The office of Student Financial Aid Services is available to help you get all your questions answered and find the information you need to continue funding your education year after year.

Prospective Students

• Call the mainline: 973-596-3479
• Email us at finaid@njit.edu

Admitted First-Year and Transfer NJIT Students 

Schedule an appointment for admitted First-Year and Transfer Students here

Current NJIT Students

Schedule a virtual appointment through Navigate here

Policies
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A: 64-13.1 et seq. or 18A: 64A-23.1, the State of New Jersey created a program to allow certain unemployed individuals to attend a public institution of higher education in the state of New Jersey tuition-free on a space available basis. Additionally, individuals who qualify for this program may have certain fees waived or reduced.

Criteria

1. Student must apply and be accepted for admissions in a degree or certificate program.
2. Enrollment limited up to 19 credits for each fall and spring semester and 9 credits for summer.
3. Unemployment Tuition Waiver will be credited towards completed credits.  Classes that are withdrawn from after the 100 percent refund period will have the waiver rescinded and the student will be responsible for any remaining balance.
4. Students with a prior waiver must have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better before the commencement of the term which funds are being requested for. Should the student fail to meet the 2.5 gpa requirements, the waiver will not be renewed.
5. Student must meet the minimum requirements set forth in the NJIT Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid
6. Student may only register for courses during the first week of the semester (during the “add course period) on a space available basis.  Students who register before the first day of class forfeit their right to participate in the NJ Tuition Benefit for Unemployed for that term.
7. Classes by permit and corporate off campus courses offered by Continuing Professional Education are not allowed under the NJ Tuition Benefit Waiver Program. Only programs located on the Newark campus will be considered for eligibility.
8. Students enrolling under this program are not eligible to enroll in the Executive Management Program. They may pursue study under the regularly scheduled MSM or MBA programs.
9. Students charged out of state tuition due to NJIT’s residency requirement will have their waivers calculated based on in state tuition charges not out of state, and will be responsible for the balance.
10. Course overload permits are not allowable. If a course needs permission of the instructor, or has pre-requisite restrictions, authorizations must be obtained prior to registering for the class.               

How To Apply

1. Student must obtain a certification from the Department of Labor, Division of Workforce New    Jersey that they qualify for this benefit. Additionally, individuals must verify their past presence in the labor market for at least two years and their unemployed status of receipt of layoff notice as proof of eligibility or an employability development plan from the Division of Employment Services.
2. Student must submit the Unemployed Person Job Training Form (UPJTF) with the original signatures to the Office of Student Financial Aid Services for each semester/term the student is applying for tuition waiver on or before the last day to register for the term the student is applying for the waiver. See the Registrar’s homepage for the academic calendar. The UPJTF must be signed and dated by the Department of Labor, Division of Workforce, New Jersey no sooner than 30 days prior to the start of the semester/term.
3. Student is required to file a Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) and provide any supporting documentation as requested including copies of prior year tax returns by the first day of the semester/term in which the student is applying for the benefit. The student is required to file the FAFSA only once an academic year, but is required to file the FAFSA every academic year the student is applying for this benefit. Students who qualify for the NJ Tuition Benefit for Unemployed Program will receive a grant administered by the Office of Student Financial Aid Services that will cover tuition and certain fees, minus any federal or state grants the student may be eligible to receive.  Late fees, course fees, program fees, Distance Learning fees, parking fees, insurance fees and housing and food charges will not be covered.
4. When the student is eligible for federal and state grants which exceed the student’s cost for tuition and applicable fees, the student does not qualify for the NJ Tuition Benefit for Unemployed.  Students electing to participate in NJIT’s work study program are not eligible to receive the NJ Tuition Benefit for Unemployed persons.

