The New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) Board unanimously approved across-the-board increases to the dollar values of Tuition Aid Grants (TAG) for Academic Year 2022-2023 at the Board’s meeting this week.
The Board’s decision will implement the nearly $478 million in TAG funding that Governor Murphy and the State Legislature provided in the FY23 budget and strengthens New Jersey’s TAG program – which leads the nation as the most generous need-based state grant helping low- and moderate-income students pay for college.
New Jersey’s College Promise program is a network of grants and financial aid awards that offers free or reduced tuition to thousands of students in the state, providing students and families with financial and informational resources for students to pursue their education beyond high school.
The TAG program is increasing the income protection allowance for independent students to exclude more of their earnings from being counted when determining their financial need for a TAG award.
Governor Murphy signed P.L. 2019, c. 298 into law in January 2020, establishing a Study Commission to examine the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program. The Commission is charged with identifying any barriers, gaps, or deficiencies in the successful operation of TAG and then developing recommendations for improvements to the program to be included in a final report to the Governor and the Legislature.
The 10 members of the Commission listed below include five individuals appointed by the Governor to represent five sectors of New Jersey higher education (public research universities, State colleges and universities, county colleges, independent colleges and universities, and licensed degree-granting proprietary schools), as well as the executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) and four public members appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly.
The New Jersey College Promise offers an affordable pathway to a college degree. Together, the Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) and the Garden State Guarantee (GSG) programs promise transparent, predictable pricing for up to four years of college here in New Jersey. Based on your income, your degree may be free!
The state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESSA) board met virtually Wednesday to highlight additional funding in the fiscal year 2023 budget that will allow more students to access Tuition Assistance Grants at community colleges and four-year institutions statewide.
The board approved TAG award funding by 3 percent for all students who receive the grants and also alter the calculation that determines students’ financial need to help them qualify for more money.
Community College Opportunity Grants make community colleges affordable for New Jerseyans. CCOG awards pay for the cost of tuition and approved educational fees for New Jersey residents with an annual adjusted gross income (AGI) between $0 and $65,000. New Jersey residents with AGIs between $65,001 and $80,000 pay reduced tuition costs after up to 50% of the maximum CCOG award available at their community college is applied. The CCOG covers the cost of tuition and fees that are not already covered by federal and state financial aid or scholarships.
To be eligible for the Community College Opportunity Grant, students must:
- Be a New Jersey resident with an AGI between $0 – $80,000
- Complete the FAFSA or NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application by applicable state deadlines
- Enroll in at least six (6) credits per semester at one of New Jersey’s community colleges
- Have not yet earned a college degree
- Make satisfactory academic progress
New Jersey residents who attend a New Jersey four-year public institution of higher education and have an annual AGI between $0 and $65,000 will attend tuition-free during their third (60-89 credits) and fourth (90-126 credits) years of study, because the Garden State Guarantee provides a net price of $0 for tuition and fees during those years. Students who have AGIs between $65,001and $80,000 will pay a discounted net price of no more than $7,500 for tuition and fees per year during their third and fourth years at one of New Jersey’s four-year public colleges or universities. The GSG covers the cost of tuition and fees that are not already covered by federal and state financial aid or scholarships.
To be eligible for the Garden State Guarantee, students must:
- Be a New Jersey resident with an AGI between $0 – $80,000
- Complete the FAFSA or NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application by applicable state deadlines
- Enroll full-time (at least 12 credits per semester) at a New Jersey public four-year college or university
- Have not yet earned a Bachelor’s degree
- Make satisfactory academic progress
How to Apply:
You will automatically be considered for CCOG and GSG when you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, if you qualify as a NJ Dreamer, the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application. Get started here: https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/financialaidhub.aspx