(Anna Gorman/KHN/TNS)
New Jersey spent $1.6 million to help send 513 undocumented immigrants to college during the fall 2018 semester, significantly less than the state projected the controversial new program would cost, according to new data.
The college financial aid was handed out for the first time thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy that offers taxpayer-funded grants and scholarships to New Jersey "Dreamers" who are living in the country illegally.
"I’m pleased this expansion of eligibility is already working to aid people who will contribute to our state’s prosperity for years to come,” said Zakiya Smith Ellis, the state's secretary of higher education.
More than 1,500 applications were submitted for the fall semester, but only 1,209 came in before the deadline and were considered complete, according to the state.
Of the 655 unauthorized immigrants who were approved for state aid, 513 actually enrolled in New Jersey colleges and received their grants.
The data released Wednesday is the most complete picture yet of how many students are being helped by the new law and what it will cost the state, one of only a few in the nation to provide college aid for residents living in the country illegally.
The program is still accepting applications for the current spring semester.
Why did the program cost less than expected?
The state Legislature initially projected the new law would result in state aid for about 600 students at a cost of $5 million a year, or $2.5 million a semester.
But that estimate was based on the full cost of in-state tuition, which is higher than that amount of assistance most students ended up receiving, said David J. Socolow, executive director of the state's Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), the state agency that oversees financial aid.
The state set no limits for how many authorized immigrants can receive college financial aid. Some of the applications were rejected because the family income was too high to qualify, while others were rejected because there wasn't enough documentation to verify their income.
HESAA is unsure why more than 100 undocumented immigrants who were eligible for aid did not enroll in New Jersey colleges, Socolow said. It's possible that some of them enrolled in out-of-state colleges, he said. The state also believes some families were using the application as a calculator to determine how much aid they could get, even if a student was not yet planning to attend college.
What was the average amount undocumented students received?
The average undocumented immigrant received $3,168 in financial aid under the new program, state officials said. The majority received Tuition Aid Grants and other aid designed for low-income students.
Why is New Jersey offering college aid to undocumented immigrants?
Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed legislation last year authorizing immigrants living in the country illegally to apply for the same state-funded college financial aid programs offered to other New Jersey residents.
The new rules, hailed as a victory for New Jersey's "Dreamers," had previously been rejected by former Gov. Chris Christie because the Republican governor said it was unfair to ask taxpayers to pay the tuition bills of undocumented immigrants when other students were struggling to afford college.
But supporters argued undocumented immigrants can already attend public K-12 schools for free under federal law and they can get in-state tuition at New Jersey's public colleges under state law. So, they argued, it was only fair to also offer them state financial aid.
"This financial assistance offers these New Jersey students a life-changing opportunity,” Socolow said.“The successes of these first 513 students, who are now attending county colleges, state colleges and universities, and independent institutions around the state, will have a positive impact on countless additional lives.”
Students apply by filling out the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application.
Who can apply?
The program allows New Jersey students living in the country illegally to apply for college financial aid if they meet the following criteria:
- Attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years
- Graduated from a New Jersey high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in New Jersey
- Male students have registered for the Selective Service
- The student signs an affidavit stating they will file an application to legalize their immigration status if and when they are eligible
The program remains opens for students who are beginning classes in the spring semester, but they must apply by Feb. 15.
Students who are continuing classes next Fall must apply by April 15 to receive aid next school year.
How much money can undocumented immigrants get?
Immigrants living in the country illegally are eligible for the same New Jersey financial aid programs as other students, including the popular Tuition Aid Grant, or TAG program.
The amount of TAG money students get each year is based on their income and where they go to college. For example, a Rutgers University student can get a maximum TAG grant of $9,848 this year.
Unauthorized immigrants are also eligible for other state aid and scholarship programs, including: Educational Opportunity Grant (EOF), New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJSTARS) Programs and Governor's Urban Scholarship (GUS).
NJSTARS offers students who graduate in the top 15 percent of their high school classes free tuition at the state's county colleges-- and additional NJSTARS II scholarships if they want to continue on to a four-year college.
Can undocumented immigrants get federal financial aid or loans?
No, federal law still forbids immigrants living in the country illegally from applying for any federal college aid, including Pell grants and federal student loans.
Will ICE be given the names of the undocumented students who applied for aid?
No, state officials said they will not release names to federal officials or Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. New Jersey's financial aid databases are separate from any federal databases, HESAA officials said.
Read more about immigration in New Jersey:
- The number of undocumented immigrants is shrinking in N.J.
- Meet N.J.'s most typical unauthorized immigrant
- Immigrant arrests are surging in N.J. Here's why
- ICE arrests husband of disabled U.S. Army vet
- ICE slams N.J. over new rules limiting police cooperation
- These N.J. public colleges enroll the most unauthorized immigrants
Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@KellyHeyboer. Find her atKellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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