Procedures

1. Unemployed Person Job Training Forms should be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid Services at which time students will be informed of missing information. Registrar will be notified to place hold on student’s registration.
2. Students who are approved by the Office of Student Financial Aid Services to participate in this program are permitted to register for courses no earlier than the first day of the semester and no later the last day to add a class for the semester or term of enrollment. Registration is done in person at the Registrar’s Office (except for Executive Management students).
3. Students who qualify for this tuition benefit will be sent a Financial Aid Notification Letter detailing the award and amount.
4. Students that are denied this benefit may appeal the decision by submitting an appeal letter to the Director of Student Financial Aid Services within 14 days of notification.
5. Students who do not wish to participate in the program after submitting an Unemployed Person Job Training Form, mush complete a NJ Tuition Benefits Non Participating Form available here.
6. Matriculated students are required to complete an Income Reduction Appeal to determine if eligible for state and federal aid.

Useful Websites

Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)

FAFSA

NJIT Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid

Appeal for Income Reduction

Master Promissory Note

The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is a legal document that students and parents (for Parent PLUS loan) must complete before the loan can be disbursed. The MPN explains the terms and conditions of the loan and borrower’s obligation to repay the loan and any accrued interest. Please select the link below to complete the MPN.

Master Promissory Note (Undergraduate Students)
Master Promissory Note (Graduate Students)
Master Promissory Note (Parent of an Undergraduate Student)

Entrance Counseling

Funding your education through federal student loans is a major investment in your future. To ensure that you understand the responsibilities of borrowing a Federal Direct Loan the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) requires all first-time borrowers to participate in loan Entrance Counseling. As a part of Entrance Counseling, you will receive information about the federal loans, budgeting your expenses, repayment options, and your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. An Entrance Counseling session takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. Click on Entrance Counseling to complete counseling. You must have a U.S. Department of Education FSA ID to complete the session. If you completed Direct Loan Entrance Counseling at another school, they may have that Entrance Counseling record sent to NJIT by following the steps below: 

• Log on to Entrance Counseling site using your FSA ID. 
• Click on your name at top right corner and select Documents from drop down. 
• Under My Documents, filter by Loan Counseling. 
• Click the down arrow Sub/Unsub/PLUS Entrance Counseling. 
• Click the Notify Additional School link to send notification about completed Entrance Counseling to NJIT. 
• Select New Jersey. Under “search school by name,” select New Jersey Institute of Technology. 
• Click Submit.

Below video provides step by step instructions to complete the Federal Loan Entrance Counseling.

Deficiency Definitions

Program Code: A code used to identify the college, level and program you were admitted into. 
Program Description: Your current major used to assess your Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Program Credits: Is the published length or the total number of credits required to complete your program/ major. 
Maximum Credits Allowed (150% of Published Length): Per federal regulation, you must complete your program of study in a time frame not to exceed 150 percent of the published length of the program. In addition, aid cannot be awarded when you are “near” the maximum timeframe.This is measured by credit hours attempted; not by semesters attempted.
Maximum Program Credits Allowed By Next Pay Period: A threshold is used to determine if you will reach or exceed the maximum timeframe by the next payment period. 
Cumulative Attempted Credits: Your total attempted credits taken at NJIT including transfer credits.
Cumulative Earned Credits: Your total earned credits taken at NJIT including transfer credits.
Minimum Earned Credits Required: The minimum credits you must have at the time of assessment to be considered passing the SAP pace ratio assessment. The minimum must be at least .665 of all attempted credits.
Your Pace Completion Ratio (%): This ratio represents all your earned credits divided by all your attempted credits, if it is below .665, it is considered a deficiency.
Pace Ratio Required (%): The required pace ratio to be considered passing the quantitative aspect of the SAP assessment. It must be at least .665.
Cumulative GPA: Your cumulative GPA is measured at the time of SAP assessment.
Required GPA: The required cumulative GPA to be considered passing the qualitative aspect of SAP. It must be at least 2.0 for undergraduate students and 3.0 for graduate students.
Ph.D. Max Years Allowed: 7 years if admitted prior to Fall 2015 and 6 years if admitted after Fall 2015.
 

• Detailed explanation for the failure to meet SAP standards for each payment period the student failed to perform satisfactorily
• Documentation to support the reason for failure.
• A detailed explanation of what has changed that will now allow the student to make Satisfactory Academic Progress at the next evaluation.

