FAQs

The Educational Opportunity Fund Program, or EOF Program, is one of the nation’s most successful comprehensive student support programs. EOF is a state-funded program designed to provide an opportunity for higher education to disadvantaged New Jersey residents who would be unable to attend and/or succeed academically in college without the financial assistance and special services that are part of this program.

The program is intended for students who show potential and exhibit evidence of academic and/or creative promise but who have limited educational and financial resources for college because of inadequate high school preparation and have economic backgrounds that reflect a history of poverty.

The mission of the EOF Program at Ramapo College of New Jersey is to provide access to higher education and support for highly motivated students who exhibit the potential for success, but who come from families/communities disadvantaged by low income and a lack of access to quality educational preparation necessary to attend college.

There is no separate application for EOF. Applicants who wish to apply for EOF would select “Yes” to applying for EOF on their application for admission and complete the EOF-specific questions on the application for admissions.

First Year applicants must meet academic eligibility requirements as well as be financially eligible for EOF. The financial eligibility requirements are the same for all EOF Programs in the State of New Jersey. Eligibility is based on the total number in household and the total amount of income (taxable and non-taxable income). Nontaxable income includes Social Security Income, Unemployment, Disability, TANF/Welfare, Child Support and other untaxed income. Students must also report any assets that are owned by the family to determine eligibility.

Transfer applicants must submit an EOF Transfer Verification Form with your application. If your EOF Program has its own EOF Transfer form, you may submit that instead. Transfer applicants will not be admitted into EOF unless this document is submitted. If transfer applicants are not part of the EOF Program at their current institution, they must contact the EOF Office at Ramapo College of New Jersey at 201-684-7542 to discuss how to apply for EOF at Ramapo College.

All EOF First Year applicants must submit the appropriate documentation to verify their financial eligibility for admission through the EOF Program. The main documentation needed for EOF review is all pages of the family’s 2019 and 2018 Federal Tax Returns.

If your family does not have copies of these documents, you can submit a Federal Tax Return Transcript for each year your family does not have a copy of the tax return. This document is only available from the IRS and is not a copy of your family’s tax returns. You can retrieve your tax return transcript, not an account transcript, in one of three ways:

1. Download online copy from the IRS website
2. Request that your tax transcript be mailed to your home (will arrive within 10 calendar days from)
3. Schedule an appointment to get a copy in person at your local IRS Office

Our How to Get Your Tax Return Transcript document is a step-by-step visual guide on how to retrieve your tax return transcript from the IRS website for the years required for EOF review.

Applicants may need to submit with the 2019 and 2018 Federal Tax Returns additional financial documentation to verify financial eligibility for admission.

Applicants whose family’s own a two-/multi-family house or other rental properties must submit in addition to the tax returns the following:

• Current month’s Mortgage Statement with principle balance for all rental properties owned
• Property Tax Assessment for all rental properties owned

Applicants who are in foster care, under legal guardianship with someone who is not a parent, are an orphan, live in foster care or are a ward of the court, will only need to submit their 2018 Federal Tax Return (if student filed taxes in 2018) as well as

• Legal Guardianship paperwork confirming you are under legal guardianship, or
• Verification of Status Letter from Social Worker or Division of Youth Services for Applicants who are wards of the state, an orphan or living in foster care

Applicants whose family’s do not file taxes still need to document where their family’s money comes from. If your family’s income solely comes from nontaxable sources (e.g., social security, unemployment, disability, TANF/welfare, alimony, child support), you will need to submit a Letter of Non-Filing from the IRS (available from the IRS website or local IRS Office) for 2019 and 2018 as well as a Benefits Award Letter for all sources of nontaxable income. This is a letter that outlines your monthly or annual award for that particular source of nontaxable income.

All EOF Transfer applicants must submit the Ramapo College EOF Transfer Verification Form or an EOF Transfer Form from the current school’s EOF Office. This document confirms your enrollment in the EOF Program as well as how many semesters of the EOF State Grant you have received. Transfer applicants must also list Ramapo College (School ID#: 009344) on their updated financial aid application so we can verify that you are still financially eligible to continue receiving the EOF State Grant.

Applicants who are not part of the EOF Program at their current institution, must contact the EOF Office at Ramapo College of New Jersey at 201-684-7542 to discuss how to apply for EOF at Ramapo College.

Yes. The State of New Jersey allows for NJ Dreamers/undocumented students to apply for state aid programs like the Tuition Aid Grant, the EOF Program, NJ STARS and NJ STARS II, and the Governor’s Urban Scholarship so long as you meet specific criteria. You will need to complete the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application on the HESAA website. You will also need to submit tax returns for 2019 and 2018 (if your family was able to file) or a letter of non-filing and documentation of where your family’s money comes from to be reviewed for EOF eligibility.

