Education (Higher Education) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 11, 2026

S 4128: Requires county college to notify graduating high school students of acceptance into local county college.

This bill requires New Jersey county colleges to automatically notify graduating high school students in their county of acceptance into the college. The notification must be sent by December 1 and include instructions on how to enroll, register for classes, and access financial aid and support services, while eliminating the need for a separate application or application fee. Although students receive an offer of admission, the bill clarifies that this does not guarantee placement in a specific major or specialized program. Additionally, the legislation mandates the creation of guidelines for identifying eligible students and requires an annual report on the program's impact, including data on enrollment and out-of-state migration.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 4, 2026

S 4072: Requires public institution of higher education to adopt withdrawal policy permitting refund for certain extenuating circumstances.

This New Jersey bill requires all public colleges and universities to create a policy allowing students to withdraw from their courses and receive a refund if they face specific extenuating circumstances. The law defines these circumstances to include illness, injury, hospitalization, and mental health or wellness issues that prevent a student from continuing their education. Under the new rules, students who withdraw due to these reasons would get their tuition and fees back, as well as a prorated refund for room and board charges for the time they did not use campus services. The bill also mandates that institutions establish clear criteria for evaluating these situations and notes that financial aid refunds will follow existing state and federal regulations.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Mental Health

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 5, 2026

S 3776: Requires certain institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions to submit certain documentation on online program managers to Secretary of Higher Education.

This bill requires New Jersey colleges and degree-granting institutions that work with online program managers to submit annual reports detailing how much money they pay these third-party companies and how that money is spent. The reports must include specific categories of spending such as advertising, recruiting, instruction, student support, technology, and curriculum development, and the state's Secretary of Higher Education will make these reports publicly available online. Institutions must also share copies of their contracts with the Secretary within 60 days of signing, renewing, or making significant changes to them. The law allows institutions to mark certain information as confidential, but all other data will be treated as public records. This measure aims to increase transparency around financial arrangements between educational institutions and the companies that help deliver their online programs.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 3911: Revises public institution of higher education annual reporting requirements.

This bill updates the annual reporting requirements for New Jersey's public colleges and universities, mandating that they publish detailed information about student demographics, admissions data, and institutional performance. The new requirements include specific metrics such as retention rates, applicant numbers, acceptance rates, and disaggregated data broken down by race, ethnicity, gender, family income, and first-generation status. Additionally, the bill requires institutions to use this collected data to evaluate their diversity, adjust admissions policies, and guide resource allocation toward equity initiatives. Public institutions must prepare these reports in a format established by the Commission on Higher Education, with the changes taking effect starting with the first full academic year after enactment.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 10, 2026

S 3860: Grants priority course registration to certain student parents attending institutions of higher education.

This bill grants priority course registration to undergraduate student parents at New Jersey institutions of higher education that already offer priority registration to other student groups. To qualify, a student must be a New Jersey resident and the parent or legal guardian of a child under 18 years of age. The legislation requires schools to notify eligible students before each semester's registration period and to process their registration using the same procedures as other priority groups, such as student-athletes or military veterans.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4747: Expands category of nonresident children who school district may enroll without payment of tuition.

This bill expands the category of nonresident children that New Jersey school districts may enroll without requiring tuition payments. The legislation amends existing state laws to clarify which out-of-state students qualify for free enrollment in local public schools. By modifying the legal definitions and enrollment criteria, the bill allows districts to admit more nonresident students at no cost to the families. The changes directly affect school district administrators, enrollment officers, and families of nonresident children seeking education in New Jersey.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 10, 2026

A 4589: Extends eligibility for Military Dependents Scholarships to students enrolled in approved career and technical education programs and to dependents of certain military members who served in Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve.

This bill expands eligibility for New Jersey's Military Dependents Scholarship program to include students enrolled in approved career and technical education programs, in addition to undergraduate studies. It also extends scholarship eligibility to dependents of military members who served in Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve, alongside previously covered operations. The legislation modifies the governing board to require at least five public members who were directly affected by specific military operations, ensuring representation from those with direct experience. Scholarships remain available for spouses, children, or other eligible dependents of New Jersey residents who were killed, missing in action, or permanently disabled due to service in the specified operations.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Military Families Veteran Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 10, 2026

A 4593: Extends eligibility for tuition benefit to dependents of members of United States Armed Forces who died while on active duty.

This bill expands tuition assistance in New Jersey to include dependents of U.S. Armed Forces members who died while on active duty, extending a benefit currently limited to New Jersey National Guard members. It allows eligible children or surviving spouses to attend public colleges tuition-free for up to 16 credits per semester if they meet standard enrollment and financial aid requirements. Additionally, the bill provides a monetary award equal to 10 percent of tuition costs to be used for non-tuition expenses like housing, dining, and fees. The changes apply to the first full academic year following enactment.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Military Families National Guard & Reserve Veteran Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 5, 2026

S 3750: Requires institutions of higher education and proprietary degree-granting institutions that have agreements with online program managers to disclose online program information.

This bill requires colleges and universities in New Jersey that partner with online program managers to publicly disclose specific details about their online degree and certificate programs. The law mandates that these institutions post information on their websites, including the name of the online program manager, admission requirements, tuition costs for online versus on-campus programs, and financial aid details such as availability, average amounts, and the percentage of students receiving aid. This transparency measure directly affects students and families seeking higher education by providing clearer information about the programs and costs associated with online learning options.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 16, 2026

S 3871: Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to increase income protection allowance used in determining eligibility of independent adult student for Tuition Aid Grant Program.

This bill directs New Jersey's Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to raise the income protection allowance for independent adult students applying for the Tuition Aid Grant Program. The change aligns the state's calculation method with the federal standard used for Pell Grants, allowing more of a student's income to be disregarded when determining financial eligibility. Independent adult students will benefit from potentially higher aid eligibility as the state formula becomes more generous. The law takes effect immediately and applies to grants awarded in the first academic year after enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

All education bills