Graduate Aid

Graduate Aid

Learn more about financial aid options available to graduate students

NJCU strives to make financial aid opportunities available for as many students as possible. The financial aid application information below applies to aid for college freshmen, transfer, and returning undergraduate students.

Graduate students who are matriculated in a degree or certification program may be eligible for federal loans. To be eligible for a Direct Federal Student Loan, a graduate student must either be matriculated in a degree program or enrolled in a certificate program by the first day of the term in which they intend to use their student aid, and must be enrolled for at least six credits per semester. In addition, a student seeking a Direct Federal Loan for a summer term must have received such student aid in either the prior spring or fall term. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for Direct Stafford Loans.

Non-matriculated students are not eligible to receive federal or state financial aid or loans, but may apply for certain private education student loans.

COMPLETE THE FAFSA
To be considered for any federal financial aid programs, including student loans, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is used to determine your eligibility for all financial aid programs offered by NJCU. There is no processing fee for this financial aid application.

  1. Create FSA ID and Password
    To expedite the completion of your FAFSA you should first create a FSA ID and Password, which will allow you to electronically sign the FAFSA. (If you do not create a FSA ID, you will need to print, sign, and mail the signature page).
  2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
    Complete and submit the FAFSA online as soon as possible after October 1st of the previous year you will be attending. NJCU's priority filing deadline for the FAFSA, the prerequisite for any financial aid, is March 1st. New Jersey City University's Federal School Code is 002613. The information you submit will be processed and you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) in response. Log in to the FAFSA website to review this information and correct any errors as instructed.
  3. Review your Student Aid Report (SAR)
    Your Student Aid Report (SAR) is a paper or electronic document that gives you some basic information about your eligibility for federal student aid as well as listing your answers to the FAFSA questions. Your SAR will indicate if you were selected for verification. 
  4. Submit documents for Verification
    Verification is the process used to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. The Financial Aid Office has the authority to contact you for documentation that supports the information you reported. The documents that can be requested are income tax returns, W-2 statements, and 1099 forms, and other NJCU verification forms.
  5. Review and accept your Financial Aid Awards package
    Once the application has been reviewed and you have been admitted to the University, you will receive an award notification of your financial aid package, which will include any NJCU scholarships for which you may be eligible. This Financial Aid Award Letter will also include important loan information and instructions on how to accept your federal loans on GothicNet.
  6. Complete a Master Promissory Note & Loan Entrance Counseling
    All student loan borrowers at NJCU are required to complete a Master Promissory Note and Loan Entrance Counseling. Both can be completed by logging into Studentloans.gov using your FSA ID and Password. All students must be enrolled for at least 6 credits to be eligible for federal loans.

Questions concerning entrance loan counseling should be directed to the Financial Aid Office at 201-200-3173. You can also review valuable information regarding this requirement on the Federal Student Aid website.

"Seven Easy Steps to the FAFSA, A Student's Guide to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid." A tool designed to help applicants walk through the FAFSA application in seven easy to understand steps.

Other Types of Graduate Aid

A Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is different from other federal student grants because it requires you agree to complete a teaching service obligation  as a condition for receiving the grant, and if you don't complete the service obligation, the TEACH Grant will be converted to a loan that you must repay, with interest.

TEACH Grant Eligibility
To be eligible for a TEACH Grant, you must do the following:

  • Meet the basic eligibility criteria for the federal student aid programs.
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form.
  • Be enrolled at a school that participates in the TEACH Grant Program.
  • Be enrolled in a TEACH-Grant-eligible program.
  • Receive TEACH Grant counseling that explains the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant service obligation. You must complete counseling each year that you receive a TEACH Grant
  • Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve or Repay.
  • Complete NJCU TEACH Grant Form and submit it to the financial aid office.

TEACH Grant-Eligible Programs
A TEACH Grant eligible program is a program of study that is designed to prepare you to teach as a highly qualified teacher in a high-need field and that leads to a bachelor’s or master’s degree or is a post-baccalaureate program.

What Are High-Need Teaching Fields?
High-need fields are:

  • mathematics.
  • science, including, but not limited to, computer science.
  • foreign language.
  • bilingual education.
  • English language acquisition.
  • reading specialist.
  • special education; or
  • any other field that has been identified as high need in the annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing

More Information

The Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Graduate Program provides graduate aid to full-time graduate students who meet eligibility requirements, providing students with grants totaling up to $2,300 per year. Details about eligibility requirements and the application process can be found on the OSP/EOF webpage

A veteran whose entitlements have not expired may qualify for graduate educational benefits through the Veterans Administration. Any veteran who believes that he or she is eligible may contact the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs at New Jersey City University or the local VA office for instructions and application forms. Benefits may be awarded to both part-time and full-time students. For additional information call Elaine Gargiulo, Coordinator of Veterans Benefits, at 201-200-2157. Veteran students can find more information at NJCU Veterans Benefits.

Some employers offer their full-time employees tuition assistance in the form of tuition reimbursement or scholarships. If you are employed, talk to your Human Resources department to find out if they offer any tuition assistance programs for which you might be eligible.