🎓 How Rutgers–New Brunswick Admissions Works (Quick Version)
Two ways to apply: the Common App or the Rutgers Application. Pick one, not both.
You apply to a school, not just to Rutgers. Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Business, Nursing, Pharmacy, and the others each make their own call. You can list up to three in ranked order, and your first choice drives your scholarship review.
Early Action (Nov 1) is non-binding. Regular Decision closes Dec 1. Rutgers also reads applications on a rolling basis after that, but late applicants miss merit and Honors.
STARS is part two. Current seniors must self-report every course and grade in STARS within a week of applying. No transcripts until you enroll.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Rutgers–New Brunswick (Read This First)
December 1 is the money deadline. Apply (with every credential in) by Dec 1 or your student is out of the running for merit scholarships and the Honors College, even if they get admitted later.
The $0 tuition line moved for fall 2026. New Jersey families earning $65,000 or less (AGI) pay $0 tuition and fees for all four years through the Scarlet Guarantee and the Garden State Guarantee. The old $65K to $100K discount tiers only apply to students who started before fall 2026, so ignore what an older cousin got.
One merit award, tied to one school. Rutgers gives each admitted student at most one merit scholarship, judged against the applicants to their first-choice school. Rutgers does not publish amounts or score cutoffs for U.S. students.
Check the Honors box. The Honors College essay doubles as the merit scholarship essay. Skip it and your student skips the biggest awards Rutgers offers.
Scores you send are permanent. Testing is optional, but Rutgers reviews every score it receives. If a score would hurt, don’t send it. Scores sent after admission can only help an Honors or scholarship decision.
The Presidential Scholarship never grows. It’s a fixed dollar amount for four years, so it covers a little less of the bill each year as tuition rises.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Rutgers University–New Brunswick is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 30-34; SAT: 1380-1520.
Average net price? About $20,522/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No broad regional reciprocity path.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Rutgers University–New Brunswick: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Rutgers University–New Brunswick has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$800 to $2,100 more than the in-state total below.$1,300 to $3,100 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$41,335
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$19,389
Housing & meals (typical)
$21,946
Total billed cost
$41,335
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$62,785
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$40,839
Housing & meals (typical)
$21,946
Total billed cost
$62,785
That is $21,450 more per year than New Jersey residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $20,522 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
Your Major Changes Your Bill
The table above uses the School of Arts and Sciences rate. Rutgers charges different tuition and fees by school, and the gap is real. Here are the 2026-27 direct charges (tuition plus fees) before housing:
School
NJ Resident
Out-of-State
Arts and Sciences
$19,389
$40,839
Business School
$20,024
$41,032
Environmental and Biological Sciences
$21,294
$45,361
Engineering
$21,704
$47,131
Nursing
$21,920
$35,960
On-campus food and housing adds about $21,946 for every school. Mason Gross theater and applied music majors also pay extra program fees.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Rutgers–New Brunswick
Can a New Jersey family really pay $0 in tuition at Rutgers?
Yes, if your family’s adjusted gross income is $65,000 or less. The Scarlet Guarantee covers in-state tuition and eligible fees in years one and two, and the state’s Garden State Guarantee covers years three and four. Both are “last dollar,” meaning they pay whatever is left after Pell, TAG, and scholarships. Housing, meals, and books are not covered, so you’ll still have a bill if your student lives on campus.
We earn around $80,000. Do we get a discount?
Not through the Scarlet Guarantee if your student starts in fall 2026 or later. Rutgers dropped the $65,001 to $100,000 tiers for new students. You may still qualify for federal Pell or New Jersey TAG, so file the FAFSA anyway and run the Rutgers net price calculator.
Why does engineering cost more than arts and sciences?
Rutgers sets tuition by school. Engineering runs about $2,300 more a year in-state and about $6,300 more out-of-state than Arts and Sciences. Over four years that’s real money, so price the school your student is actually applying to.
Is the $21,946 housing number right?
That’s Rutgers’ own 2026-27 estimate for on-campus food and housing. Commuters living with family are budgeted around $6,060, and off-campus students about $19,924. Rutgers also adds books, travel, and personal expenses to get its full cost of attendance (about $47,679 in-state and $69,701 out-of-state for Arts and Sciences on campus).
Can out-of-state students get in-state tuition at Rutgers?
Not through any regional exchange. New Jersey isn’t part of a regional tuition program, so non-residents pay the out-of-state rate. Merit scholarships are the main way to close the roughly $21,450 gap. One bright spot: Rutgers has historically admitted out-of-state applicants at a higher rate than New Jersey residents.
What do families actually pay on average?
The most recent federal average net price is about $20,522 a year after grants and scholarships. Most Rutgers students are New Jersey residents, so out-of-state families should expect to pay more. The Rutgers net price calculator takes about five minutes and gives you a personal estimate.
