Awarding Criteria

How much aid can I receive?

Once you have completed your financial aid applications and submitted the required information or documents to the Financial Aid Office, you will receive a Financial Aid Offer Letter

A Financial Aid Offer Letter usually covers an entire academic year and consists of grants and some type of self-help aid in the form of loans or work-study. How much you are awarded depends on your financial need and what program funds are available. Your total aid package (including all grants, loans, and scholarship aid) cannot be more than your cost of attendance.

CUNY takes the following steps to award financial aid:

  • first, your eligibility for TAP and PELL grants is determined;
    • Your Pell grant is determined based on your Enrollment Intensity as of the 7th day of the term. Enrollment Intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled, rounded to the nearest whole percent.
      Enrolled Credits Enrollment Status Enrollment Intensity
      12 (or more) Full-Time 100%
      11 Three-Quarter Time 92%
      10 Three-Quarter Time 83%
      9 Three-Quarter Time 75%
      8 Half-Time 67%
      7 Half-Time 58%
      6 Half-Time 50%
      5 Less Than Half-Time 42%
      4 Less Than Half-Time 33%
      3 Less Than Half-Time 25%
      2 Less Than Half-Time 17%
      1 Less Than Half-Time 8%
  • then, your remaining financial need is determined by subtracting the SAI and any TAP and Pell from your cost of attendance;
  • finally, you are considered for campus-based aid such as FSEOG and Federal Work-Study.

If you still need additional funds, you may request a Federal Direct Loan by completing an online Federal Direct Loan Request  through CUNYfirst or completing a paper application found under downloadable forms. CUNY does not automatically include Federal Direct Loans as part of your aid package even though you may be eligible.

Some students may receive a scholarship from a public or private source. These will be added to your total financial aid awards package when you receive them. Learn about scholarship opportunities for KCC students on our Scholarships page.

City University's Net Price Calculator is a tool to help you plan for your college education. You can learn about the kinds of financial aid you might expect if you choose to attend KCC. The Net Price Calculator is not a financial aid application and the amounts listed do not guarantee that these awards will be offered. You can only know how much aid you will receive by applying for it. 

What do I have to do after I file my applications?