If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, the FAFSA must be submitted if you are applying for EOF. The FAFSA can be submitted as early as October 1^st and will require you to use your family’s 2018 financial information. It is recommended that you submit your FAFSA at the same time as your college application.

If you are a NJ Dreamer, you do not have to submit the FAFSA but will need to submit the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application (NJAFAA). It is recommended that you submit your NJAFAA at the same time as your college application.

Please note that you must submit financial documentation to determine EOF eligibility even if you have already submitted a FAFSA or NJAFAA.

First Year applicants need to meet the academic requirements below to be considered for admission to Ramapo College through the EOF Program. Those applicants who fall on the lower end of the academic requirements may need to participate in an interview to determine eligibility for EOF before a decision is issued.

• GPA: 2.5 or higher (on 4.0 scale)
• Class Rank: Top one-third of graduating class (if rank reported)

First Year applicants applying to the Nursing Program, Biology major or one of the medical programs listed under the Biology major should meet the admissions criteria listed below to be considered for admission. Applicants must apply directly into these programs and submit all required documents prior to December 15.

• GPA: 3.0 or higher (on 4.0 scale)
  • 4 years of math and science courses
  • Strong grades in math and science courses

Ramapo College is test-optional for all undergraduate programs, except the following academic programs:

• Biology/Dental Medicine – Lake Erie College of Medicine
• Biology/Optometry – SUNY College of Optometry
• Biology/Osteopathy – Lake Erie College of Medicine
• Biology/Pharmacy – Lake Erie College of Medicine
• Biology/Pharmacy – Touro College of Pharmacy
• Law & Society/Law – Seton Hall University Law School
• Political Science/Law – Seton Hall University Law School
• Visual Arts/Art Therapy – Caldwell University

The test-optional policy also applies to students applying for admission through the EOF Program for all undergraduate programs, except those listed above.

If you choose to submit an SAT or ACT score, please indicate that on your application. If you choose not to submit, we will review your application holistically using other documents and submitted materials. For those who submit both SAT and ACT test scores, we will use the test that highlights the applicant the best.

Transfer applicants applying to Ramapo College should have a 2.5 GPA to be considered for admissions.

Applicants applying for the Nursing Program and other programs with specific admissions requirements should look at our Transfer Admissions Requirements page for more information.

Students admitted to Ramapo College but not awarded EOF should contact the EOF Office at Ramapo College to learn about how they can possibly apply for EOF after being admitted to Ramapo College. The EOF Office can be reached at 201-684-7542.

College office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday during the academic year. Summer office hours are 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The College is closed on most Fridays during the summer months of June, July and August.

All EOF First Year applicants must submit financial documentation to determine eligibility for EOF. Financial eligibility requirements for EOF consideration are determined by the State of New Jersey’s Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and are the same for all EOF Programs in New Jersey. First Year financial requirements are based on the total number in household and total family income. Total income includes wages from work, non-taxable income and all assets held by the family. These income ranges change annually. The chart below lists the financial income allowed for EOF First Year beginning Fall 2021. Family assets cannot exceed more than 20% of the total income allowed.

Add $8,960 to the Maximum Income for each additional member of household and $1,792 to the Asset Cap for each additional family member.

EOF is not a financial aid program but a state access program for NJ students who meet the requirements for admission through this program. The program does award an additional state grant to all EOF students to minimize the out of pocket cost of their education.

The EOF State Grant for Ramapo students awards a maximum of $1,300 per year for students who choose to commute and $1,550 per year for students who choose to live in on-campus housing. These amounts are based on the cost of attendance (tuition) of the institution and will differ from school to school.

First Year students who complete the EOF Summer Program with a 2.5 GPA are awarded the EOF First Year Scholarship of up to $5,000 a year for up to four years. Students must maintain a strong academic GPA each semester in order to maintain their scholarship.

Additional scholarship money is available from the Ramapo Foundation for continuing Ramapo students. You can see these scholarships on our Scholarship Page.

The EOF State Grant is included in an EOF student’s finance plan. The grant is applied to all direct costs on a student’s bill.

Incoming EOF First Year students will also receive a $1,400 Book Stipend ($700 per semester) to purchase their books and school supplies from the Ramapo College Bookstore for the first year only.

No. Students do not need to repay federal or state grants. The EOF State Grant is a grant awarded by the State of New Jersey to EOF students only.