Does tuition stay the same all four years?
No. The Rutgers Board of Governors sets tuition and fees every July. Plan for a modest increase each year, and remember that merit awards like the Presidential Scholarship are fixed amounts that don’t rise with it.
November 1: Early Action application (non-binding). Fine for merit, as long as everything is in.
December 1: The last day to be considered for merit scholarships and the Honors College. Also the date Rutgers recommends for filing the FAFSA for the most need-based aid.
Late January to late February: Admission decisions post.
Early March: Honors and scholarship offers come out.
May 1: Accept admission. Merit awards depend on it.
Parent rule of thumb: treat December 1 as the only date that matters for money. Early Action is nice for peace of mind, but it doesn’t earn a bigger scholarship.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Rutgers–New Brunswick
There’s no separate scholarship application. Every first-year who applies by December 1 and is admitted to a New Brunswick school is reviewed, and selected students receive one named merit award. Rutgers doesn’t post a GPA or score grid. The review compares your student to the other applicants for their first-choice school, so the names below are possible outcomes, not a menu.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomatic⚠ Upperclassmen Onlygeographicneed based
Garden State Guarantee
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or NJAFAA by the HESAA state deadline ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ NJ residents with family AGI of $65,000 or less, years 3 and 4
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers only the tuition and fee balance left after other federal, state, and institutional aid. EOF awards are not counted against it starting in 2026-27.
💡
Strategic Detail
New Jersey's last-dollar program for third- and fourth-year students (60 to 128 credits) at public four-year colleges. Families with AGI from $0 to $65,000 pay $0 for tuition and fees after other aid. Capped at four semesters. Negative AGIs are not eligible. Picks up where the Scarlet Guarantee leaves off.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time New Jersey residents in years three and four with family AGI at or under $65,000 who keep making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
State AidApp Requiredidentity basedneed based
Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF)
📅 Deadline: Select EOF on the Rutgers application, then complete the EOF application in the portal ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ NJ residents from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Fully stackable with other aid up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Flag EOF interest on application; FAFSA or NJ Aid Form required; Rutgers reviews eligibility and notifies applicant.
💡
Strategic Detail
New Jersey's Educational Opportunity Fund provides grant aid plus a Summer Institute of up to six weeks, tutoring, and dedicated counselors. Students must be New Jersey residents for 12 months before enrolling, meet income limits, and file the FAFSA or NJAFAA. Rutgers does not publish a set grant amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Low-income, often first-generation New Jersey students who check the EOF box on the application and fall within the income scale.
State AidAutomatic⚠ Transfer Only
NJ STARS II
📅 Deadline: Follow HESAA state aid deadlines ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 2 yrs)
$1,250
✔ Stackable
⚠ NJ STARS students graduating from a NJ community college with a 3.25+ GPA
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other aid up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program worth up to $1,250 per semester for NJ STARS students who finish an associate degree at a New Jersey community college with a 3.25+ GPA and transfer to a four-year New Jersey school. Family income must be under $250,000. Students who graduate high school with an associate degree and a top-15% class rank may also qualify.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Former NJ STARS community college students who keep a 3.25 GPA, enroll full time, and file for state and federal aid on time.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Rutgers–New Brunswick First-Year Merit Scholarship (Single Award Process)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early March ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
One institutional merit award per student. It can be combined with need-based grants and outside scholarships up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Every first-year who applies by December 1 and is admitted to at least one Rutgers–New Brunswick school is reviewed automatically. Rutgers awards one merit scholarship per student, based on the first-choice New Brunswick school, academic strength, the overall applicant pool, and available funding. Rutgers does not publish dollar amounts or score cutoffs for domestic students. Offers are released in early March and depend on accepting admission by May 1.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students whose grades and course rigor stand out within the pool for their first-choice school. Because the review is relative to each school's applicants, the same profile can land differently in Engineering than in Arts and Sciences.
Automatic
Henry Rutgers Scholarship and Trustee Awards
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award. Stacks with need-based aid and external scholarships up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of the named awards in Rutgers' single-award process. Scarlet Hub lists it together with Trustee Awards under the same renewal rules. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students at the very top of the applicant pool for their first-choice school.
Automatic
Trustee Awards
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award. Stacks with need-based aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named award in the single-award process. Scarlet Hub lists Trustee Awards both on their own and paired with the Henry Rutgers Scholarship. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Top admitted students in the merit review for their first-choice school.
Automatic
Distinguished Scholar Award
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award per student, stackable with need-based aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named award in the single-award process. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-achieving admitted students, typically with strong grades in a rigorous course load.
Automatic
National Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award. Stacks with other aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named award in the single-award process. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong admitted students from a broad national pool, typically with academic profiles above Rutgers' median admit.
