Garden State Guarantee Grant
What is the Garden State Guarantee Grant (GSG)?
The Garden State Guarantee is a financial aid program that will provide up to four semesters of free or reduced tuition and mandatory fees at a four-year, public institution of higher education in New Jersey. To be eligible, students must be New Jersey residents enrolled full time in their third or fourth year of study.
Students may qualify for an award based on three (3) tiers of eligibility:
Tier #1 students whose family’s Adjusted Gross Income is $0–$65,000 annually. These students may be eligible for free tuition and mandatory fees after financial aid is applied.
Tier #2 students whose family’s Adjusted Gross Income is $65,001–$80,000 annually. These students may be eligible to receive assistance such that their net cost for tuition and mandatory fees is no more than $7,500 per year after financial aid is applied.
Tier #3 students whose family’s Adjusted Gross Income is $80,001–$100,000 annually. These students may be eligible to receive assistance such that their net cost for tuition and mandatory fees is no more than $10,000 per year after financial aid is applied.
This program is a “last dollar” award. Therefore, all federal, state, institutional, and private grants/scholarships must be awarded first. A student may qualify for Garden State Guarantee funding, based on the Adjusted Gross Income tier, for any gap up to the cost of tuition and mandatory fees.
What are the eligibility criteria?
- Students must meet the New Jersey residency requirements established by the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.
- Students must have a complete financial aid record with the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA)
- Adjusted Gross Incomes of $0–$65,000 may make a student eligible for free tuition and required fees not covered by federal, state, and scholarship.
- Adjusted Gross Incomes of $65,001–$80,000 may make a student eligible for assistance, lowering the cost of tuition and required fees to no more than $7,500 after federal, state, and scholarship are applied.
- Adjusted Gross Incomes of $80,001–$100,000 may make a student eligible for assistance, lowering the cost of tuition and mandatory fees to no more than $10,000 after federal, state, and scholarship are applied.
- The Adjusted Gross Income figure (from the IRS tax return) is based on the parents’ AGI for dependent students or on the student’s/spouse’s AGI for independent students. The AGI establishing eligibility will be based on the income reported on the FAFSA for the academic year in question. Only those who filed a tax return or will file a tax return, as indicated on their FAFSA, can be considered.
- Mandatory fees are defined as Student Activity Fee.
- A student who is in their third year (60 – 89 credits) or fourth year or fifth year (90 – 128, no more than 128 earned credits which can include transfer credits.)
- Students must be enrolled full time (12 credits or more) and working towards their first bachelor’s degree.
- Students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- Students must have met all federal and State application deadlines.
- Students selected for federal and/or state verification must submit all required documents to the appropriate entity by the established deadline dates before eligibility can be determined and funds awarded.