Financial Aid for Undocumented Students
Undocumented students, including those classified as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students are not eligible for any type of federal student aid; however, an eligible undocumented student could be considered for state and/or institutional and private financial aid/scholarship programs.
Learn more about the aid for which undocumented students may be eligible below.
Aid for New Jersey Dreamer Students:
Eligible New Jersey Dreamers, who attend an eligible NJ institution of higher education are considered for state financial aid programs including the Tuition Aid Grant Program (TAG), the Educational Opportunity Fund Program (EOF), the Garden State Guarantee (GSG) the New Jersey Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJSTARS) Programs and the Governor's Urban Scholarship (GUS).
Undocumented students are considered NJ Dreamers if they meet all of the below criteria:
- Attended a New Jersey high school for at least three (3) years
- Graduated from a New Jersey high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in New Jersey
- Registered with Selective Service (male students only)
- Are able to file an affidavit stating that you have filed an application to legalize your immigration status or will file an application as soon as you are eligible to do so
NJ Dreamers are considered for institutional scholarship and aid programs including first-year, transfer and foundation scholarships and the Stockton Promise. NJ Dreamers could also be eligible for private scholarship opportunities.
To determine your eligibility, follow the steps below to apply.
NJ Dreamers need to complete the NJ Alternative Application for the State of NJ to determine grant eligibility.
*Applicants must meet the residency criteria set by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) as well as be able to provide proof of verifiable U.S. income (parent and student) to be considered.
How to Get Started:
- Visit hesaa.org
- Select the "NJ Dreamers" tab
- Click "Apply Now"
- Create an account to complete the New Jersey Alternative Application
Please Note: Qualifying New Jersey Dreamers students need to complete the application each year by the April 15 deadline to be considered for the grant.
Each year a student is eligible, they must submit an affidavit to the Office of Financial Aid. We will send the affidavit to all eligible students to complete and submit to our office. Eligible students must submit their high school transcript to the Office of Financial Aid the first time they receive the grant.
After applying, monitor your email for notifications from the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority of New Jersey (HESAA). Complete and provide any requested documentation. You can view and submit any requirements as well as view your eligibility for state aid programs at njfams.hesaa.org.
To learn more, visit hesaa.org.
Apply for Stockton Scholarships
...rewarding academic success!
Apply for Stockton Scholarships
Stockton University offers incoming students the opportunity to apply for institutional scholarships based on academic and extracurricular achievement.
Accepted transfer students are considered for scholarships based on previous college performance.
Stockton University is committed to helping students achieve their academic goals while reducing their need for student loans.
The Stockton Promise covers 100% of the gap between federal, state and institutional financial aid funds (grants & scholarships) and the cost of tuition & fees for qualifying students who are in their first or second year of study (have 59 or fewer earned credits) towards their first bachelors degree.
To apply, students need to complete the NJ Alternative Application each year. To receive funding in their second year, students need to complete the NJ Alternative Application by April 15th and continue to meet the income and eligibility requirements outlined at stockton.edu/promise.
*Those who file the NJ Alternative Application must meet the residency criteria set by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) as well as be able to provide proof of verifiable U.S. income (parent and student) to be considered.
Learn more about the Stockton Promise grant at stockton.edu/promise.
The Stockton University Foundation maintains a robust merit-based scholarship program with approximately 200 scholarships.These scholarships are made possible thanks to the generous donations of alumni, friends of the university, organizations and businesses.
Continuing students with an established Stockton GPA are eligible to apply.
Application essay, volunteerism, campus involvement and employment — not just GPA — are heavily weighed during the selection process.
The 2024-2025 application is closed. Students who applied were notified of a decision in June 2024.
The 2025-2026 Foundation Scholarship application will be available in January 2025. To learn more, visit stockton.edu/foundation-scholarships.
In addition to institutional scholarships, there are thousands of external scholarships available to students. The Office of Financial Aid maintains a Scholarship Resource Center for students to explore external scholarship opportunities available to them. The site lists scholarship opportunities, which also appear in the Office of Financial Aid's (@stocktonfinaid) X feed.
In collaboration with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, the Office of Financial Aid provides scholarship information for the institution's External Scholarships webpage, which lists pre-vetted scholarships for which students may apply.
In addition, the site also provides students with scholarship search sites to allow them to search for scholarships for which they may qualify.
Not all scholarships listed are affiliated with Stockton University. Please be cautious when applying.
Click the link below to explore the Scholarship Resource Center!
Visit Our Scholarship Resource Center
McDonald's® offers the McDonald's HACER® National Scholarship annually. 30 outstanding Hispanic students are chosen for awards ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement, community involvement and financial need. DACA/Dreamer students are eligible to apply.
The application for the 2024-2025 academic year is open. The deadline to apply is February 6, 2025. Visit the McDonald's HACER Scholarship webpage to learn more and apply.
Aid for Undocumented, Non-Dreamer Students:
Undocumented students who are not considered NJ Dreamers are not eligible for state financial aid programs; however, they could be eligible for institutional financial aid in the form of first-year, transfer and foundation scholarships. Undocumented students could also be eligible for private scholarship opportunities.
To determine your eligibility, follow the steps below to apply.
Apply for Stockton Scholarships
...rewarding academic success!
Apply for Stockton Scholarships
Stockton University offers incoming students the opportunity to apply for institutional scholarships based on academic and extracurricular achievement.
Accepted transfer students are considered for scholarships based on previous college performance.
The Stockton University Foundation maintains a robust merit-based scholarship program with approximately 200 scholarships.These scholarships are made possible thanks to the generous donations of alumni, friends of the university, organizations and businesses.
Continuing students with an established Stockton GPA are eligible to apply.
Application essay, volunteerism, campus involvement and employment — not just GPA — are heavily weighed during the selection process.
The 2024-2025 application is closed. Students who applied were notified of a decision in June 2024.
The 2025-2026 Foundation Scholarship application will be available in January 2025. To learn more, visit stockton.edu/foundation-scholarships.
In addition to institutional scholarships, there are thousands of external scholarships available to students. The Office of Financial Aid maintains a Scholarship Resource Center for students to explore external scholarship opportunities available to them. The site lists scholarship opportunities, which also appear in the Office of Financial Aid's (@stocktonfinaid) X feed.
In collaboration with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, the Office of Financial Aid provides scholarship information for the institution's External Scholarships webpage, which lists pre-vetted scholarships for which students may apply.
In addition, the site also provides students with scholarship search sites to allow them to search for scholarships for which they may qualify.
Not all scholarships listed are affiliated with Stockton University. Please be cautious when applying.
Click the link below to explore the Scholarship Resource Center!
Stockton Safe
Stockton University is committed to supporting all students. “Stockton Safe” provides a safe zone for all students, faculty, and staff regardless of immigration status. The university, to the fullest extent permitted by law, protects the identity and information of all members of our community.
Stockton’s approach aligns with resolutions of the New Jersey Legislature, affirming that college campuses should “continue to serve as a safe zone and resource center for students and their families threatened by immigration enforcement or discrimination.”
The "Stockton Safe" initative includes several measures to provide support to undocumented students.