Automatic
Scarlet Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award. Stacks with other aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named award in the single-award process. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solidly competitive admitted students who land in the standard 3.25-GPA renewal tier.
Automatic
Chancellor's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award per student. Stacks with need-based aid and external scholarships up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named award in the single-award process. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with solid academic credentials, generally a step above Chancellor's Promise recipients.
Automatic
The Dean's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award. Stacks with need-based aid and external scholarships up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
New Brunswick-wide named award, separate from the Honors College Dean's Scholarship. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with above-average academic credentials in Rutgers' applicant pool.
Automatic
James Dickson Carr Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Counts as the student's one institutional merit award. Stacks with need-based aid and outside scholarships up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for James Dickson Carr, Rutgers' first African American graduate. Rutgers lists the Carr Scholarship among the university merit awards made through the admissions review, with no separate application. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Rutgers does not publish selection criteria for the Carr Scholarship. It is awarded through the same admissions review as the other named merit awards.
Automatic
Dean's Three-year Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 3 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Counts as the student's one institutional merit award. Stacks with need-based aid up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed on Scarlet Hub as a New Brunswick merit award that runs for three years instead of four. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.25 GPA. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Awarded through Rutgers' merit review. Rutgers does not publish selection criteria.
Automatic
Chancellor's Promise
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
One of Rutgers' named merit tiers, stacks with need-based aid up to cost of attendance, but students receive only ONE Rutgers institutional merit award via the single-award process.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named award in the single-award process with the most forgiving renewal standard: a 2.5 GPA instead of 3.25. Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 2.5 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students who earn a merit award but fall below the higher-tier awards in the review for their school.
Automatic
Dean's Promise
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with need-based aid and outside scholarships up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
New Brunswick-wide named award with a 2.5 renewal GPA, separate from the Honors College Dean's Promise (which renews at 3.25). Rutgers does not publish the dollar amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students in an entry-level merit tier. The 2.5 renewal GPA is the parent-friendly detail.
Automaticnational merit
National Merit/College-Sponsored Merit Award
📅 Deadline: Follow National Merit Scholarship Corporation deadlines for finalist designation and college-choice updates (typically winter through early spring of senior year). ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the Rutgers merit award and need-based aid up to the cost of attendance. It adds to the package rather than replacing anything.
💡
Strategic Detail
Here's the headline: $1,000 per year, renewable for four years with a 3.0 cumulative GPA. It's modest in dollars but easy to stack on top of your Rutgers merit award, and the College-Sponsored designation means it follows your student through Rutgers without separate paperwork each year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: National Merit Finalists who list Rutgers as their first choice on the National Merit Scholarship application. Semifinalist status alone does not qualify.
Automatic
Global Knights Award
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: after admissions decision ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000–$16,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ International students on non-immigrant visas only
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Single institutional merit award per student. Stacks with other aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
The international-student facing version of Rutgers' single-award process. Awards run $5,000–$16,000 per year, renewable for four years with a 3.25 GPA. Mason Gross handles its own process via portfolio/audition.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
International students on valid non-immigrant visas whose academic profiles stand out in the international applicant pool.
Data last verified Oct 4, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Rutgers publishes renewal rules for each award but not the dollar amounts for U.S. students. International students (Global Knights Award) see a published range of $5,000 to $16,000 per year. Mason Gross arts applicants go through a separate talent-based process covered in Hidden Gems.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Rutgers–New Brunswick)
Do we have to apply separately for Rutgers merit scholarships?
No. Applying for admission by December 1 with all credentials (including STARS) is the application. Students who apply later can still be admitted but aren’t considered for merit.
How much is a Rutgers merit scholarship?
Rutgers doesn’t say for U.S. students. The named awards (Henry Rutgers, Trustee, Distinguished Scholar, National, Scarlet, Chancellor’s, Dean’s, Carr, and the Promise awards) each come with renewal rules, but amounts show up only in your student’s offer. The best way to estimate is the net price calculator, then compare the actual offer in March.
What GPA does my student need to keep the scholarship?
Most awards need a 3.25. The Chancellor’s Promise and Dean’s Promise need only a 2.5, which is a real cushion in freshman year. The Presidential Scholarship needs a 3.5. Every award also requires 12 credits each semester and 24 credits per year, and summer credits don’t count toward that 24.
Does the first-choice school really matter?
Yes. Rutgers judges merit against the pool for your first-choice New Brunswick school. The good news for students who start in fall 2023 or later: if they later switch to a different New Brunswick school, the scholarship moves with them as long as they meet the renewal rules (Mason Gross is the exception).
Can we appeal the scholarship offer?
Yes. Offers come out in early March, and Rutgers runs a short appeal window after that. The window for fall 2026 is already closed, so watch for it in March if your student applies this year. Appeals aren’t guaranteed and depend on funding.
