NJ STARS - ACCC

NJ Stars

If you graduated in the top 20 percent of your New Jersey high school class, and meet all other criteria as outlined below, you are eligible for free tuition and fees at Atlantic Cape Community College through NJ Stars. NJ STARS will cover the full cost of tuition and most fees for up to five semesters at ACCC.

What is NJ STARS?

NJ STARS is a new initiative created by the State of New Jersey that provides New Jersey’s brightest students with free tuition and fees at their local community college. Students will have up to two years from the date of high school graduation to enroll and begin using the scholarship at their local community college.

Who is eligible?

Beginning in 2004, you must have graduated in the top 20 percent of your N.J. high school class. Eligible students will be notified by ACCC.
You must enroll in an associate degree program at a New Jersey community college.
You must take at least 12 or more non-developmental credits each semester.
To continue the scholarship in your sophomore year at your community college, you must achieve a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Atlantic and Cape May county residents must attend ACCC. If your chosen major is not available at ACCC, you may attend another county college in New Jersey.

How do I apply?

“ACCC is a great choice for an education. Everyone’s priority is the student’s success.”

Although the program is not based on financial need, you must first file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After applying the full amount of grants and scholarship you may be eligible for, exclusive of loans, NJ STARS will cover the remaining balance of tuition and most fees. If you don’t qualify for financial aid, NJ STARS will completely cover your tuition and most fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click here to view the most frequently asked questions. For more information on NJ STARS at ACCC, contact Linda McLeod, assistant director of college recruitment, (609)343-5009 or (609)463-4774, ext. 5009.

NJ STARS II

NJ STARS II is a continuation of NJ STARS that provides successful NJ STARS students at New Jersey county colleges with funding to transfer to a New Jersey four-year public institution of higher education to earn a bachelor's degree. For more information on NJ STARS II, visit http://www.njstars.net/

About ACCC

Atlantic Cape Community College is the two-year college serving Atlantic and Cape May counties. ACCC offers high quality instruction in 40 programs of study. Classes are small, the environment is supportive and faculty members care about your success. By attending ACCC, you can earn an associate degree and go right into the workforce, or you can transfer to a four-year college or university to earn your bachelor’s degree.

ACCC has transfer agreements with four-year colleges and universities that will help make your transition into a bachelor’s degree program easy. These agreements define how the courses you complete at ACCC will be evaluated for transfer credit when you transfer to a participating institution.

NJ TRANSFER is a statewide initiative of the New Jersey Commission of Higher Education that can help you with this process. Its many features include:

Which courses to select at a community college
Course equivalencies with New Jersey four-year colleges
Where you can transfer your community college courses in New Jersey
How the courses will satisfy four year degree requirements
How to contact a New Jersey college or university if you need information about admissions, financial aid or transfer recruitment events

For more information visit the NJ TRANSFER Web site at www.njtransfer.org.

Did you know:

“The education at ACCC was more than just attending class…it was a solid foundation of a lifelong learning experience.”

Students who complete an associate degree at a New Jersey community college earn nearly $400,000 more in additional lifetime income over the course of their careers.
You can save between $20,000 - $80,000 of the cost of a four-year college or university by spending your first two years at a community college.
A national study has found that community college graduates who are seniors at four-year colleges achieve a Grade Point Average (GPA) substantially higher than their fellow seniors who have attended that college from the beginning of their freshman year.
Students who earn a one-year certificate from a community college earn as much as 16% more than people with only a high school diploma or GED.
For every $1 spent on a community college education, a student’s discounted lifetime earnings will INCREASE by $7.91.
Through improved earnings, students recover the full cost of community college (including forgone wages) within six years.