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Garden State Guarantee

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!

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 one-half of the maximum CCOG award available at their community college is applied. New Jersey residents with AGIs between $80,001 and $100,000 will pay reduced tuition costs after up to one-third 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 - $100,000
  • 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 (90-128 credits) years of study, because the Garden State Guarantee provides a net price of $0 for tuition and fees during those years. Students in their third and fourth years at one of New Jersey’s four year public colleges or universities with AGIs between $65,001 and $80,000 will pay a discounted net price of no more than $7,500 for tuition and fees per year and those with AGIs between $80,001 and $100,000 will pay a discounted net price of no more than $10,000 for tuition and fees. 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 - $100,000
  • 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