No financial aid can be given to students who do not file the FAFSA. Students entering our EOF Program as freshmen must file the FAFSA before beginning the summer studies program. A number of documents are needed to complete the FAFSA. These include parent federal income tax forms if claimed as a dependent by the parent(s), student income tax forms, untaxed income records; such as social security and public assistance income verification documents, investment records, bank statements, and W-2 forms.

The FAFSA is sent to the Department of Education’s Iowa Processing Center and the information generates a Student Aid Report or SAR. It summarizes the data reported on the FAFSA and notes any missing information that must be provided.

An EFC or Expected Family Income Contribution is listed on the SAR if the FAFSA is complete. The EFC is based on the financial information provided on the FAFSA. The Office of Financial Aid uses the EFC figure to determine financial need.

A student can not be admitted to the EOF Program without having qualified for the EOF grant. A student qualifying for the EOF state grant also could receive other types of aid. Aid programs including EOF are listed below:

• Federal Pell Grants are available to undergraduate students and do not have to be repaid.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are federal grants and do not have to be repaid.
• Tuition Aid Grants are state-funded and do not have to be repaid.
• Educational Opportunity Fund Grants are state-funded and do not have to be repaid. Students may be eligible for up to 12 semesters of payment. At Ramapo, the maximum residential award for four years or 8 semesters of attendance is currently equal to $6,900.
• Federal Direct Loans are student loans, available on the undergraduate and graduate level, and must be repaid. The interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 8.25%.
• Federal PLUS Loans are unsubsidized loans made to parents. Students who are independent or their parents are not eligible to get a PLUS loan, may be eligible to borrow additional Direct Loan funds. The interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 9 percent. The loan must be repaid.
• Federal Work-Study provides jobs to undergraduate and graduate students, allowing them to earn money to pay education expenses.

Every entering freshmen class is provided the opportunity to get a jump start on their classes and general campus life, by attending our Pre-Freshman Summer Studies Institute. Students are accelerating the completion of their academic programs with the financial assistance and academic support of the EOF Program.

On average, summer program students are awarded over $5,000 to cover tuition, fees, room, board, books, and insurance. Students are able to earn up to six credits, and live on campus both during the school week and on weekends when classes are not in session. 100% of the cost to attend our summer program is covered by the EOF state grant and college contribution. There is no cost to the student.

Ramapo College of New Jersey EOF Scholarship of up to $5,000 per year ($20,000 over 4 years).

Any EOF student who enters Ramapo College through our EOF Summer Studies Institute is eligible for the Ramapo College Grant (RCG) Scholarship. To earn the scholarship, students must successfully complete the EOF Summer Studies Institute with a 2.5 or above GPA. Students who maintain at least a 2.5 GPA are eligible for the following:

Year 1: $5,000 and up to $1,400 towards books

Year 2: $5,000

Year 3: $5,000

Year 4: $5,000

There are many expenses associated with attending college. There are the tuition/fees, room, board, and books for the fall and spring terms. However, there could also be summer session tuition and fees, and other fees for CLEP examinations, graduate school applications, graduate school entrance examinations, and more. Students seeking assistance with covering courses/career-related activities including college-level proficiency exams, NYU Language Proficiency exams, National Student Exchange Program enrollment fees, professional association educational events, board certification fees, and professional licensure fees, can apply for funding.  Students can also apply for awards that cover graduate school-related fees including admission applications, entrance exams, and test prep courses.

In addition, other scholarship opportunities are available to EOF students. Thanks to the generosity of external donors, such as alumni, foundations, corporations, and friends of the college, there are scholarships offered specifically for EOF Scholars. More information on these awards and other externally funded scholarships can be found at: https://www.ramapo.edu/scholarships/