Garden State Guarantee Improves Kean Affordability  

By Jalen Gaynor | Published February 27, 2022

Kean continues to show commitment to being New Jersey’s most affordable University by joining the Garden State Guarantee (GSG).

On Jan. 25, Kean University announced that it has joined GSG, a financial aid program that makes college free for eligible students who are in their third and fourth years.

The GSG was established by Gov. Murphy as part of New Jersey State’s budget for 2022. Students are evaluated for the GSG as long as they complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

In a statement released by President Lamont O. Repollet, he voiced his excitement for the future.

“We are excited to be partnering with Gov. Murphy and the State of New Jersey to expand access and affordability to students, making it possible for more students to attend and graduate from Kean University,” said Dr. Repollet. “The new Garden State Guarantee helps Kean advance its goals of creating equity and providing academic excellence to all students.”

The criteria for being eligible for the GSG hinges on residency, citizenship, enrollment status, income, and class level. Students must be New Jersey residents, enrolled full-time (12 credits), be in their third or fourth year, and have a household adjusted gross income between $0 and $65,000.

Students with a household adjusted gross income (AGI) between $65,001 and $80,000 will pay no more than $7,500 for tuition and fees. 

For dependent students, only guardians’ AGIs are considered, not the student’s income. For independent students, the AGI of the student and spouse, if applicable, is considered.

According to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education found on nj.gov, by reducing out-of-pocket costs for students and families, New Jersey is limiting the amount of debt that residents must borrow to attend an in-state, public college, or university.

The university has taken many steps to ensure that their students are able to afford an education over the past few years, including not raising tuition and fees during the pandemic for two years and announcing the Kean Tuition Promise.

The Kean Tuition Promise was announced in November of 2021 and covers up to full tuition and fees for eligible students in their first and second years of study. This program, along with the GSG, gives students the opportunity to have a free education while at Kean.

“Kean is proud to be an institution that serves a diverse student population, including a large percentage of students who are first in their family to attend college,” Michael Salvatore, Kean’s Senior Vice President for the administration said.

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