Steps to apply for SAP Appeal: 

1. Log in to your portal at njit.studentforms.com to view and complete your required tasks.
2. Complete the SAP Appeal Form for the semester in which you plan to enroll.
3. Complete the Academic Curriculum Worksheet from your portal. This worksheet must:
   1. List all planned courses for the current and future semesters.
   2. Demonstrate program completion within the 6-year maximum time frame.
   3. Be updated and resubmitted if your schedule changes after submission.
4. Upload all supporting documentation related to your extenuating circumstances using your portal.

After you submit the online SAP Appeal, you will be required to upload the supporting documentation in the portal. Once your appeal is received, a decision will be rendered within 15 business days of the committee meeting and during peak times it may take more time. Email notification of the outcome will be sent via NJIT email. If your appeal is approved you will be reinstated and placed on "probation" and aid will be reinstated for that term, if eligible. As part of your probation term, you are required to complete the financial literacy module, "College and Money."  Your probation is conditional; failure to meet your academic plan and/or re-establish proficiency with the SAP standards will result in Financial Aid denial.

SAP Appeal Deadline

SAP Appeals Committee and Decision:

The SAP Appeals Committee is comprised of members of the staff of the Office of Student Financial Aid Services. The OSFAS will notify the student of the decision via NJIT email. The appeals decision will be rendered within 15 business days of the committee meeting and during peak times up to 30 days. The appeals decision is final. The committee reserves the right to request additional documentation. If additional documentation is not submitted in a timely manner, the appeal will be considered incomplete and will be denied. If the student is granted probation for a semester in which he or she does not enroll, the appeal will automatically be granted for the subsequent semester.

The SAP Academic Plan:

1. Achieve a minimum term GPA of 2.0 for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduates.
2. Successfully complete and pass all attempted coursework during the probation period. (Withdrawals or failed grades are not allowed).
3. Complete two Financial Literacy online sessions and submit the certificate of completion in the student portal.
4. For students failing due to timeframe, the courses you entered on the SAP Curriculum Worksheet must be followed.

SAP Academic Denial After Probation:

Denied Appeals:

After you have completed the FAFSA and received your Financial Aid Offer, please complete the following checklist.

Financial Aid Offer

• Review your College Financing Plan Offer that details the various types of aid for which you are eligible
• Accept loans and federal work study by logging into Highlander Pipeline. You do not need to accept grants and scholarships.

Loans

• Students: Accept loans on Highlander Pipeline. If you are a first-time borrower, complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN)
• Parents: Apply for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan (if applicable) and complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN), as a first-time borrower.
• Graduate Students: Apply for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (if applicable) and if you are a first-time borrower, complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN)

State Aid

• Create your account on NJFAMS which is the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) portal. Review your to-do-checklist and upload any documents requested by the state on this portal.
• Provide any additional documents requested by HESAA through NJFAMS

Important

• Review the Eligibility Requirements and Student’s Rights and Responsibilities
• Make sure your enrollments meets the disbursement requirements
• Check Highlander Pipeline to see if you have any outstanding requirements
• Check you bill and set up Direct Deposit to receive your refund (if eligible)
• Regularly check your NJIT email and Highlander Pipeline

You have already taken a huge step in your college search process by applying to NJIT. And, you'll soon discover the value of an NJIT education - New Jersey's premier science and technology university. We are committed to helping students make an NJIT education a reality. About 92 percent of our students receive financial assistance, and we awarded over $100 million in need-based, merit-based financial aid and student employment.

You will find the steps below to access your electronic 2026-2027 Award Offer and other materials to guide you in the financial aid process. We encourage you to accept your awards within two weeks. In addition, a Financial Aid Newsletter was prepared to explain the details and critical deadlines. We also have extensive information for every aid program in the 2026-2027 NJIT Student Financial Aid Services Policies and Procedures document. It is very important to read the entire document as eligibility requirements for all aid programs are explained in detail.

