Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG)
Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), New Jersey
Tuition-free community college: covers remaining tuition and approved fees at NJ county colleges for residents with family AGI of $0-$65,000.
- How much
- remaining tuition (up to 18 credits per term) and approved fees after other grants
- Who qualifies
- New Jersey resident; adjusted gross income between $0 and $65,000 (parents' AGI for dependent students; student and spouse for independent students). Enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester at a NJ community college; no prior college degree; matriculated with a high school diploma or GED (high school dual-enrollment students are not eligible); satisfactory academic progress (college SAP standard or a 1.8 GPA in the prior semester).
- For students starting college, undergrads
- US citizen, eligible non-citizen, or NJ Dreamer eligible to file the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Open now · due February 15, 2027 Annual, FAFSA/NJ Alternative Application-driven. 2026-27: renewal TAG recipients April 15, 2026; all other students September 15, 2026 (fall + spring); spring-2027-only applicants February 15, 2027; complete the NJFAMS state record by October 1 (fall) / March 1 (spring). 2027-28: renewal April 15, 2027; all others September 15, 2027; spring 2028 only February 15, 2028.
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA (or NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application for NJ Dreamers) each year by the state deadline
- You are then automatically considered
- Watch your NJFAMS To Do List for any required tasks
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (hesaa.org), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Last-dollar grant: after all other grants and scholarships are applied, CCOG pays any remaining tuition (up to 18 credits per term) and approved educational fees (general, registration, facility, technology, lab, program/course, online access, student activity fees) for a student's first associate degree at a New Jersey community college. Books, supplies, insurance, parking, out-of-county charges and similar fees are not covered. Students attending a county college outside their home county are covered only at the in-county rate. Up to 5 semester payments (6 for a three-plus-one degree program or a program regularly requiring at least 6 semesters). The county college notifies eligible students as part of its financial aid award.
More money from New Jersey
- Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Graduate Grant$200 to $4,900 per year
- Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Undergraduate Grant$200 to $3,050 per year
- NJ STARS IIup to $1,250 per semester (up to 4 semesters)
- Garden State Guarantee (GSG)covers remaining tuition and fees (net price of $0) in years 3 and 4
- Governor's Urban Scholarship (GUS)amount not stated on HESAA's pages; set by the annual state budget
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.