NJ S1457

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

Students must notify the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education before the academic year begins of their intent to use grant funds for summer, and will receive notification of the specific dollar amount reduction to their academic year disbursements.

Summer session grant usage will not count toward the maximum number of years a student is eligible to receive EOF grants.

The Secretary of Higher Education must annually report for each participating institution: the number of students who did and did not use summer grants, and graduation rates within 100% and 150% of average completion time for both groups.

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