The NJCU Debt-Free Promise Program makes college education accessible and affordable for New Jersey residents who are pursuing their first undergraduate degree as incoming full-time freshman students. 

The goal of the program is to eliminate the need for students to take out loans to cover the cost of tuition and fees. Launched in fall 2016, all New Jersey residents admitted to NJCU from high school who attend full time, with a family household income of $65,000 or less, are offered a scholarship in lieu of having to take out a loan (after federal and state financial aid is awarded). 

NJCU students already graduate with the lowest rate of indebtedness (tuition and fees) of any other public college in New Jersey. The NJCU Debt-Free Promise Program ensures that every student graduates with a clean financial slate by eliminating the need to take on unnecessary debt so that they can begin their professional careers unencumbered by financial burdens. 
 
To apply for the NJCU Debt-Free Promise Program, students must be admitted to NJCU and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1. Students remain qualified for the program each year if they submit a FAFSA, are in good academic standing, and register for 15 credits each semester.