Atlantic Cape to Offer Eligible Students Free College Beginning Spring 2019

Atlantic Cape Community College has been selected as one of 13 community colleges to participate in Governor Phil Murphy’s “Community College Innovation Challenge (CCOG),” a pilot program that will launch in the spring semester, January 2019. The program supports making higher education more attainable for New Jersey residents by providing additional funding above federal, state or institutional financial aid money to effectively make college “free” for qualifying students.

Students who make an adjusted gross income of $45,000 or less, are taking six or more credits and have applied for federal and state grant aid may be eligible to have the remainder of their tuition and educational fees balance paid for through this program. Current students who have already completed a financial aid application for the fall 2018 semester will be automatically considered for eligibility if they enroll for at least six credits in the spring 2019 semester. Students who have not yet filed for financial aid for academic year 2018-19 will have until Feb. 15, 2019 to apply for CCOG awards. Potential students are encouraged to enroll for the spring semester starting Nov. 1 either online or visiting one of the college’s three campuses.

“We are tremendously excited to be able to offer our students this amazing opportunity where higher education is open to everyone. This initiative is the beginning of even more students being able to complete their educational goals and succeed in future endeavors,” said Dr. Barbara Gaba, president of Atlantic Cape. “I’m especially excited that residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties can now receive a college education and not take on debt. It’s a great opportunity for everyone, for students just graduating high school to professionals who never considered college before or want to change their career path.”

“We applaud Governor Murphy’s vision and commitment to expanding college access and affordability, and his belief in community colleges as a solution to help improve the state,” remarked Aaron R. Fichtner, president of New Jersey Council of County Colleges. “This pilot program will provide the community colleges the opportunity to learn and collaborate to inform future statewide efforts to expand access to higher education.”

There will be several information sessions that the public can attend to have questions answered and learn about eligibility and the application process for “free college” at Atlantic Cape including:

• 5-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Cape May County Campus
• 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Mays Landing Campus’s Open House
• 5-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City Campus

For additional information about the Free College Tuition/CCOG initiative and upcoming information sessions, visit www.atlantic.edu/freecollege.