Financial Assistance, Scholarships & Fellowships

Financial Aid

Rutgers University–Newark is committed to making education affordable. Financial aid can consist of a variety of funds in the form of grants, loans, and possible scholarships and tuition assistance. For more information see Funding your Education.

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.

General Information

Financial assistance is available to graduate students in the form of merit-based assistantships and fellowships, as well as need-based and non-need based grants and loans. For more detailed and official information about these forms of financial aid, please see:

Importantly, many graduate students at the university receive fellowships funded by sources outside the university. Prospective as well as current doctoral students are encouraged to apply for externally funded fellowships and scholarships as early as possible. The university’s GradFund program offers information and support about external funding:

Non-US students are encouraged to apply for fellowships and scholarships that may be available from their home countries to support their education in the US.

SPAA Policies and Procedures for Financial Support for Doctoral Students

In addition to the financial aid referenced above, SPAA provides limited part-time teaching and research-related employment opportunities to doctoral students to help them afford their education and living expenses. SPAA’s general policies and procedures are as follows:

Part-time teaching and work opportunities will be announced to all doctoral students, who must then apply for these positions by the deadline and with all required information. Applications are reviewed by the Dean’s Office and the PhD Director.
Students with assistantships and fellowships are not eligible for part-time teaching and employment at SPAA during the academic year (other than what may be required as part of their assistantship or fellowship). These students are, however, eligible for part-time summer employment.
Students who have received four years of financial aid from assistantships and fellowships are generally expected to complete their degree during the four years of funding. There is no promise of support from SPAA in the fifth year or beyond, and any teaching or part-time employment opportunities will be offered only to highly qualified candidates who have made substantial progress toward completing their dissertations.
Selection of students for part-time teaching and research work at SPAA will take into account academic merit, work experience, qualifications for the position, and past performance in part-time teaching or research jobs at SPAA.
The amount of financial support already provided to the student in the past (including fellowships, scholarships, and part-time employment) will be considered in the selection process, so that SPAA’s limited resources can be used as equitably as possible.
Students living outside of the New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ–PA Metropolitan Statistical Area are generally not eligible for part-time teaching or research work at SPAA.

Loan Forgiveness

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