Educational Opportunity Fund FAQs

About

What is it?

The EOF offers grants of $200 to $2500 annually, administered through its partner schools in NJ. Depending on the institution, it also offers counseling, tutoring, and other support services.

Eligibility

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, you must be able to fill out the NJ Alternative Application. See the requirements for that here. You must then meet these additional requirements:

• Demonstrate an economically and educationally disadvantaged background.
• Have lived in NJ for at least the 12 months prior to applying.
• Be accepted at and enroll in a participating NJ institution.
• File the NJ Alternative App.
• Meet the family income requirements (here).
• Meet the EOF selection criteria of your new institution.

If you satisfy these requirements, you're eligible for the scholarship, regardless of your immigration status.

What institutions are eligible?

See this list for institutions where enrolled students may qualify for NJ state grant programs.

I was eligible when I graduated high school, but Dreamers/undocumented students couldn't access state aid then. Am i eligible now?

It depends on your school, because eligibility criteria vary from one institution to another. Some schools may require that you enter as a first-year student, while others will extend EOF support to non-first-years. If this will be your first year of higher education, you should be eligible regardless of when you graduated high school. If not, your eligibility will be determined by your school's specific criteria. Speak with the EOF director of your institution for more information about its particular policies. In any case, you are not eligible for EOF if your first application is for the final year of your degree. Note that no form of financial aid is retroactive--you can't ask for support to cover time you've already spent in a degree program. So if you're heading into your second year of a degree, you can apply for funding for the coming year, but can't receive anything for the year you've already completed.

Apply

How do I apply?

1. Apply to, and be accepted at, a participating NJ institution.
2. File the NJ Alternative App.
3. Contact the EOF director of the institution you plan to attend to determine what the criteria are for qualifying for EOF at that particular institution. 
4. Reapply through your institution for each year that you remain eligible.

Can i appeal the award decision?

EOF grants are administered through individual institutions that have their own criteria for determining eligibility. You should speak with the EOF director at your school if you have questions about your grant or want more information about how students are selected at your institution.