To be eligible to receive a GCAP award, you must meet the following conditions.

1. Enrollment: You must be a full-time, actively enrolled graduate student at the time the child care expense is incurred. Please note: visiting students and students on leave of absence are not eligible.
2. Age of child (please reach out if you have questions): 
   • You have a child 6 years of age or younger as of September 1 in the plan year of your application; OR
   • You are a single parent and have a child 12 years of age or younger as of September 1 in the plan year.
3. Income: You have a total annual household income (AGI) that is not greater than $150,000. Your total AGI will be increased by any pre-tax contributions to a retirement plan. Students who have significant changes in income from one year to the next should note such changes on their annual application.
4. Expenses: For child care expenses, your caregiver must provide a tax ID or Social Security number and is responsible for the appropriate taxes on income received for the care provided. The caregiver cannot be your spouse, partner, or dependent.

For the purposes of this program, “child” is defined broadly and includes biological, step, adopted, foster, or any other child for whom you are the legal guardian or for whom you have court-awarded custody, and/or the child of your same-sex domestic partner. This child must share your home for at least half the year and you must provide one half of the child's support. No one else may claim this child as his/her qualifying child. If you are divorced, your child may live with your former spouse, however his/her financial documents will need to be provided.

GCAP awards are based on annual adjusted gross household income and are paid on a reimbursement basis after costs have been incurred. 

• Assistance is available for up to three eligible dependents under the age of 6 as of September 1 in the plan year of your application. 
• For single parents, this age limit is raised to 12 years of age. 
• If your spouse or partner is also a Princeton student or employee, you may apply for only one GCAP award per eligible child.

Awards are based on the household's adjusted gross income (AGI). Graduate students with an annual household income of up to $80,000 will be eligible for the full award amount.

The GCAP application will be available online through TigerHub in July. GCAP awards are made on an annual basis and correspond with the plan year. You must reapply each year. If you are already participating in the program and need to add an additional child, please contact Jeanette DeGuire.

To be eligible from a financial standpoint, you must submit a completed online application through the "My Financials" tile in TigerHub. The application can be found under the "Resources" section. The application includes information about all sources of income for all individuals (i.e., you and your co-applicant) who are financially responsible for the child for whom the award applies. Depending on your circumstances, this may include: 

1. Birth or adoptive parents, regardless of marital status
2. Legal guardians; or
3. Step-parents, depending on the status of the non-custodial birth or adoptive parent

Upon completing the online application, you will be required to upload PDFs of:

1. Previous year's federal income tax return(s) for both the applicant and the co-applicant, including all additional Schedules, if any. For incoming internationals students with no U.S. tax return, please submit an end of year financial statement for 2023. 
2. W-2 statement(s) or similar documentation for all U.S. and non-U.S. earnings for both the applicant and the co-applicant, such as a Form 1099. (If you were a student in the previous calendar year, your W-2 will automatically be uploaded.)
3. Birth certificates for each child to be enrolled in the GCAP

The application requires you to upload PDFs of the above documents for any individual who has financial responsibility for the child. These forms are required whether you file jointly or separately. All financial information received is carefully reviewed, verified, and when appropriate, cross-checked with the University's benefits records. You may be asked to provide additional financial information. All information submitted is confidential and will be used only to administer the GCAP.

After your application and required documents have been submitted and your eligibility is verified, GCAP awards are determined according to financial need and total household resources. You will be notified of the decision by email.

• To receive full benefits: To receive the maximum eligible award for the award year, you must complete and submit the online application with all required documents by September 30 of the program year. The application and substantiation must be fully approved by the 10th of the month in order for you to receive the first month’s allocation in your  pay. You are encouraged to apply early to receive advance notification of eligibility, as applications typically take 30 days to process. Applications received and substantiated after the 10th of the month, and which are considered eligible for the full reimbursement, will have the first month’s allocation added to your next monthly check. 
• Late applications: Awards for applications received after the deadline may be prorated.
• Adding a new child: If you are expecting or adopting a new child after the application deadline, you must complete and submit the online application with all required documents no later than 90 days from the date of birth or adoption. The award will be prorated based upon the date of the birth of the child. Please do not apply prior to the child's arrival; applications will not be reviewed prior to the birth or adoption of your child.

You have until September 30 to submit reimbursement claims for the prior award year. If you do not submit your claim by September 30, your GCAP award balance is forfeited.