FINANCIAL AID

NJ STARS

NJ STARS is a scholarship program, exclusively for New Jersey residents, that covers the cost of tuition at New Jersey’s 19 community colleges

Students who graduate in the top 15 percent of their high school class may be eligible.

Students must complete a rigorous series of high school courses as a first step toward eligibility, as determined by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the New Jersey Commissioner of Education. Students must also meet other criteria to qualify for NJ STARS.

Students who meet the top 15 percent requirement must first apply for all other federal and state financial aid available to them by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually within New Jersey’s deadline. If a student receives financial aid, NJ STARS will cover the remaining cost of tuition and fees. If a student is not eligible for financial aid, NJ STARS will cover the entire cost.

Once selected for the program, NJ STARS students must:

  • Be enrolled in an associate degree program at a New Jersey community college.
  • Maintain continuous full-time enrollment at a New Jersey community college.
  • Have a 3.0 or better grade point average moving from freshmen to sophomore years to be eligible for scholarship renewal for the second year

Interested in being an NJ STAR at PCCC?

Discover how affordable your education can be.

See how financial aid can make your education even more valuable. Our Net Price Calculator will show you all of the tuition and fees associated with PCCC and how much you could save with financial assistance.

Have questions or need more info?

Schedule an appointment for help with your FAFSA Application, or chat with the Virtual Information Center to help figure out the best aid options for you.

Virtual Information Center

Virtual Info Center available Mon-Fri, 9am to 1pm. Closed Fridays during summer.