Exclusive New Jersey Scholarships to Apply For in 2024

About scholarships in New Jersey

There are currently 413,175 students enrolled in New Jersey colleges. A high 90.3% of these students are state residents, meaning that many can benefit from in-state tuition rates. Still, it's no secret that college has become expensive. New Jersey students are not immune from these rising costs, and many are having to turn to loans. 

Scholarships have become increasingly important as a result, helping students pursue higher education without taking on crippling debt. While most scholarships are open to students regardless of financial status, students with a low annual household income can also benefit from low-income grants. 

Colleges in New Jersey

Although enrollment has declined 7.0% since 2010, the number of students enrolled in New Jersey colleges and universities has increased by 105.5% since 1970.

In addition to enrollment, New Jersey's graduation rate is also slightly low. The average graduation rate in New Jersey is 58.64%. This is slightly lower than the national average of 63%.

For students interested in college, there are still many schools to choose from.

For the 2021-2022 academic year, 169 colleges and universities were active in New Jersey, including 37 public schools and 132 private schools.

22.0% of enrolled students attend public institutions. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey—New Brunswick is one of the largest colleges in the U.S., enrolling more than 31,000 undergraduate students annually. Other great public colleges include the College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

In terms of private institutions, there are plenty of great colleges and universities to choose from. Some options include Princeton University, which is an Ivy League university, and Steven Institute of Technology, which is known for its engineering, science, and management programs

There are also some religious institutions, including Seton Hall University and St. Peters University which are both Catholic colleges.

For New Jersey residents who want to leave the state for college, there are plenty of options for you as well. Among all state residents enrolled in college, 36.9% leave the state to attend school.

New Jersey college demographics

A majority of New Jersey students are female, a trend that has been seen across the country. In New Jersey colleges, the student population is 44.24% male and 55.76% female.

In terms of racial and ethnic diversity, New Jersey colleges have many diverse students enrolled full time. There are 174,039 Caucasian, 54,624 Black/African American, 39,874 Asian, and 88,604 Hispanic students in New Jersey colleges.

New Jersey students and student debt

New Jersey residents often struggle with student loan debt. There are more than 1.1 million student loan borrowers in New Jersey. New Jersey residents have a total of $43 billion in federal student loan debt. 

63% of New Jersey students graduate with student debt and the average New Jersey borrower owes $35,117. This puts New Jersey on the high end of student debt, as New Hampshire has the highest average student debt at $39,928 while states such as Utah, with an average $18,344 student debt, have less overwhelming loan totals.

In order to lessen or even avoid crippling student loan debt, it is important that college students consider multiple forms of financial assistance. Scholarships are one way to pay for college tuition. On Bold.org, there are plenty of scholarship opportunities that students in New Jersey can apply for.

The best scholarships for New Jersey students 

On Bold.org, there are plenty of options that can help you fund your college education. State-based scholarships are great options because they reduce the number of eligible applicants and increase your chances of winning as a result. Keep reading to find scholarships specifically for New Jersey residents.

Manny and Sylvia Weiner Medical Scholarship

This scholarship is open to any student in a pre-med or medical school program from New Jersey or New York who has financial need and wants to become an M.D. may apply for this scholarship.

New Jersey First Generation Scholarship

This scholarship aims to give $2500 to two first-generation college students in the state of New Jersey.

Valentina Vera Buyvol Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship aims to give $1,000 to any low-income high school junior or senior who lives in New Jersey.

Verve Art Scholarship

The Verve Arts Scholarship is an annual award given every spring to a high school senior or current undergraduate student pursuing an arts degree at a 4-year college. Applicants should be NJ residents studying the art of drawing, painting, photography, or graphic design.

Rajesh Aggarwal Scholarship for Scientific StudiesThis scholarship aims to help six low-income academically deserving high school students, three in Massachusetts and three in New Jersey, afford their college education. 

Any low-income high school junior or senior in Massachusetts or New Jersey with a 3.0 GPA or higher and a passion for science may apply for this scholarship. 

Additional scholarships that students in New Jersey should consider 

For students interested in more general scholarships, there are many options for financial aid that can help those interested in finding a scholarship program. In addition to scholarships for students in the state of New Jersey, scholarships without a location requirement can also be valuable.

1. Isaac Yunhu Lee Memorial Arts Scholarship
2. @ESPDaniella Debt Grant
3. Tyde Memorial Scholarship
4. Juno Better Rates No-Essay Scholarship

New Jersey Scholarships for high school students

High school is a great time to get started on your scholarship search. Below, there are some scholarships that may interest high school students interested in higher education, especially those who demonstrate financial need.

