Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)
Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), New Jersey
New Jersey's main need-based grant: covers part of tuition at approved NJ colleges; 2026-27 full-time awards up to $14,404 a year (independent colleges).
- How much
- 2026-27 full-time: up to $3,098 (county colleges, average), $9,496 (state colleges), $10,964 (public research), $14,404 (independent colleges) per year; part-time county college TAG up to $774-$1,161 per semester
- Who qualifies
- New Jersey resident for at least 12 consecutive months before the term (dependent students: student and parent), or meets the NJ Dreamer law P.L. 2018 c.12 (3+ years at and graduated from a NJ high school). Enrolled in an undergraduate program at an approved NJ institution: full time, or half/three-quarter time at a NJ county college (Part-Time TAG). Financial need measured by the NJEI; satisfactory academic progress required; income must be verifiable (parents outside NJ without a U.S. tax return generally make the student ineligible).
- 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 the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application if you are an NJ Dreamer) by the state deadline, create an NJFAMS account and complete any To Do List tasks (state record, verification) by the NJFAMS deadline
- There is no separate TAG application
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (hesaa.org), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Need-based grant for NJ undergraduates at approved New Jersey public and private colleges, universities and county colleges; it supports nearly one-third of full-time NJ undergraduates. The award depends on the New Jersey Eligibility Index (NJEI, calculated from the FAFSA/NJ Alternative Application) and the type of school. 2026-27 award table (approximate annual full-time values, NJEI under 1,500): county colleges $3,098 (sector average), state colleges $9,496, public research universities $10,964, independent colleges $14,404; awards step down as NJEI rises and are $0 above sector cut-offs (e.g. NJEI 10,500+ at independent colleges). Public-sector awards may be higher than the standardized values based on the school's tuition but never above tuition. PART-TIME TAG: county college students enrolled half time (6-8 credits) or three-quarter time (9-11 credits) can receive Part-Time TAG (up to $774 or $1,161 per semester at NJEI under 1,500). SUMMER TAG: students enrolled in 6+ summer credits who received TAG in the prior fall and/or spring, in the same program at the same school, may get Summer TAG (available for Summer 2026). Payment limits: up to 5 semester payments for an associate degree at a county college and up to 9 for a bachelor's degree (including county college payments); EOF, remedial/ESL and some specialized programs may allow more.
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)
- Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG)remaining tuition (up to 18 credits per term) and approved fees after other grants
- Garden State Guarantee (GSG)covers remaining tuition and fees (net price of $0) in years 3 and 4
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.