Should my student send test scores?
Only if they help. Rutgers–New Brunswick is test-optional through 2027 and suggests sending scores at or above the middle of the range for your school (about 1380 to 1520 SAT for Arts and Sciences). Once scores are sent, they stay in the file. Scores sent after admission can only raise an Honors or scholarship decision, never lower it.
Is there a National Merit scholarship?
Rutgers sponsors the College-Sponsored National Merit award: $1,000 a year for four years with a 3.0 GPA. Your student must be a Finalist and list Rutgers as their first choice with National Merit. It stacks on top of the regular Rutgers award.
Can my student take a gap year and keep the scholarship?
Yes, if they follow Rutgers’ deferral guidelines. Mason Gross is different: students must audition or submit a portfolio again.
Rutgers’ biggest merit awards don’t come from a separate essay contest. The Presidential Scholarship and the Schwartz Scholars award are handed out through Honors College admission (see the Honors section below). The competitive list here is short and specific: a robotics award, alumni-family awards, a California endowment, and transfer scholarships.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Rutgers?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Rutgers Parent Translation
Rutgers Merit Award
One only
Your student gets one named merit award, judged by their first-choice school.
Honors College Awards
This is the merit award
Every Honors student receives a Presidential, Dean’s, or Dean’s Promise award. Schwartz Scholars get a full package.
Scarlet Guarantee / Garden State Guarantee
Applied last
These fill whatever tuition is left. A merit award can shrink them, because they only cover the remaining gap.
Pell, TAG, EOF
Yes
Federal and New Jersey grants layer on top of merit up to the cost of attendance.
National Merit, FIRST, outside scholarships
Yes
These add on. Total aid can’t exceed the cost of attendance.
If your student is hunting for an interview-weekend, nomination-style full ride, Rutgers isn’t built that way. The path to the top awards is a strong application, the Honors College box, and a December 1 submission.
App Required
FIRST Robotics Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 · 📢 Results: By mid-April ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ High school seniors who competed on a FIRST Robotics (FRC) or FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team
👥 ~1 per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the Rutgers merit award and need-based aid up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
One merit scholarship of $20,000 total ($5,000 per year) for a graduating senior who competed on a FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge team and is admitted to Rutgers. Submit the FIRST Scholarship application and a recommendation letter from a FIRST mentor or coach by February 1. Renews for up to three more years with full-time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: One FIRST team member per year, chosen by University Enrollment Services from complete applications.
Automatic
Theodore J. and F. Elizabeth Kirsch Southern California Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA by Jan 15 · 📢 Results: July ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Residents of San Jose, San Mateo, or Palm Desert, CA attending public high school
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of Rutgers' standard merit award and any need-based aid, up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Endowed scholarship for first-year students who live in and attend public high school in San Jose, San Mateo, or Palm Desert, California. Amounts depend on available funds and are renewable. Admitted students who meet the location rule and file the FAFSA by January 15 are considered.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted first-years from the three named California communities who file the FAFSA on time.
App Required
Class Endowed Scholarships (Alumni Descendants)
📅 Deadline: Email request by May 1 · 📢 Results: August ✓ Renews
$500–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Descendants of designated Rutgers alumni classes
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
These endowed awards layer on top of your main merit scholarship and need-based aid up to cost of attendance, they don't replace your primary merit award.
📄
How to Apply
Email scholarships@admissions.rutgers.edu by May 1 with the student's name, RUID, and the name/school/grad year of the Rutgers alumnus they're descended from, plus the relationship. Recipients are notified in August.
💡
Strategic Detail
Endowed scholarships of $500 to $5,000 per year for descendants of the Rutgers classes of 1940, 1941, 1949, 1970, 1978, 1982, 1983, and Rutgers College Class of 1980. Email scholarships@admissions.rutgers.edu by May 1 with the student's name, RUID, and the alumnus's name, school, graduation year, and relationship. Not all awards are renewable. Recipients are notified in August.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with a qualifying alumni relative who submit the email request on time. Academic credentials are also considered.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Francis B. and Paige D. L'Hommedieu Scholarship (Transfer)
📅 Deadline: Apply by Feb 1 (fall admission only) · 📢 Results: August ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
$1,750–$3,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ NJ community college transfers with 3.8+ GPA and an AA/AS
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Endowed transfer award, stacks with need-based aid and other transfer scholarships up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,750 to $3,500 per year for transfer students coming directly from a community college transfer program. Requires a 3.8+ cumulative GPA, an AA or AS earned by June 1, and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. No separate application. Awarded for two years; renewal requires Satisfactory Academic Progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-achieving NJ community college transfer students with a 3.8+ cumulative GPA who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and earn an AA or AS by June 1 of their transfer year. Competitive, meeting criteria does not guarantee selection.
