NJ STARS
NJ STARS (Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship) is a scholarship program that covers the cost of tuition for New Jersey residents at Salem Community College.
Students who graduate in the top 15 percent of their high school class may be eligible.
Students must complete a rigorous series of high school courses as a first step toward eligibility, as determined by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the New Jersey Commissioner of Education.
Students must take at least 12 college-level credits each semester and are allowed to take up to 18 credits per semester if they are able to handle the course load and wish to accelerate their graduation.
Students have five semesters of eligibility for NJ STARS. Students are permitted to take fewer than 12 credits in their final semester if they need fewer than 12 credits to graduate.
Students majoring in areas that require an additional sixth semester pay for the additional semester, but are able to retain their eligibility for NJ STARS II status.
Students must take a college placement test selected by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges when they receive their conditional eligibility letter from the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. SCC will administer the test and may create partnerships with districts to have on-site testing as well.
Students who do not achieve the required placement test scores will be notified by SCC that they are currently in need of remediation prior to pursuing college coursework through the NJ STARS program. Students will be able to take appropriate courses while still in high school to improve their skills, or they can take developmental courses at SCC while still in high school.
Students who graduate from high school and still need remediation will be given up to one year at their own cost or using other non-STARS funds to gain the skills they need to be college ready. They will not be considered NJ STARS scholars until they meet the requirement, but they will still have five semesters of eligibility upon meeting the requirements during that year.
Students who have earned college credits during high school will be able to submit those credits for consideration to Salem Community College, and upon meeting the established criteria should have those credits applied to their degree. Those students who have earned an associate degree with a 3.25 grade point average or higher while enrolled in high school will be eligible to apply directly to a New Jersey public college or university for inclusion in NJ STARS II.
Dependent students of military families assigned to a military base and whose parents have established New Jersey as their state of residence will be eligible for NJ STARS as long as all other conditions are met.
Students who meet the top 15 percent requirement must first apply for all other federal and state financial aid available to them by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually within New Jersey's deadline. If a student receives financial aid, NJ STARS will cover the remaining cost of tuition and fees. If a student is not eligible for financial aid, NJ STARS will cover the entire cost.
NJ STARS students must be enrolled in an associate degree program at Salem Community College.
NJ STARS students must have a 3.0 or higher grade point average moving from freshmen to sophomore years to be eligible for scholarship renewal for the second year.
Students must earn a 3.25 cumulative grade point average upon graduation from SCC to be eligible for NJ STARS II.
NJ STARS is annually funded through state of New Jersey legislation, which is subject to change.
For more information, call the Financial Aid Office at 856.351.2699.