NJ STARS

Free Tuition for high-achieving high school students, regardless of financial need

Governor Signs NJ STARS into Law, Opening Doors for 9,000 Students

NJ STARS (Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship) is a new initiative created by the State of New Jersey that provides New Jersey’s brightest students with free tuition at their local county community colleges.

NJ STARS will cover tuition and most fees for up to five semesters for first-time college students who graduate in the top 20 percent of their high school class.

"You do the work, you make the grades, and our NJ STARS program will cover the cost."
-- New Jersey Governer James E. McGreevey

To qualify, you must:

Graduate in the top 20 percent of your high school class. Maintain full-time enrollment status in an associate degree program at Bergen Community College. Students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) within established deadlines. For new or first time students, a FAFSA application must be filed prior to October 1st. For continuing students, a FAFSA application must be filed prior to June 1st. Apply for any eligible need-based federal and merit-based state financial aid, such as Pell Grant and the Tuition Aid Grant. Be a United States citizen or have permanent resident status in Bergen County. Students must attain at least a 3.0 grade point average by the start of the second year of enrollment to meet the academic requirement for NJ STARS renewal. Students who are required to take more than 3 non-degree credits of Basic English Skills courses, based on Basic Skills Testing, are not eligible for the NJ STARS Program at Bergen Community College until those courses have been completed satisfactorily.  Some fees, such as the application fees, lab fees, fees and expenses incurred in health career programs, and textbooks, are not covered by the NJ STARS program. Apply now! For an admissions application, please contact the Bergen Community College Admissions Office at admsoffice@bergen.edu.