Data last verified Oct 4, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Is there a separate application for Rutgers’ biggest scholarships?
No. The Presidential and Schwartz awards come through the admissions and Honors College review. Apply by December 1 and check the Honors College box on the application.
My kid is on a robotics team. Is there anything for them?
Yes. The FIRST Scholarship gives one student $5,000 a year ($20,000 total) for competing on a FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge team. It needs its own application plus a letter from a FIRST mentor or coach by February 1, and it renews with a 3.0 GPA.
We’re Rutgers alumni. Does that help?
It can. Descendants of the classes of 1940, 1941, 1949, 1970, 1978, 1982, 1983, and Rutgers College 1980 can request a Class Endowed Scholarship ($500 to $5,000 a year) by emailing Admissions by May 1. The Vincent R. Kramer award also gives preference to Rutgers Alumni Association families.
What scholarships exist for transfer students?
The L’Hommedieu Scholarship ($1,750 to $3,500 a year for two years) goes to New Jersey community college transfers with a 3.8+ GPA and an associate degree. NJ STARS II adds up to $1,250 a semester for eligible NJ STARS students. Watch out for lists that include the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship; that one is for Rutgers–Newark, not New Brunswick.
Does Rutgers give a full ride to National Merit Finalists?
No. Rutgers sponsors a $1,000-a-year National Merit award. Finalists should still apply by December 1 and check the Honors box, since that’s where the larger money lives.
Is Rutgers a Posse partner?
Yes. Rutgers–New Brunswick recruits Posse Scholars through the Posse Foundation. Students can’t apply directly; they have to be nominated by their high school or a community organization in a participating Posse city.
🧠 Parent Strategy: At Rutgers, the FAFSA Is the Scholarship Application
The biggest money at Rutgers for New Jersey families isn’t merit at all. It’s the Scarlet Guarantee and the Garden State Guarantee, and the only way in is filing the FAFSA (or the NJAFAA for NJ Dreamers). Here’s the checklist:
File the FAFSA or NJAFAA by December 1 for the most need-based consideration, and never after the state HESAA deadline. Use school code 002629.
If you qualify for EOF, check the EOF option on the Rutgers application, then finish the EOF application in the portal.
Robotics kids: send the FIRST Scholarship application by February 1.
Alumni families: email the Class Endowed request by May 1.
After year one, apply for school scholarships: Engineering each spring, Business each fall, Honors College each round.
Parent translation: a family earning $60,000 that skips the FAFSA can lose four years of free tuition. File it even if you think you won’t qualify.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These don’t show up in the merit offer, and most families find them late. Some are need-based state and Rutgers programs, others are school-specific awards that open after your student enrolls.
Full TuitionAutomaticgeographicneed based
Scarlet Guarantee
📅 Deadline: FAFSA or NJAFAA by the HESAA state deadline ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition
✔ Stackable
⚠ NJ residents with family AGI of $65,000 or less, years 1 and 2
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applied last, after Pell, TAG, and scholarships. A merit award can reduce the Scarlet Guarantee amount because it fills only the remaining tuition and fee gap.
💡
Strategic Detail
Rutgers–New Brunswick's last-dollar program for New Jersey students. For students enrolling fall 2026 or later with a family AGI of $65,000 or less, it covers whatever in-state tuition and eligible fees (school, student, technology) remain after other grants and scholarships. It runs for the first two years (four semesters). It does not cover housing, dining, or books. The older $65,001 to $100,000 tiers apply only to students who enrolled between fall 2022 and spring 2026.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: New Jersey residents (including NJ Dreamers) with family AGI at or under $65,000 who file the FAFSA or NJAFAA on time and enroll full time.
App Required
Vincent R. Kramer Merit Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Application currently closed; watch Scarlet Hub each year Non-Renewable
$1,766
✔ Stackable
👥 ~1 per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other aid up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
One award of $1,766 for an incoming first-year at Rutgers–New Brunswick with outstanding academics and community leadership. Preference goes to descendants of present or past Rutgers Alumni Association members. Rutgers does not state renewal terms on its page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A single incoming first-year with strong grades and leadership, often from a Rutgers Alumni Association family.
Automatic
Mason Gross School of the Arts Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Talent assessment by Jan 15 (Nov 15 for early action) · 📢 Results: With admission decision (by April 1) Non-Renewable
$2,000–$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
A student enrolls in only one Rutgers school, so a Mason Gross award cannot be combined with a merit award from another New Brunswick school.
