The New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Rewards Scholarship (NJ STARS) is a state-sponsored, merit-based scholarship designed to reward academic excellence to outstanding high school graduates. To qualify for the scholarship, New Jersey students must graduate from their local high school within the top 15 percent of their class. NJ STARS provides a scholarship for students to attend their local community colleges. NJ STARS II provides a transfer scholarship to NJ STARS community college graduates who successfully transfer to a New Jersey four-year college or university to earn their bachelor's degrees. NJ STARS and NJ STARS II - like many other state-funded programs in these tough economic times - have changed over the past few years. Beginning in Fall 2012, the program terms will be as follows:

NJ STARS (For Students Attending New Jersey Community Colleges):

Students who graduate high school in the top 15.0% of their class may be eligible.

NJ STARS will cover tuition only. Students (and/or their parents/guardians) are responsible for fees and books.

NJ STARS II (For Students Attending New Jersey Four-year Colleges and Universities):

NJ STARS II will provide a $2,500 annual scholarship for NJ STARS students who earn their associate degrees at their community colleges with grade point averages of 3.25 or better and successfully transfer to any public or private New Jersey four-year college or university to earn their baccalaureate degrees.

NJ STARS II students will have four semesters of NJ STARS II eligibility.

NJ STARS II students must maintain a 3.25 grade point average in their junior year to receive the scholarship in their senior year.

Students whose families' income equals or exceeds $250,000 will not be eligible for NJ STARS II.

For more information, visit www.njstars.net or follow NJ STARS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NJSTARS.