NJ A2014

Students receiving Tuition Aid Grants (TAG) or Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) grants may use a portion of their award for summer session courses that fulfill graduation requirements or count toward their academic major.

Students must notify the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (for TAG) or Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (for EOF) before the academic year begins, and their regular academic year disbursement will be reduced accordingly.

Summer session grant usage will not count against the total number of academic years a student is eligible to receive financial aid.

HESAA and the Secretary must annually report the number of students using summer grants and compare graduation rates (at 100% and 150% of normal completion time) between students who do and do not use summer session funding.

The bill implements a recommendation from the College Affordability Study Commission's September 2016 final report and takes effect for the first full academic year following enactment.