💡
Strategic Detail
Mason Gross runs its own merit process outside the single-award system. Every first-year applicant who completes the audition, interview, or portfolio is considered automatically. Awards typically run $2,000 to $10,000 per year. Only students who receive an award are notified, and the award follows the school the student enrolls in.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: BFA and BM applicants with the strongest auditions or portfolios, with academics also considered.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
School of Engineering Endowed Scholarships (Continuing Students)
📅 Deadline: Annual application each spring (portal reopens April 5, 2027) · 📢 Results: Late August Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stackable with other awards, subject to plan.
📄
How to Apply
Admission to Engineering major with strong math/science record; top admits are reviewed automatically.
💡
Strategic Detail
Endowed scholarships for current engineering students who have finished at least one full-time semester in an engineering major. Students must apply every year; awards do not renew automatically. Applicants need to show leadership and service, large unmet need, or outstanding academics. U.S. residents must file the FAFSA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Continuing engineering students with strong grades, unmet financial need, or a record of leadership and service who apply in the spring window.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Rutgers Business School Scholarships (Continuing Students)
📅 Deadline: Application window mid-August through mid-September Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stackable with most institutional/state awards to cost-of-attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Admit to Business (RBS) or SAS Honors program triggers automatic review; no separate application.
💡
Strategic Detail
Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick awards donor scholarships to enrolled undergraduates through a fall application window. Some are merit-based (for example, 3.4+ GPA awards), some need-based, and some tied to programs such as RAISED Entrepreneurship. Awards are highly selective and not automatically renewable.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current RBS students with strong GPAs, financial need, or program-specific involvement who apply during the fall window.
Data last verified Oct 4, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Who qualifies for the Scarlet Guarantee?
New Jersey residents (including NJ Dreamers) who start fall 2026 or later with family AGI of $65,000 or less, enroll full time, and file the FAFSA or NJAFAA on time. It covers in-state tuition and school, student, and technology fees for the first two years. You don’t apply separately.
What happens in junior and senior year?
The state’s Garden State Guarantee takes over for students with 60 to 128 credits, under the same $65,000 income line. Rutgers recommends 15 credits a semester so your student hits 60 credits on time and doesn’t fall into a gap between the two programs.
Does the Scarlet Guarantee pay for the dorm?
No. It covers tuition and eligible fees only. Housing, meals, and books still need Pell, TAG, EOF, work, or loans.
What is EOF, and is it worth checking the box?
The Educational Opportunity Fund is New Jersey’s program for students from low-income, educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. It brings grant money plus a summer program before freshman year, tutoring, and a dedicated counselor. If your family is within the income scale, check the box. Starting in 2026-27, EOF money no longer reduces the Scarlet Guarantee or Garden State Guarantee.
Can engineering or business freshmen get school scholarships?
Not right away. Engineering endowed scholarships open after one full semester, with applications each spring. Business School scholarships use a mid-August to mid-September window for enrolled students. Neither renews automatically, so your student has to reapply every year.
How does Mason Gross scholarship money work?
Mason Gross runs its own process. Every applicant who completes the audition, interview, or portfolio is considered, and awards usually run $2,000 to $10,000 a year. A student can only hold the award from the school they enroll in, so a Mason Gross award can’t be combined with an Arts and Sciences award.
What about undocumented students?
NJ Dreamers file the NJAFAA instead of the FAFSA and can qualify for state aid and the Scarlet Guarantee. Rutgers is also a TheDream.US partner college, which opens a national scholarship path.
The Rutgers–New Brunswick Honors College is where Rutgers’ best merit money lives. Getting in isn’t automatic, but applying is easy to miss. Your student checks the Honors College option on the Rutgers or Common App application, which adds a second, Honors-specific essay. That same essay is also used for merit scholarship consideration.
How to apply: check the Honors College option and write the Honors essay. There’s no separate scholarship form.
Deadline: apply to Rutgers by December 1.
What every admit gets: one of three merit awards: Presidential, Dean’s, or Dean’s Promise. Amounts depend on in-state, out-of-state, international, and need status.
Tied to first choice: Honors admission and scholarships are decided based on your student’s first-choice school.
Honors College Scholarships & Programs
Full RideAutomatichonors
Harvey Schwartz Scholarship (Schwartz Scholars)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: spring (after general admissions decisions) ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
full_cost_scholarship_with_benefits
✔ Stackable
⚠ A premier Honors College award for incoming SAS freshmen that provides full tuition and fees based on high merit and demonstrated financial need
👥 ~Up to 5 per cohort winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed to cover the full bill, so other institutional merit awards typically do not add on top.
💡
Strategic Detail
Endowed by alumnus Harvey Schwartz and shared by the Honors College and the university. The Scholars and Fellows page describes a full-cost scholarship based on term-bill charges for up to five New Jersey students per cohort, plus summer tuition help, study abroad grants, a laptop, and mentoring from the Honors College Dean. The Honors College prospective-student page describes it as a full-tuition award based on merit and financial need. Rutgers' own pages differ, so confirm the terms in the award letter. Recipients are selected through admissions; there is no separate application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A handful of top New Jersey admits who excel in academics, activities or athletics, and service. Rutgers says financial need is considered, though not necessarily by federal formulas.
