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Over 60% of students in New Jersey graduate with debt. Fortunately, the Garden State offers a handful of scholarships, grants and state-funded loans to help cover the costs of school — regardless of income.
The New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) Program helps students obtain associate degrees by providing awards that cover tuition for up to five semesters. You won’t have to jump in right away, either — if you’re not ready for college and need to take remedial courses, you have one year to demonstrate eligibility. And once you’ve completed the STARS program, you may be eligible for STARS II, which covers tuition at a four-year institution.
The NJ STARS II Program was created to provided continued funding to students who successfully completed an associate degree at a New Jersey county college. Awards cover up to $1,250 per semester of tuition and fees at eligible four-year colleges and universities in New Jersey, after other state and federal scholarships and grants have been applied.
The New Jersey-Governor’s Industry Vocations Scholarship (NJ–GIVS) was designed to give access to vocational training for minority and female students. It’s renewable for one year, depending on the program you’re enrolled in. However, you won’t receive funding until after the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) receives confirmation of your enrollment and academic progress.
Although New Jersey only has three scholarships available to its general student population, there are a few that service specific groups:
New Jersey only has two major grants for students, but they offer quite a bit in terms of funding.
Depending on your financial need and when you complete the FAFSA, you may be eligible for New Jersey’s Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) Program. It covers up to the full cost of tuition, and almost one-third of New Jersey undergraduates receive it.
The Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) is a new program recently launched by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. It covers the costs of tuition and fees — after other aid has been applied — for students to attend a community college in their county. If you have plans on moving out of county to go to school, you might not qualify.
Typically, no. Most New Jersey scholarships and grants are awarded to New Jersey residents staying in state for college. Instead, you should look into university and federal grants and scholarships.
Yes, the NJClass student loan program is available to undergraduate students who are either:
All undergraduate loans require a cosigner or proof of income, and you must be enrolled at least half time in a degree or certificate program. NJClass offers three fixed interest rates based on your loan term, plus a 3% origination fee that’s included in the APR.
| Term | Starting APR | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| 10 years | 5.5% | Immediate repayments of principal and interest while in school. |
| 15 years | 6% or 6.03% based on repayment plan | Immediate or interest-only repayments while in school. |
| 20 years | 7.61% | Full deferral — no repayments while in school. |
NJClass also offers refinancing and consolidation for students looking to streamline their student loans into one monthly repayment.
Beyond state scholarships, grants and loans, you may want to consider your federal and private options to finance your education.
There are several federal grants available for those with financial need. In addition, many universities and colleges throughout New Jersey offer their own scholarships and grant programs. For example, Rutgers has multiple merit- and need-based scholarships available to incoming students.
When federal and institutional grants and scholarships aren’t enough, you may want to turn to student loans. We recommend starting with the federal Direct Loan Program first — these offer more competitive rates and repayment terms than private student loan providers.
New Jersey has a few scholarships and grants available to help residents cover the cost of tuition and fees. And its NJClass loan program is quite competitive — even compared to federal Direct Loans.
Don’t qualify for any of these programs? Explore other ways to pay for college with our guide to student loans.
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