Low-Income Students in New Jersey Face a Cut in State Tuition Grants

The state of New Jersey supplies Tuition Aid Grants to low-income students to help them pay for college. Low-income students who attend in-state private or public colleges and universities are eligible for the grants. The grant amount is based on the type of college attended and the student’s family income.

Funding for the program was increased by 18 percent this year to $294 million. But the number of students eligible for the program has increased to such a degree that the maximum grant has been reduced.

As a result, many low-income students in New Jersey will see a reduction in their state aid, while at the same time the costs at New Jersey colleges have gone up. For example, at the state’s flagship institution, Rutgers University, the maximum grant award under the TAG program will be reduced by $714. But tuition and other fees at Rutgers have increased by $673 this year. Low-income students attending private colleges in New Jersey will see the maximum grant award cut by $872.