Free tuition in 3 easy steps!
Apply to Ocean County College
Even if you’ve previously attended, you’ll need a new application; be sure to choose a degree-program to qualify for the Community College Opportunity Grant
File your FAFSA
File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid at FAFSA Application | Federal Student Aid.
Complete your HESAA Profile
Answer the necessary questions on the HESAA website
Talk to an enrollment technician:
732.255.0481
Eligibility Requirements
- Complete and file the FAFSA or New Jersey Alternative Application
- Complete and answer the New Jersey State Grants Questions in NJFAMS
- Complete State Record and Verification documents (if selected)
- Enroll for a minimum of 6 credits
- Must have an adjusted gross income of no less than $0 and no more than $100,000
- Dependent Student adjusted gross income refers to parental adjusted gross income reported on the FAFSA
- Independent Student adjusted gross income refers to the adjusted gross income reported on the FAFSA, if applicable, combined with the student’s spouse adjusted gross income
Amount of Grant
- The Community College Opportunity Grant will cover up to the full cost of tuition for up to 18 credit hours and approved educational fees
- The Community College Opportunity Grant is a last‐dollar scholarship, therefore, the full amount of all state, federal, institutional, and community aid received by the student shall be applied to the tuition and approved educational fee charges to reduce the amount of the Community College Opportunity Grant award
Frequently Asked Questions
To receive CCOG award, Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) must be no less than $0 to no more than $65,000 or residents with AGIs between $65,001 and $80,000 CCOG will pay up to half of the maximum CCOG award available at the college.
- For a dependent student the AGI refers to parental AGI as reported on the financial aid application.
- For an independent student AGI refers to the AGI reported on the financial aid application for the student and, if applicable, the student’s spouse.
To learn more about adjusted gross income, visit www.irs.gov.
The Community College Opportunity Grant program will cover tuition and educational fees (books not included). Most fees/books are included in tuition.
Fees that are covered include:
- General fees
- Registration fees
- Facility fees
- Technology fees
- Lab fees
- Program/Course fees
- Student Activity fees
To apply for CCOG, all students (renewal and new students) must complete and file the FAFSA or New Jersey Alternative Application according to agency deadlines in order to apply for all other available forms of federal and state need-based grants and merit scholarships. This includes the student satisfying all requirements to determine his or her eligibility to receive payments of these state and federal grants and scholarships within established state deadlines. https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/StateApplicationDeadlines.aspx
The FAFSA can be completed at www.fafsa.gov or for the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application at https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJAlternativeApplication.aspx.
Students who are in dual enrollment programs and still in high school are not eligible for the Community College Opportunity Grant. Students must be enrolled at Ocean County College and possess a high school diploma or GED.
A student enrolled at an out-of-county college shall be eligible for a CCOG award calculated based on the in-district rate of tuition and approved educational fees for the county college at which the student is enrolled, provided that the amount of a grant provided to a student under this paragraph does not exceed the amount of tuition and approved educational fees actually charged to the student.
OCC will notify students of their eligibility as part of the financial award information. The notifications will include the amounts of the grant.
Students who have already earned a bachelor’s or associate’s degree are not eligible for the Community College Opportunity Grant.