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NJ STARS
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NJ STARS Eligibility Changes to NJ STARS will Affect 2009 High School Graduates NJ STARS is a scholarship program exclusively for New Jersey residents that covers the cost of tuition and approved fees at New Jersey's 19 community colleges. Students who graduate in the top 15 percent of their high school class may be eligible. Students who meet the top 15 percent requirement must first apply for all other federal and state financial aid available to them by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually within New Jersey's deadline. If a student receives financial aid, NJ STARS will cover the remaining cost of tuition and fees. If a student is not eligible for financial aid, NJ STARS will cover the entire cost. NJ STARS students must be enrolled in an associate degree program at a New Jersey community college. NJ STARS students must maintain continuous full-time enrollment at a New Jersey community college. NJ STARS students must have a 3.0 or better grade point average moving from freshmen to sophomore years to be eligible for scholarship renewal for the second year. Students will have to take a college placement test selected by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges when they receive their conditional eligibility letter from the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Community colleges will administer the test and may create partnerships with districts to have on-site testing as well. Students who do not achieve the required placement test scores will be notified by the college that they are currently in need of remediation prior to pursuing college coursework through the NJ STARS program. Students will be able to take appropriate courses while still in high school to improve their skills, or they can attend remedial courses at the community college while enrolled in high school. Students who graduate from high school and still need remediation will be given up to one year at their own cost or using other non-STARS funds to gain the skills they need to be college ready. They will not be considered NJ STARS scholars until they meet the requirement, but they will still have five semesters of eligibility upon meeting the requirements during that year. Students who have earned college credits during high school will be able to submit those credits for consideration to the community college, and upon meeting the established criteria should have those credits applied to their degree. For more information about NJ STARS and other state-sponsored scholarships and financial aid programs, visit the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.
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