All admitted students will receive a finance plan from Ramapo College as long as the student has submitted a FAFSA or NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application (NJAFAA). FAFSA applicants must include their Social Security Number on their application for admission to match their application to their FAFSA account.

NJ Dreamers who use the NJAFAA must include their Taxpayer ID (if they have received one) on the application for admission to match their application to their NJAFAA. If NJ Dreamers do not have a Taxpayer ID, their application will be matched by other information found on both the NJAFA and Admissions applications.

The Financing Plan for EOF students can include some or all of the following:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Work Study
• NJ Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)
• Institutional Awards
• Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized)

The NJ EOF Grant is posted to a student’s account upon successfully completing the EOF Summer Program.

EOF First Year students can also be awarded an additional scholarship of up to $5,000 a year for completing the EOF Pre-First Year Summer Program with a 2.5 GPA or higher. This award would post upon successful completion of the EOF Summer Program and may not show on the Financial Aid Award Letter.

EOF Transfer students who transfer to Ramapo with an Associate degree from a NJ Community College for the Fall semester with a 3.5 GPA or higher are also reviewed for a $2,000 transfer scholarship. Priority deadline for Transfer scholarships is March 1 as transfer scholarships are highly competitive.

All admitted EOF First Year students and Transfer students are encouraged to participate in one of our Spring Admitted Student Days. During these events, the EOF Information Session for all EOF admitted students will go over the next steps to completing your enrollment as either an incoming First Year or Transfer student. Admitted Student Days are held in March and April and registration links are posted on the application portal of all admitted students.

Daily campus tours and opportunities to meet with an admissions counselor and finalize your enrollment are also available in the Spring for admitted students.

In order to complete your enrollment to Ramapo College and the EOF Program, admitted students need to complete the Offer to Admission form and make their $25 deposit on their application portal. The $25 deposit covers your enrollment fee. Housing deposits are waived for EOF students who choose to live on campus.

Students are encouraged to follow the Admitted Student Checklist to assist in completing their enrollment.

All incoming EOF First Year students must take the ACCUPLACER Placement Test to determine proper course placement in English and Math. Students can register for placement testing on the Testing Center website. There you can also find out if you qualify to be exempt from the Reading/Essay or Math Placement Test based on your SAT/ACT test scores, AP/IB test scores or dual enrollment course.

Students who are required to take Calculus for their major or choose to take Calculus at Ramapo must take the Calculus Placement Test, regardless of whether they are exempt from the Math placement test.

Placement Testing for all incoming first year students must be completed by the end of the first week in May in order to prepare for the EOF Pre-First Year Summer Program Orientation. The placement test fee is waived the first time taking the test for all admitted EOF students. EOF students are required to pay testing fees if they qualify to retake the placement test.

The EOF Summer Program Orientation is held in mid-May to early June for all incoming EOF First Year students who have submitted their enrollment deposit to Ramapo College. During this event, EOF First Year students are able to bring all missing financial aid verification documents to finalize their financial aid packaging as well as meet with their EOF Student Development Specialist, receive their Summer Program course schedule and prepare for the start of the EOF Summer Program.

Incoming EOF Transfer Students are not required to attend the EOF Summer Program Orientation but are required to attend one of our Transfer Orientation programs and make appointments to speak with their EOF Student Development Specialist.

Yes. All incoming First Year students and Transfer students must attend New Student Orientation. EOF First Year students must participate in New Student Orientation prior to the start of the EOF Summer Program in June to build their schedule and prepare for the Fall semester. EOF Transfer students must participate in any of the Transfer Orientations to build their schedule the upcoming semester.

All incoming First Year students admitted through the EOF Program must participate in the mandatory 5-week EOF Summer Program. Incoming EOF Transfers are not required to participate in the EOF Summer Program at Ramapo College.

The EOF Pre-First Year Summer Studies Program, or EOF Summer Program, is a 5-week program that begins at the end of June and concludes at the end of July. The program is 100% residential and the cost is free to students. It is a mandatory requirement of enrollment for EOF First Year students.

The course schedule for the EOF Pre-First Year Summer Program is based on the student’s Placement Testing. The ACCUPLACER Placement Test is designed to help determine where an incoming student will begin with their English and Math courses. Students who place into pre-college level, or remedial, reading, writing and/or math courses will take these courses during the summer program. Those who place into college-level courses will take college-level courses during the summer. EOF First Year students will get their summer schedules during the EOF Summer Program Orientation.

GPAs for all college-level and remedial courses during the summer program are used to calculate a student’s cumulative GPA. College credit towards graduation is awarded for all college-level courses taken during the summer program. Credits for remedial level courses do not count towards graduation but do count towards the student’s GPA.