Governor's Urban Scholarship FAQs

About

What is it?

This scholarship offers grants to high-achieving students living in certain NJ cities: Asbury Park City, Camden City, East Orange City, Irvington Township, Jersey City, Lakewood, Millville City, Newark City, New Brunswick City, Paterson City, Plainfield City, Roselle Borough, Trenton City, and Vineland City.

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:

• Reside in one of the designated communities (Asbury Park City, Camden City, East Orange City, Irvington Township, Jersey City, Lakewood, Millville City, Newark City, New Brunswick City, Paterson City, Plainfield City, Roselle Borough, Trenton City, Vineland City) at time of high school nomination.
• Be in the top 5% of your class with at least a 3.0 GPA at the end of junior year of high school.
• Have lived in NJ for at least the 12 months prior to applying.
• Be accepted at and enroll in a participating NJ institution.
• Complete the NJ Alternative App.

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?

Probably not. To qualify for the Governor's Urban Scholarship, you must receive the scholarship in either the fall or spring semester immediately following your high school graduation. If you're within that window and are otherwise eligible, you can apply. However, if you're more than a year beyond your high school graduation, you can no longer qualify for this program.

Apply

How do I apply?

There's no formal application process. Your school will nominate you in the fall of your senior year of high school, and you should receive notice from the state in December about eligibility. You can then choose to accept the award or not.

Can i appeal the award decision?

If you're in high school and think you're eligible, contact your high school counselor, because they're in charge of the nomination process. Under the new law, if you can fill out the NJ Alternative Application, you're eligible to be considered for this award. You should hear from the state in December. Remember that award amounts may change every year based on how much funding the state provides the program.