NJ's county colleges to offer tuition-free education to county residents

The Community College Opportunity Grant program, which began last year at several pilot schools, has now been expanded to include the remaining six community colleges, among them Sussex County Community College (SCCC).
“This is a huge step for education,” said SCCC President Jon Connolly. “This grant will give students who might not otherwise be able to attend college a chance to thrive in our community.”
The program allows access to education to those in financial need so they can focus on their grades rather than bills, Gov. Murphy said in a statement.
“We know that if our students can obtain a higher education, our communities become more prosperous, their employers become more competitive and the state economy becomes more innovative and attractive to businesses,” he said in the statement.
Eligible students must meet several criteria. Students will need to complete the state and federal financial aid application, FAFSA, come from a family with an adjusted gross income of less than $65,000, and enroll in at least six credits. Students must then maintain satisfactory academic achievement to retain assistance.
Students will be automatically considered for the grant without further application needed, the state said. Current students who have already completed a financial aid application for the 2019-2020 school year will be automatically considered for grant eligibility if they enroll for at least six credits in the Fall 2019 semester.
For more information on this program, contact the Sussex County Community College Financial Aid Office at 973.300.2225 or email finaid@sussex.edu.