IMPORTANT

If you are requesting information regarding YOUR OWN TAP award, student loan, scholarship, loan forgiveness award, or other state or federal student financial aid, STOP!

Please call the HESC Call Center toll free at 1-888-NYSHESC (1-888-697-4372) or 1-518-473-1574 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) Monday through Friday.

The toll-free number for HESC’s telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) is 1-800-445-5234.

You may also log on at www.HESC.org with your HESC personal identification number (PIN) and user ID to view, print and download your state and federal student financial aid information. In either case, there is no charge for this information.

Filing a FOIL Request

The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) allows the general public access to business records maintained by the government. To access business records maintained by HESC, you may file a FOIL request electronically, on paper, or in person. When describing the records you seek, you must be as specific as possible. Requests that are too vague or ask for records that do not exist cannot be filled.

Electronic Request Submission
  • You may complete the electronic form by clicking on the link below. All fields must be completed to assist us in identifying the business records you seek. After you complete the form, click the "Submit" button and an e-mail will be sent to the HESC Records Access Officer (RAO).

Paper Request Submission
  • Send a letter identifying the business records you request to:
        Records Access Officer
        Cheryl B. Fisher, Esq.
        Office of Counsel
        New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
        99 Washington Avenue, Room 1350
        Albany, New York 12255

In Person Requests
  • Arrive at the HESC business offices located at 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York with a written description of the business records you request.
  • Go to the 13th Floor Reception desk and ask for the Records Access Officer (otherwise known as the FOIL Officer) from the Office of Counsel.
  • An employee will be called to the reception desk to take your FOIL request. If needed, a FOIL request form will be provided to you.

Deadlines

Within 5 business days of our receipt of your electronic, paper, or in-person FOIL request, HESC will send you a letter of acknowledgement. This letter will provide you with an estimate of when the business records you requested will be available.

If the records will not be available within 20 business days, you will be notified of the date of their availability. This date is determined by the number of documents you request, their format, their availability, the time it takes to redact any information that cannot be disclosed pursuant to FOIL, the time it takes to assemble the documents, and other factors which affect the FOIL process.

Inspection

Once you are notified that the records you requested under FOIL are available, you may avoid a copying fee by inspecting the records at HESC’s business offices. Please call 1-888-NYSHESC and ask for the RAO. You will be given an appointment with the RAO (or designee) between the HESC business hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, at the HESC offices.

Costs

Records that can be sent via e-mail will be sent to you at no charge. HESC may charge 25 cents per page for photocopies that do not exceed 9 by 14 inches. The fee for photocopies or records larger than 9 by 14 inches per page will be the actual cost of reproducing the record, if assessed. The cost of postage will be added to all mailings for which a photocopying fee is assessed. HESC also charges actual reproduction costs for copies of, or on, CD-ROM and disk.

Exceptions

Under FOIL, some records may be withheld from the public. For example, FOIL may not be used to invade the personal privacy of others (information such as home telephone numbers, home addresses, and Social Security numbers, will not be released). FOIL may not be used for unfair business competition or to obtain trade secrets. Records may not be released if their disclosure would endanger the life and safety of others. Other records may be withheld, or redacted, under FOIL as well.

Committee on Open Government

The Committee on Open Government is responsible for overseeing FOIL. For further information on the Committee or FOIL, visit: www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/coogwww.html.

Click here to submit your FOIL REQUEST