Frequently Asked Questions
The TAP Program Fee that covers all TAP courses and supports is $7,980 per semester. Elective course fees and room and board depend on other factors. For more details, please see Costs on our TAP Admissions page.
Yes, some. Returning TAP students are eligible to apply for the TAP Into the Future Scholarship. Please see Paying for College at the bottom of the TAP Admissions page.
TAP is a federally approved Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP). Our students and parents are not eligible for federal student loans, but they may be eligible for Pell Grants, Work Study, and other state and federal grants if they have a documented intellectual disability. Families are asked to complete the FAFSA each year.
529 payments are processed like cash. They will be applied toward any expense assessed in Catalyst. However, withdrawals from 529 plans must be used toward qualified expenses, or account holders could incur federal income tax or other penalties not determined by UC. Account holders should consult with their 529 advisor to confirm whether a charge is classified as a qualified expense.
Just like with any child planning to go to college, it is important to start planning and saving as early as possible. For more information on disability savings accounts, see this Think College resource.
See application details on our TAP Admissions page.
In Certificate Selection, choose your school status, then 2026 Fall and Transition and Access Pathways (Certificate) in the 2 dropdown menus. Click Continue, and the TAP Application should open.
We are looking for students who will be successful in our program model. See the Program Requirements on our TAP Admissions page.
We cannot give or make determinations about eligibility without reviewing all of the information that is required in the application. We recommend reviewing the Program Requirements and attending a TAP Information Session to learn more about the program.
TAP does not have IQ eligibility limits or specific diagnoses that qualify as admissions requirements. Our program is designed for students with mild to moderate intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students must be able to live independently on campus and navigate campus safely.
Applicants to TAP must be 18-25 years old at the time of application.
The TAP application requires a psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation that has been completed within the last two years.
Assessment Guidelines: Documentation of an intellectual and/or developmental disability should consist of a comprehensive report that provides evidence of a currently existing impairment. The report should include background information, relevant testing, specific diagnosis, and interpretative summary.
- Assessment: Testing must be current to represent the applicant’s aptitude as an adult and should address the following areas:
- Cognitive Ability: The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV), the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJ-Cog), the Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition (SB-V), and the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test are acceptable.
- Achievement: The Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement (WJ-Ach), the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT), or the Kaufman Tests of Educational Achievement (KTEA) may be submitted.
- Social/Emotional Scales: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition or Adolescent Edition (MMPI-2 or MMPI-A), Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2), or the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) are acceptable.
- Report: The results of these assessment tools should be presented in a thorough and comprehensive interpretative report (psychoeducational or neuropsychological), that will include:
- Actual test scores must be provided along with an interpretation of test results. Test protocal sheets or scores alone are not sufficient. WAIS-IV results must include subtest and index scores.
- The evaluation must include and describe co-existing conditions such as mood, behavioral, neurological, and or personality disorders.
Your school must send your transcript for it to be considered official. Your school should send your transcripts through online systems such as Parchment, NSC, or eScrip-Safe to the University of Cincinnati Undergraduate Office of Admissions. They also can be emailed from the school counselor to UC’s transcript team at admissproc@ucmail.uc.edu.
We are unable to accept unofficial transcripts or transcripts in person or dropped off.
No. TAP is designed as an in-person program.
Yes! TAP students live inclusively in campus housing. Students are encouraged to consider living off-campus in their senior year to practice independent living while still having TAP support. Students whose parents live within 30 miles of University of Cincinnati’s Clifton campus are not required to live on campus but may if they choose to.
No. TAP students live with other TAP students in their rooms and/or suites.
TAP students are under college-level supervision. They do not check in or out of the dorm with the program. TAP staff is available during business hours. Outside of business hours, students use university resources like RAs.
We accept 10-12 students per year.
We typically have around 30 applications per year, and we accept 10-12 students for each cohort. We highly recommend planning ahead and applying early.
This varies by year. TAP accepts 10-12 students for each cohort. We highly recommend planning ahead and applying early. Due to the limited space in the program, some qualified applicants may not be admitted. Applicants who are not accepted to TAP will receive recommendations on how to strengthen future applications.
At TAP, the term waitlist is used similarly to how it is used in traditional college admissions. It does not mean that students are placed in line for an eventual opening or guaranteed a future spot. Being on the waitlist means your application is still under review. While we may occasionally offer admission to waitlisted applicants, this is not guaranteed.
Waitlist decisions are finalized by the date listed in our admissions timeline and do not carry over from year to year. Students who are not admitted from the waitlist need to reapply the following year.
No. TAP freshmen start fall semester only.
The TAP program runs during fall and spring semesters only. We do not have a summer program for high school students or current TAP students.
Incoming freshmen are required to attend Summer Workshop for one week in June. During Summer Workshop, incoming freshman students live on campus for a week, practice campus navigation, register for fall courses, register with Accessibility Resources, set up technology, and participate in UC Bearcats Bound Orientation.
TAP students receive a university-recognized certificate. This certificate indicates that the TAP student has completed the TAP program. Students successfully completing the program will receive a certificate of postsecondary education (not an accredited college degree).
No. TAP students are under college-level supervision.
No, there is not a guardianship requirement.
TAP is not able to provide campus visits outside of our scheduled visits. Please see our Visit TAP page for more information.
Yes! We highly encourage students and families to visit TAP as early as possible. This helps students and families begin to prepare for the expectations of college. Please see our Visit TAP page for more information.
TAP students start their internships in the fall of sophomore year.
TAP students are full-time students and are generally busy 9-5 during the week, so we do not recommend that students keep a job during the school year. Our students are encouraged to work as much as possible over the summer.