Financial Assistance, Scholarships & Fellowships

Most students finance their degree through working with the Office of Financial Aid, using loans to pay for each semester and then repaying over an extended period of time.

FASFA
Those interested in low interest Federal Direct Loans must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) using Rutgers University Code 002629. Students must complete a FASFA for each school year that they wish to be considered for Federal Student Aid.

RU–N to the TOP
In 2016, the university established the Rutgers University–Newark Talent and Opportunity Pathways financial aid program (RU-N to the TOP) for newly enrolled undergraduate students. The RU-N to the TOP program provides a “last-dollar” financial aid scholarship that covers the cost of in-state tuition and mandatory fees.

Garden State Guarantee
The Garden State Guarantee (GSG) is New Jersey’s promise to make a college degree more accessible and affordable. By reducing out-of-pocket costs for students and families, New Jersey is limiting the amount of debt that residents must borrow to attend an in-state, public college, or university. 

Graduate student loan options include: Federal Direct Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, and Private Loans. After completing the FAFSA, credit-worthy students can also apply for a Federal Graduate PLUS Loan or a Private Loan to supplement their Direct Loans(s).

The Office of Financial Aid offers Financial Information for Graduate and Professional Students.

The university’s GradFund program offers information and support about external funding.

All applicants to the SPAA PhD program will be considered for a research/teaching assistantship, which includes full tuition and fee remission, a generous stipend, and comprehensive health benefits.

There are programs, financial aid, and scholarships that help veterans, active duty service members, and eligible dependents pay for higher education.

For more information on veteran certification at Rutgers University–Newark, please visit https://registrar.newark.rutgers.edu/veteran-certification

Borrowers who pursue full-time careers in the nonprofit or public service sectors and are employed by a U.S. federal, state, or local government or nonprofit organization, might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. To qualify for PSLF, you must:

• be employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization (federal service includes U.S. military service);
• work full-time for that agency or organization;
• have Direct Loans (or consolidate other federal student loans into a Direct Loan);
• repay your loans under an income-driven repayment plan; and
• make 120 qualifying payments (10 years).

For up-to-date information: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

The School of Public Affairs and Administration offers scholarship and fellowship awards to Rutgers SPAA students. Applications are due in the spring and scholarship awards are applied to fall term bills. Please contact the Rutgers SPAA student and academic services office at spaa.sas@newark.rutgers.edu with questions.

All Students

• SPAA Book Fund
  The book fund provides funding at the RU-N bookstore to purchase course textbooks.

Undergraduate Students

• SPAA Undergraduate Scholarship
  The scholarship is awarded to deserving undergraduate students in SPAA's Public and Nonprofit Administration program.
• GALA Anniversary Scholarship
  The scholarship provides financial assistance to undergraduate students in SPAA's Public and Nonprofit Administration program.

Graduate Students

• SPAA MPA Scholarship
  The scholarship is awarded to deserving MPA students.
• Diversity Fund
  The Diversity Fund provides financial assistance to graduate students in the public administration program in support of scholarship and research activities that support or encourage diversity.
• Louis Eckstein Fellowship
  The fellowship was established to honor the memory of Louis Eckstein and to provide financial support toward tuition for a deserving graduate student at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration.
• Annette McIntyre Family Endowed Scholarship
  The scholarship provides financial assistance to qualified full-time MPA students dedicating their careers to public service.
• Marcia Lynn Whicker Memorial Endowed Scholarship
  The scholarship is in honor of Marcia Lynn Whicker, who served as the chair of the Department of Public Administration in the Graduate School at Rutgers-Newark in the 1990s. It is awarded to deserving full‐time graduate students enrolled in the MPA program at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration.

Doctoral Students

• Marc Holzer Fund
  In honor of Dr. Marc Holzer’s legacy as the school’s Founding Dean, Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) established the Marc Holzer Fund for Doctoral Students. The fund was created with the encouragement of SPAA PhD alumni who credit Holzer’s mentorship and guidance with bolstering their successes in academia. This fund provides financial support for the next generation of public administration scholars who have demonstrated an interest in public performance measurement and improvement – Dr. Holzer’s area of expertise.

Please see the Rutgers SPAA Policy on Student Travel Support [pdf] for information on available conference travel funds for SPAA PhD and MPA students.

• Richard W. Roper Undergraduate Scholarship in Civic Responsibility

A listing of external scholarship opportunities can be found here.

Rutgers SPAA offers students the opportunity to offset their education costs through part-time employment opportunities at the school such as assistant and coordinator positions. Announcements for applications to these positions are sent out to students.

Students at Rutgers University can apply for part-time positions to help pay for the cost of their education. The Student Employment Office in the Office of Financial Aid administers two programs: the Federal Work Study Program (FWSP) and the Job Location and Development Program (JLDP).