Some N.J. students will save 50% on college tuition under new law for immigrants and visa holders (2024)

College tuition bills for some immigrants and foreign residents could be significantly lower at New Jersey public colleges this semester under a new law that went into effect this week.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation Monday that will offer in-state tuition and state financial aid for the first time to immigrants and foreigners living in the U.S. holding certain visas. In many cases, the new law will cut the students’ tuition bills by 50% or more.

The bill, S3119, was approved by the state Senate in June with a 34-2 vote and by the Assembly last month with a 53-17 vote. It was among a long list of bills signed into law by Murphy on Monday as the state Legislature wrapped up its two-year session.

Under the new law, in-state tuition at New Jersey public colleges will be offered to:

• Students who hold T visas, which are given to victims of human trafficking living in the U.S. after the Department of Homeland Security determines they would be in danger if they were deported back to their home countries. Some immigrants are granted T visas after arriving in the U.S. illegally. The new law will also make T visa holders eligible for state financial aid, grants and scholarships to pay for college.
• Students who hold U visas, which are given to immigrants — including some who originally arrived in the U.S. illegally — who have either helped law enforcement investigate crimes or have suffered physical or mental abuse after being a victims of a crime. U visa holders will also be eligible for state financial aid, under the new law.
• Children of parents or guardians who hold O-1 visas , which are given to foreign workers in the U.S. with extraordinary abilities in the sciences, education, business, athletics, the arts, motion pictures or television industry. The students will be eligible for in-state tuition, but not state financial aid.
• Children of parents or guardians who hold O-2 visas, which are given to foreign workers living in the U.S. workers to assist O-1 visa holders with a specific event or performance. The students will also be eligible for only in-state tuition, not state financial aid.

The law goes into effect immediately, meaning it could apply to students starting the spring semester at local public colleges this month.

Students who hold T and U visas and the children of O-1 and O-2 visa holders previously had to pay out-of-state tuition at New Jersey public colleges, which is typically double the in-state rate.

At Rutgers University, in-state tuition is $15,804 a year for an undergraduate on the New Brunswick campus, compared to $33,005 a year for out-of-state tuition. Room and board adds another $13,402 to the average bill each year.

State financial aid and scholarships could also further reduce college costs for T and U visa holders.

It is unclear how much the new law will cost the state or public colleges. The state Office of Legislative Services told lawmakers it had “insufficient information” to put a price tag on the law because analysts could not determine how many visa holders might take advantage of the reduced tuition and financial aid.

The new law is the latest effort by New Jersey officials to expand access to college for both undocumented immigrants and foreigners living in the U.S. legally.

In 2020, Murphy signed a law granting in-state tuition rates to children of the holders of H-1B visas, which are given to foreign workers in specialized occupations, including technology, medicine and journalism.

Murphy’s predecessor, Gov. Chris Christie, signed a law in 2013 that allowed undocumented immigrants living in the country illegally to attend New Jersey colleges at in-state tuition rates. Murphy expanded those benefits in 2018 by signing additional legislation that made undocumented immigrants eligible for taxpayer-funded state financial aid and scholarships.

Last school year, 1,162 undocumented students, known as “Dreamers,” received about $7 million in state financial aid, according to state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority statistics.

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.