accumulated credits must be equal to or greater than two-thirds the cumulative credits attempted at the institution.
Pace of Progression: Accumulated credits must be equal to or greater than a certain percentage of the total credits attempted, according to a specific chart.

Students who fall beneath the conditional undergraduate standard may file an appeal application through the College Counseling and Resource Center in Frese Hall. A successful appeal would result in a one-year probation period for the student to improve their academic record.

Loss of Eligibility and Waivers

Students who do not meet the academic requirements for TAP may apply for a TAP Waiver. A one-time waiver of academic standards or the C average requirement may be granted for extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness. Students may request a waiver application from the College Counseling and Resource Center and will be required to provide a written explanation and documentation.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Create an FSA ID: An FSA ID is required to log into your account, sign the FAFSA, and make changes or add schools. Students and parents must create separate FSA IDs.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): The FAFSA is the primary application for federal financial aid. The Queens College FAFSA School Code is 002690. Be sure to select and file the correct year’s FAFSA, entering the correct year’s income. Applications for 2024-2025 require 2022 income information; applications for 2025-2026 require 2023 income information.
Complete the TAP Application: New York State residents can apply for NY State financial aid through the TAP application. This application is typically completed online after submitting the FAFSA.
Verification Process: The Department of Education selects a certain number of applicants for verification. If selected, students will need to provide additional documentation to verify the information provided on the FAFSA. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool can be used to transfer tax information directly into the FAFSA.
Review the Student Aid Report (SAR): The SAR is a summary of the FAFSA data submitted. It will include the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Receive an Award Letter: Once the FAFSA and TAP applications are completed and financial need is demonstrated, students will receive an award letter through their CUNYfirst account, indicating the estimated financial aid programs for which they may qualify.

Important Considerations

Deadlines: The FAFSA application opens each year on October 1. It is recommended to submit the application as early as possible, as some aid programs have limited funding.
Enrollment Status: The number of credits for which you are enrolled affects your financial aid eligibility. Dropping below a certain number of credits can impact your Pell award, TAP eligibility, and loan status.
Withdrawal Policies: Withdrawing from courses can have significant financial aid implications. Students who withdraw may be required to return all or a portion of their federal aid.
Unusual Circumstances: If you have unusual financial circumstances that may increase your eligibility for financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid Services after you have received your award letter.
Dependency Override: Students who do not meet the federal criteria to be considered independent may submit a Dependency Override with supporting documentation for review to determine if unusual circumstances exist for granting a dependency status override.
Professional Judgment: The Office of Financial Aid Services will determine if a student’s professional judgment request meets the criteria to make data element changes to their FAFSA.
Citizenship: U.S. citizens are subject to different regulations which may require supporting documentation, depending upon the type of financial aid sought.

Maintaining Eligibility

To maintain financial aid eligibility, students must:

Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Comply with all program requirements.
Report any changes in enrollment status or other relevant information to the Office of Financial Aid Services.

Resources and Contact Information

Office of Financial Aid Services: Contact the office for assistance with financial aid applications, eligibility questions, and other related inquiries.
College Counseling and Resource Center: This center provides support for students appealing SAP decisions or seeking waivers.
www.studentaid.gov: This website provides comprehensive information about federal student aid programs.
www.hesc.ny.gov: This website provides information about New York State financial aid programs.

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