This bill expands New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant Program to cover eligible workforce training programs, directly affecting students seeking non-degree credentials in high-demand fields. To qualify, programs must require 150+ classroom hours, offer industry-valued credentials, and maintain 70%+ completion and job placement rates. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will designate eligible programs and set participation rules, while institutions must report program success metrics. This change allows workforce training participants to access state aid previously limited to degree-granting programs.
This bill adds $1.2 million in supplemental funding to the Community College Opportunity Grant program for the 2026 fiscal year. It directly supports low-income New Jersey community college students who meet specific criteria: enrolled in at least six credits, without a prior degree, with household income under $65,000 (or reduced awards for $65,001-$100,000), and who complete financial aid applications. The grant covers remaining tuition and approved fees not covered by other aid, up to 18 credits per semester. This funding ensures continued access to financial support for eligible students pursuing associate degrees.
This bill creates the Grow Your Own Teacher Loan Redemption Program to help new teachers reduce student loan debt by working in school districts with teacher shortages. It targets graduates of high schools in shortage districts (or those who lived in such districts for over five years) who become certified teachers there, with eligibility requiring NJ residency, a valid teaching job, and eligible student loans. For each full year of teaching in a qualifying district, the program redeems up to $10,000 of loan principal and interest, capping total redemption at $50,000 over five years, with annual program spending limited to $500,000. Participants must sign a five-year contract to teach in the designated district and submit annual employment verification.
This newly introduced New Jersey bill (A 2602) revises annual reporting requirements for public colleges and universities. It expands existing reporting to require institutions to include retention rates, applicant numbers, and acceptance rates - along with all student data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, family income, and first-generation status. The bill mandates that institutions use this detailed student data to evaluate campus diversity, inform admissions policies, and improve equity initiatives and resource allocation. These changes apply to all public higher education institutions in New Jersey and would first take effect for the academic year following enactment. The bill does not change current reporting on graduation rates, SAT scores, or student financial aid programs.
This bill amends New Jersey's NJ STARS scholarship program to remove a one-year deadline for students who qualify for the scholarship but initially lack college readiness. It directly affects high school seniors in New Jersey who meet NJ STARS eligibility criteria but need remedial coursework to take college-level classes. The key change eliminates the requirement that these students must demonstrate readiness within one year of graduation, instead allowing their eligibility to remain active indefinitely as long as they meet the program's criteria when they enroll. This provides more time for students to complete necessary remediation before accessing the scholarship for up to five semesters of county college study.
This New Jersey bill (A-2347) requires employers designated as qualifying under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to inform new employees about the PSLF program during initial benefits explanations. It mandates employers to explain both potential eligibility and specific requirements, including working at least 30 hours per week for a qualifying employer, having Direct Loans or consolidated federal student loans, repaying under an income-driven plan, and making 120 qualifying payments. The law directly affects eligible employers in New Jersey and their new hires with federal student loans. It aims to clarify access to a federal loan forgiveness program through mandatory employer communication at hiring. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill requires New Jersey public colleges to provide a replacement scholarship to student-athletes who lose their athletic scholarship due to an injury or illness directly related to intercollegiate athletics. If the injury makes a student-athlete medically ineligible to compete (as determined by the institution's medical staff), the school must offer a scholarship equal in value for the remainder of their undergraduate degree program or up to five years total - whichever is shorter. It specifically applies to student-athletes enrolled at public institutions of higher education in New Jersey. The law defines "incapacitating injury or illness" as one directly tied to athletic participation that causes medical ineligibility for competition.
New Jersey's S 1455 prohibits colleges, career schools, and third-party recruiters from misleading service members or veterans about tuition costs, federal education benefits (like the Post-9/11 GI Bill), or financial aid terms. It requires the state to create a public awareness campaign explaining how veterans can verify GI Bill eligibility, confirm benefit applicability at institutions, and access additional financial aid. The law directly affects educational institutions and recruiters who serve military-connected students. It focuses on ensuring accurate information about existing federal benefits rather than creating new programs. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill prohibits New Jersey public and private institutions of higher education from receiving state funding if they boycott or divest from Israel-supporting businesses or Israeli businesses. Specifically, it blocks state operating aid, state bond proceeds, and student financial aid for institutions that boycott Israel's goods, boycott entities doing business with Israel, divest due to a company's support of Israel, or participate in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The law excludes divestment for "prudent economic reasons" and applies to all parts of an institution, including endowment funds. The bill takes immediate effect and directly impacts colleges receiving any state education funding.
New Jersey's S 1135 requires colleges and government employers to inform specific people about the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Public and private colleges must provide this information to students with outstanding federal student loans during their final academic semester and when applying for graduation. Government employers must share the same information with employees at hiring and annually thereafter. The details include eligibility requirements (like 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer) and the program's website, but do not change loan terms or forgiveness eligibility.
