É«ÀÇÉçÇø

No. All students who complete a FAFSA or the New Jersey Alternative application by the state deadlines will be considered for both the É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program and Garden State Guarantee. 

Yes – and all the credits earned that have been accepted by É«ÀÇÉçÇø will count towards your eligibility.

The É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program is available to eligible students up until they earn 59 credits. 

The Garden State Guarantee is available if you have earned at least 60 credits but not more than 128. There is no requirement that you begin or stay at one school to participate in the GSG at É«ÀÇÉçÇø.

Unfortunately, missed deadlines forfeit eligibility for state programs. The fall and spring semesters have distinct FAFSA renewal (or NJ Alternate Application) . If you’ve missed the filing deadline for fall, there is a chance you could be eligible for spring if you submit your FAFSA by the spring renewal deadline.

Please make sure you file your FAFSA (or NJ Alternative Application) by the , even if you are on a leave of absence/taking a semester off.

É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program

The É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program (ROP) will be available when you return if you meet the program eligibility requirements and have not yet earned 60 credits, including any transfer credits.

Garden State Guarantee

The Garden State Guarantee (GSG) is available to eligible students for up to four semesters total while studying in their third and fourth years (as defined by earned credits). If you take a semester off, as long as you continue to meet program requirements, including Adjusted Gross Income requirements, you will receive GSG when you return to É«ÀÇÉçÇø.

The four semesters of eligibility include any GSG payments received while attending any other New Jersey four-year public university or college. If a student has received the benefit at another institution prior to transferring to É«ÀÇÉçÇø, benefits received at the other institution will count towards the four semesters of eligibility provided by the program.

While there is no time limit to receiving the GSG benefits, once a student exceeds 128 college credits (including transfer credits), they are no longer eligible, regardless of enrollment or degree attainment status. Finally, please note this is a state program and legislation is beyond the control of É«ÀÇÉçÇø. If the program is ever terminated, these benefits may no longer be available.

Yes, as long as you meet the program eligibility criteria. The GSG and ROP are perfect programs for returning students and is an excellent opportunity for those students who meet the criteria on the FAFSA as the income guideline will be based solely on your income.

For dependent students, only the parent(s) AGI is considered, not the student’s income. For independent students, the AGI of the student and spouse, if applicable, is considered. Please refer to the federal income tax return used on the FAFSA. For the 2024/25 FAFSA, this would be the 2022 federal income tax return.

In accordance with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority’s (HESAA) policy, families who have negative AGIs are disqualified from both the Garden State Guarantee, É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program, and the Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) programs.

The Garden State Guarantee/É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program is based solely on the AGI figure. It is straightforward so that families will easily understand what is required to qualify.

The income requirement is determined by the AGI reported on the FAFSA. If you were information on the FAFSA, then the AGI used will be that of your parent(s), even if you are living on your own and supporting yourself. If you meet one of the criteria to be considered an independent student on the FAFSA, and so were not required to include parental information on the FAFSA; or you are approved for a dependency status appeal, then we will use your AGI to determine eligibility.

When the family circumstances change, you may qualify to have your aid eligibility reconsidered through an appeal process known as professional judgment. Please refer to our  for policy details and to submit the required documentation necessary for the income adjustment appeal. In some cases, we able to make more generous adjustments for federal aid than what the state allows. Only adjustments meeting the state policies can be considered for either the É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity or Garden State Guarantee Programs. 

Both the É«ÀÇÉçÇø Opportunity Program and Garden State Guarantee programs are last-dollar grant programs. This means that it will only provide funding when there is a tuition and fee balance remaining after all other grants and scholarships have been applied to those expenses. Neither program will result in free tuition/fees and housing and meal plans. Please review the examples in the link on the program pages.