25 year old "independent" son at CUNY

[nosering]

I have a 25 year old son who dropped out of college years ago with a psychiatric illness. After years of refusing treatment he is finally going back to school part time, having lived very frugally on money he inherited that is now running out. He lives in NYC and attends a CUNY school part time. As he is past the age of 24, our income no longer matters for the purpose of calculating financial aid.

I have several questions:

1. To what extent are we legally allowed to support him without interfering with scholarships to cover tuition? (We cannot afford to support him completely, but it would be huge for him if we could give him $10K per year, especially if he could also get most or all of his tuition covered. He is still in treatment and still struggling but able to attend school. Pounding the pavement and asking people to employ him is too difficult for him right now. We hope he can get a campus job this summer, but he'll still need financial help from us or loans, hopefully just short term.)
2. He has applied for a Pell Grant, and he knows about TAP in NYS, but he's not yet going to school full time. Are there other governmental scholarships to which he is entitled? Anything for students with a documented disability?

[sybbie719]

Keep in mind that while he is independent for federal aid purposes, any bills paid by you on his behalf (bills in his name; rent, cell phone, ultilities, etc.) must be added as income on the fafsa.

As far as whether or not he is eligible for CUNY tuition, start here

https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/la/tuition-fee-manual/residency.pdf

Look up the school that he is attending and down load their residency form

Regarding TAP ( NYS Tuition Aid Program)

If eligible, he can receive part time tap

While a student is independent for federal aid at 24, a student is not fully independent for NYS aid until age 35.

@CUNY

NEW YORK STATE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

Age: Under 22 As Of June 30, 2015

The student must meet the basic criterion for independent status plus one of the following special conditions:

The student’s parents are deceased or are totally and permanently disabled or have been declared incompetent by judicial action.

The student is a ward of the court. This does not include incarcerated students.

The student is receiving public assistance under his/her own name. This does not include food stamps or unemployment insurance.

The student has been rendered financially independent due to the involuntary dissolution of his/her family resulting in the relinquishment of his/her parents responsibility and control.

If the student answers all the independent questions on the TAP application “no”, and is under the age of 22 he/she must document that one of these special conditions has been met. HESC will send the student a Financial

Independence Supplement when they receive and process the student’s TAP application. This form is sent automatically.

Waiver Of Special Conditions:

The student does not have to meet the special conditions if he/she:

Was married on or before December 31, 2014

Is enrolled as a graduate student in the 2014-2015 academic year.

Received TAP as an independent student in the prior award year (2014-2015).
Age: 22 To 34

Students are not automatically considered to be independent for the purposes of the TAP program until they are 35 years old. In the meantime, they must meet all of the following conditions to be considered independent.

The Student:
Did not and will not live in the parents home or a building owned or leased by the parents in 2014, 2015 or 2016, even if he/she paid rent.

Is not or will not be listed as a dependent of the parent on the 2014 or 2015 tax return.

Did not and will not receive more than $750 in financial assistance (loans, gifts, etc.) from either or both parents in 2014, 2015 or 2016.

If the student answers yes to any of the questions on the TAP application, and is under the age of 35, he/she must provide parent financial information to be considered for TAP.

http://www2.cuny.edu/financial-aid/student-eligibility/dependent-or-independent-student/

If you are providing more than $750 a year, they will most likely ask for your income/assets/ If he has a ) EFC, he will be selected for verification because they will want to know how he meets his day to day expenses.

As an independent student with no dependents, the max he can make is $10,000/yr to receive TAP

[sybbie719]

@nosering

Services for Students & Adults in NYS with Disabilities:

I would advise your son to register with ACCES-VR

as part of NYS Education Department, Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) starts with the presumption that all individuals with disabilities can benefit from vocational rehabilitation services and should have opportunities to work in jobs integrated within their communities. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors guide individuals through service programs they need to reach their employment goal.

ACCES-VR assists individuals with disabilities to achieve and maintain employment and to support independent living through training, education, rehabilitation, and career development.

Eligibility for services

@ACCES_VR

A person is eligible for vocational rehabilitation services if the individual:

1. has a physical or mental impairment that is a substantial impediment to
   employment;
2. can benefit in terms of achieving an employment outcome consistent with the
   individual’s strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests
   and informed choice; and
3. requires vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain
   employment.

http://www.acces.nysed.gov/common/acces/files/vr/policy202.pdf

Application

http://www.acces.nysed.gov/common/acces/files/vr/vr04a.pdf

Educational benefits through ACCES-VR

Up to the cost of tuition at CUNY/SUNY (minus any financial aid)
Fees
Up to $3000 for room and board
Books
http://www.acces.nysed.gov/common/acces/files/vr/College%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

there are offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens

http://www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/district-offices

I hope this helps

[nosering]

Wow. Thank you so much, sybbie719! This is very helpful.

[MaineLonghorn]

@nosering, congrats to your son (and you!) for his decision to go back to school. My mentally ill son is only a couple of semesters away from getting a degree, but at this point, he has no interest in finishing.

I was going to write about voc rehab, but sybbie did a better job of describing it! Voc rehab helped a friend of mine go back to college. It’s the only way she could have afforded it.

[nosering]

I hope your son decides to return to school, Mainelonghorn. My son has a long haul in front of him, and he wants to major in computer science, which isn’t easy. I’m not sure he’ll succeed. I cannot imagine him handling five courses a semester, though he might be able to handle four, which is still considered full time. This information should help a lot.