Automatichonors
Presidential Scholars Program (Honors College)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ The top merit award for New Brunswick is tied to Honors College admission and provides a fixed $34,000/year, which may not cover full out-of-state costs
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Because the amount is fixed, the share of the bill it covers shrinks a little each year as tuition and housing rise. Budget for that gap.
💡
Strategic Detail
Rutgers' premier merit scholarship, awarded through Honors College admission. The amount varies by in-state, out-of-state, international, and need status, and stays fixed for all four years; it does not rise with tuition. It includes a food and housing allowance. Scholars must live in the Honors College in year one and get guaranteed on-campus housing for four years. Renewal: 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, 3.5 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: The strongest Honors College admits in the pool for their first-choice school. The cohort is small.
Automatic
Honors College Dean's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Honors-tier Dean's Scholarship stacks with need-based aid up to cost of attendance. Typically does not stack with Schwartz or Presidential Scholar packages.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of the three merit awards every entering Honors College student receives. The amount varies by residency, international status, and need, and Rutgers does not publish it. Renewal: 3.25 GPA and good standing in the Honors College.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong Honors College admits with notable academic achievement and service, typically positioned between baseline Honors awards and the Presidential/Schwartz tiers.
Automatic
Honors College Dean's Promise Award
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: early March ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Honors-tier awards stack with Rutgers' standard merit and need-based aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of the three merit awards every entering Honors College student receives. It renews at a 3.25 GPA, unlike the campus-wide Dean's Promise, which renews at 2.5. Rutgers does not publish the amount.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors College admits with solid academic and engagement profiles, Dean's-tier awards typically land below Presidential/Schwartz but represent meaningful Honors recognition.
Automatic
Rutgers James Dickson Carr Scholarship and Honors College Alumni Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered with Rutgers' core merit award and need-based aid up to cost of attendance. Renewal requires good standing in the Honors College including service, courses, and judicial standing.
💡
Strategic Detail
Honors College version of the Carr Scholarship. Renewal requires 12+ credits each semester, 24 credits per year, a 3.25 GPA, good standing in the Honors College (service hours, courses, conduct), and active use of Honors events and resources such as advising, professional development, and research.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors College admits selected for the Carr Scholarship through the admissions review. Rutgers does not publish selection criteria.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Honors College Awards for Current Students (Need, Study Abroad, Research)
📅 Deadline: Application rounds in late summer, late fall, and late spring Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
One-time grant stackable with other support.
📄
How to Apply
Sophomores and above in Honors College apply for funds to support approved research or global study project; internal application after fall semester opens.
💡
Strategic Detail
Honors College students (sophomore and up) with a 3.25 cumulative and semester GPA who are current on service hours can apply for need-based, study abroad, and research awards. One application covers all categories. Rounds open in late summer (fall term), late fall (spring term), and late spring (summer term).
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Active Honors College members in good standing with a defined study abroad or research plan, or with documented need.
App Required⚠ Sophomore Only
LGBTQ+ Learning Collaborative Scholars
📅 Deadline: Varies by application cycle Non-Renewable
$3,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 Sophomore
✚
Stacking & Combining
Project-based grant, funds documented research travel or study abroad participation; does not displace tuition aid.
📄
How to Apply
Honors College students apply through a competitive internal application for one of two opportunities: documented research travel/engagement on LGBTQ+ topics, OR the study abroad cohort at Universidad ORT in Montevideo, Uruguay.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $3,000 per scholar, awarded for either documented research travel/engagement OR acceptance into the summer study abroad program at Universidad ORT in Montevideo, Uruguay. Open to all Honors College students regardless of personal identity, as long as the proposed work relates substantively to LGBTQ+ topics.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors College students of any identity whose proposed research or study abroad connects to LGBTQ+ issues, history, or current events.
App Required⚠ Sophomore Only
Delta Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Varies by application cycle (typically spring for summer cohort) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Sophomore
✚
Stacking & Combining
Funded as a program experience rather than a tuition scholarship, runs alongside the student's existing aid package without offset.
📄
How to Apply
Continuing Honors College students apply through the program's internal selection process. Selection is based on academic record and demonstrated commitment to public service.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Two-part program: a twelve-day Summer Institute in Mississippi, followed by a five-day trip to Boston and Harvard University in the fall. Focused on academic engagement and community service in the Delta region.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors College students with strong academic records and an explicit commitment to public service work in the Mississippi Delta region.