1. "A Daring Path" No-Essay Scholarship
2. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship
3. Lo Easton's “Wrong Answers Only” Scholarship

New Jersey scholarships for high school seniors

If you are a New Jersey high school senior, there are many scholarships that could help fund your education. In addition to scholarships open to all high schoolers, those in their senior year can take advantage of even more opportunities for free tuition. 

1. Sammy Ochoa Memorial Scholarship
2. Taylor Ibarrondo Memorial Scholarship
3. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship

Scholarships for current college students in New Jersey

While some scholarships are only for high school students, there are plenty of options for college students as well. These opportunities include scholarships for undergraduates and graduate students, regardless of your year in school.

1. Youssef University’s College Life Scholarship
2. Finesse Your Education's "The College Burnout" Scholarship
3. Lo Easton's “Wrong Answers Only” Scholarship
4. "A Daring Path" No-Essay Scholarship
5. #FinancialFreedom No-Essay Scholarship
6. William M. DeSantis Sr. Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in New Jersey

Are there scholarships in New Jersey for International students?

Yes! If you are looking for a scholarship that international students studying in the US are eligible for, there are plenty of options on Bold.org. Although some scholarships have certain location requirements or citizenship requirements that must be met in order to apply, Bold.org has general scholarships and scholarships specifically for international students. To find a scholarship for students who are international, you can take a look at this scholarship list on Bold.org.

How to apply for scholarships in New Jersey

Applying for New Jersey scholarships on Bold.org is easy! The application process was created to be as simple as possible to help busy students manage scholarship applications with other responsibilities. 

To get started, create your free Bold.org profile by clicking on any of the scholarships above. Once you've finished your profile, you'll have access to hundreds of exclusive scholarship opportunities with easy application processes.

Using Bold.org will allow you to apply for as many opportunities as you'd like! There's no limit to how many applications you can submit or how many awards you can win. New scholarships are posted every day, so make sure to check back for new opportunities to cover your higher education expenses. 

If you have limited time available to apply, you can even bookmark scholarships that match your profile so you can apply later. Busy students can also take advantage of no-essay scholarships that can be applied for with just a few clicks!

There are plenty of scholarship opportunities for students in New Jersey, including high school students, bachelor's degree seekers, other undergraduates, or even those pursuing graduate programs. Recent graduates who are still paying off their student loan debt can also apply for many scholarships and grants. It's never too late to start searching for financial aid so you can afford all of your higher education expenses, but the earlier you apply, the better off you'll be!

After you've looked through the available opportunities and determined which scholarships are the best fits, you can immediately begin applying. Due to the busy schedules and many responsibilities that students deal with, the scholarship application process was specifically created to make applying a rapid and painless task. 

Each scholarship's description will list what applicants must do in order to apply for the scholarship. Often, this process includes writing a short essay. However, other scholarships may ask applicants to share a video, a portfolio, or a piece of art they've created. Even if you don't excel academically, these creative scholarships will allow you to highlight your talents. 

With college costs continuing to rise, apply for as many New Jersey scholarships as you can to boost your chances of winning and to take charge of your financial need.

When can I start applying?

You can begin applying for scholarship opportunities as soon are you're in high school and at least fourteen years old. While there are many high school scholarships that are only available to high school seniors, there are plenty of scholarships that are open to all high school students looking for financial aid. 

The earlier you begin applying for scholarships, the more time you'll have to earn funding for higher education. If you demonstrate financial need, make sure to start applying for support services as early as possible so you can avoid taking on debt. 

How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?

Every scholarship available on Bold.org has a unique set of eligibility requirements, which can include things like minimum GPA, coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, having dependent children, being at a certain level of education, or being from a certain demographic. 

These requirements can always be in the description of a scholarship, making it easy to check if you qualify. While some scholarship awards are only open to certain groups of students, such as scholarships for graduate students, awards for women, or high school scholarships for those in their senior year, there are plenty of broad scholarships that are open to all students. Even recent graduates who have student loans can apply for some scholarships. 

No matter your background, stage in life, or field of study, there's a scholarship out there for you. Always be sure to check any eligibility requirements before spending your time on an application!

Are scholarships counted as income?

Scholarship money that is won on Bold.org is sent straight to the financial aid office of the winner's college. When high school students win, Bold.org holds the scholarship money until they enroll in a college, university, or technical school. Since scholarship money is applied directly to educational costs, such as tuition and books, it is not considered taxable income as long as the total scholarship money received is less than or equal to your college costs.