Awarding Criteria

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.

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 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 exceed your cost of attendance.

CUNY awards financial aid using the following steps:

  • 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.
  • The Enrollment Intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment a student is enrolled in, rounded to the nearest whole percent.
  • 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.

Enrollment Intensity

Enrollment Status and Intensity by Credits
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%

If you still need additional funds, you may request a Federal Direct Loan by completing an online Federal Direct Loan Request through CUNYfirst or by reviewing our forms page. Some students may receive a scholarship from a public or private source. These will be added to your total financial aid awards package when they are received. Learn about scholarship opportunities for York 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 York College. 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.

Revised: March 18, 2026