App Required⚠ Sophomore Only
CHIRP Summer Scholars
📅 Deadline: Varies by program cycle (typically spring for summer cohort) Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Sophomore
✚
Stacking & Combining
Summer research stipend, does not offset academic-year tuition aid.
📄
How to Apply
Continuing Honors College students apply through the CHIRP program's internal application. Selection is faculty-led with input from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Collaboration between the Child Health Institute of New Jersey (CHINJ) at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and the Honors College. Hands-on laboratory research with weekly clinical research exposure, culminating in a research symposium.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors College students interested in pediatric/childhood disease research, working alongside Robert Wood Johnson Medical School faculty.
Data last verified Oct 4, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
*Rutgers does not publish Honors award amounts. They vary by residency and need and arrive with the merit offer in early March.*
Fine Print Families Miss: The Presidential Scholarship is a fixed amount for all four years. It does not go up when tuition goes up. It includes a food and housing allowance, requires living in the Honors College the first year, and guarantees on-campus housing for four years (for the scholar, not their roommate). Keep a 3.5 GPA to renew it.
About Schwartz Scholars
This is Rutgers’ top award, for up to five New Jersey students a year. Rutgers’ own pages describe it two ways: the Scholars and Fellows page calls it a full-cost scholarship with summer tuition help, study abroad grants, a laptop, and Dean mentoring. The prospective-student page calls it full tuition, based on merit and financial need. Either way, recipients are picked through admissions, and the award letter is the final word.
Honors College FAQs (Rutgers–New Brunswick)
Does every Honors College student get a scholarship?
Yes. Every entering Honors student receives a Presidential, Dean’s, or Dean’s Promise award. The amount is the part Rutgers doesn’t publish.
Is there a separate Honors application?
Not a separate site or deadline. It’s a checkbox and a second essay inside the Rutgers or Common App application, due with the application by December 1.
What GPA keeps Honors money?
A 3.5 for the Presidential Scholarship and a 3.25 for the Dean’s and Dean’s Promise awards, plus full-time enrollment and good standing in the Honors College.
Can out-of-state students get Honors scholarships?
Yes. Out-of-state and international students are considered, and Rutgers says award amounts are set differently for each group. The Schwartz award is the exception; it’s for New Jersey students.
Is there Honors money after freshman year?
Yes. Honors students who are sophomores or older, with a 3.25 GPA and current service hours, can apply each round for need-based, study abroad, and research awards. There are also program-based options like Delta Scholars, CHIRP summer research, and LGBTQ+ Learning Collaborative grants of up to $3,000.
What if my student doesn’t get into Honors as a freshman?
The Honors College has an admissions path for current sophomores and juniors. It’s worth a look, but the merit scholarships that come with Honors are decided at entry.
Rutgers–New Brunswick is New Jersey’s flagship and a Big Ten school, but it doesn’t feel like one campus. It’s four (Busch, College Avenue, Cook/Douglass, and Livingston) tied together by buses, with a train ride to New York City or Philadelphia. Over 78,000 students applied for about 8,200 freshman seats in the most recent class, and the hardest doors to get through are pharmacy, business, and engineering.
The Surprise Standout: Philosophy. Rutgers’ philosophy department is ranked second in the country by the Philosophical Gourmet Report, the ranking philosophers themselves use. For a student headed to law school or graduate study, that’s a top-tier department at a public-school price.
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy: a six-year PharmD that students enter straight from high school. It has the highest admit profile on campus, with about 250 seats from more than 3,000 applicants.
Rutgers Business School: more than 25,000 applicants for about 1,100 seats, with the New York metro job market next door.
School of Engineering: seven departments from biomedical to aerospace, plus a BS/master’s option and a big co-op and internship pipeline.
Nursing: a competitive direct-entry program with a strong admit profile, tied into the Rutgers Health system.
Computer science and the sciences: computer science is one of the largest majors, and biological sciences and public health (through the Bloustein School) are popular pre-health tracks.
🔗 Official Rutgers–New Brunswick Links
Use these official Rutgers pages to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules, costs, and admissions data. Always treat Rutgers’ own pages and your award letter as the final word.
Rutgers–New Brunswick plays two different games depending on where you live. For New Jersey families earning $65,000 or less, it’s one of the best deals in the country: file the FAFSA and tuition is covered for all four years. For everyone else, it comes down to one merit award you can’t predict in advance, judged against the applicants to the school your student picks first.
So the plan is simple, even if Rutgers doesn’t make it obvious. Apply by December 1, check the Honors College box, choose that first-choice school on purpose, and file the FAFSA the same week. Then wait for the March offer and compare it against the net price calculator. For a student who wants a top philosophy department, a direct-entry pharmacy program, or a Big Ten engineering school a train ride from New York, that’s a lot of college at a state-school price.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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