Reviewing your Financial aid is very easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Claim your UCID (if not already done).
   1. For those admitted prior to 2/20/26: Go to MyUCID.njit.edu and click "Claim Your UCID". In the "Resend Your Claim Notification" form, enter your 8-digit NJIT ID (found on your applicant status portal and your decision letter) and the personal email address you applied with to receive a claim notification email. 
   2. For those admitted after 2/20/26: You will receive an email to the personal email address you applied with, containing a unique UCID claim notification. Click the red "Claim Your UCID" button and follow the instructions to complete your account setup. If you need the claim notification email resent to you, go to MyUCID.njit.edu and click "Claim Your UCID".
2. Go to the Financial Aid Dashboard.
3. Enter your UCID and password. 
4. To view unsatisfied requirements:
   Select the 2026–2027 aid year from the drop-down menu and review the Home tab -> Student Requirements.
5. To review your financial aid awards:
   Select the 2026–2027 aid year and navigate to the Offer tab.
6. To accept or decline loans:
   Select the 2026–2027 aid year. Go to the Offer tab. Under the Loans section, review your offers, accept or decline as needed, and click Submit.

Also, NJIT is delighted to provide a new Tuition Price Calculator as a guide to assist in early financial planning. 

Albert Dorman Honor's College  |  Resources  |  Student Handbook

If you have any questions as you plan your NJIT education, do not hesitate to call us at 973-596-3479 or via email at finaid@njit.edu. We look forward to seeing you on campus.

Top Ten Financial Aid Questions

Financial Aid Glossary

Generally, students go abroad during either the Fall semester or the Spring semester; occasionally students will spend an entire academic year abroad. Students also go abroad during Summer. Students participate in study abroad programs in one of two ways:

• Via an agreement with a Study Abroad Provider, in which the student does not pay NJIT (MR_GLBL)
• By paying tuition and fees to NJIT (student is registered for the 12 credit course MR-INTL)

Financial Aid Program Eligibility

The type of financial aid a student is able to utilize for their study abroad trip is determined by whether the student selects MR-GLBL or MR_INTL; the chart below illustrates students’ eligibility for financial aid by student aid source and circumstances (please note, however, that students must still meet the individual eligibility programs to receive the specific types of aid programs).

For students selecting the MR_INTL option, students are billed by NJIT and are eligible to receive all Federal, State and Institutional aid that they would normally be entitled to, other than work-study and any NJIT Room Grants (Honors, Athletic, etc). To insure that all aid is processed properly, the student must meet with a Financial Aid Advisor and provide an approved “Study Abroad Enrollment and Financial Form” from the Office of Global Initiatives.

For students selecting the MR_GLBL option, a consortium agreement will be required in order for NJIT to process any Title IV Financial Aid, which includes but is not limited to, Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Direct Loan, and Federal PLUS Loan that the student qualifies for. In this instance, even though the student is not being billed by NJIT and is not attending NJIT, NJIT will serve as the “home school” and will award/disburse student’s aid via a Consortium Agreement. Since the student’s bill will be zero, a credit will be generated once the aid is disbursed and the money will be refunded to the student. A Consortium Agreement will be initiated only after the student has met with a Financial Aid Advisor, and has provided an approved “Study Abroad Enrollment and Financial Form” from the Office of Global Initiatives.

Documentation of Costs

Regardless of which study abroad option a student selects (MR_INTL or MR_GLBL) students receiving any form of aid (federal, state or institutional) are required to provide documentation of costs associated with their trip abroad. These costs include tuition/fees, housing, food, books, course materials, supplies, & equipment, transportation and miscellaneous costs; if the student fails to do so, these components will be “zero” on the student’s cost of attendance (COA) and could impact the amount of aid that the student is eligible to receive.

Student’s Responsibilities

In addition to providing documentation of costs, students have several other responsibilities that need to be addressed before they go abroad. They include, but are not limited to, those detailed below:

• Provide proof of enrollment AFTER registering for classes at the host institution;  failure to do so may result in loss or reduction of financial aid;
• Notify both the Office of Global Initiatives and Student Financial Aid Services of any enrollment changes; enrollment changes may impact Federal, State and Institutional Aid;
• Submit all required financial aid documents PRIOR to departure;
• Maintain contact with the Office of Global Initiatives;
• Ensure that the academic transcript is forwarded from the host institution to NJIT;
• Have a GREAT time abroad!

For more information, please visit https://www.njit.edu/studyabroad/