Rutgers Financial Aid

About Rutgers University

Rutgers is a pretty awesome school, when you consider its motivated and passionate student body, world-class faculty, high-profile sports teams, and notable history. It’sa Public Ivy, meaning it is one of the best public universities in the country. The university was founded in 1766, making Rutgers a ‘Colonial College,’ one of the oldest schools in America. Certain teams, namely football and basketball, are really popular on campus; in fact,the Scarlet Knights won the first game of college football ever played, beating Princeton 6-4 in 1869. Since entering the Big East, Rutgers has snagged five league championships, and Rutgers continues to be a top-tier presence in college sports. These are all greatreasons to attend Rutgers, but there’s one thing to remember about Rutgers: the cost of attendance. Rutgers is a great school, but it can be costly to attend.

Budgeting and Rutgers Financial Aid

Budgeting can be tricky, but it really shouldn’t be. Most people run into problems by just focusing on the big-ticket items, like room and board, fees, and textbooks. Truth is, while these are important things to keep in mind, the things that’ll really catch up with your budget are the smaller expenses. For example, football is popular on campus, so save for student tickets: packages are about $80if you’re on the main campus. Saturdays are tailgating days, which means saving up for food and frosty refreshment. Clubs and Greek organizations are really popular, so be sure to set aside some money for dues or fees - some clubs might not charge anything, and some frats/sororities can charge several hundred dollars, so put at least $200 aside, just to be safe.

About Rutgers Financial Aid

A very large percentage of the student body(85% in 2010-2011, with an average award of $17,700) qualifies for some aid from the Rutgers Financial Aid office. Rutgers Financial Aid packages are sent out either when you receive your acceptance letter (congrats!) or when you get your next tuition bill (typically in the summer).

Applying for Rutgers Financial Aid

Applying for Rutgers Financial Aid doesn’t have to be hard: we can actually help make it easy. All you have to do is roughly explained in this paragraph. Before you fill out a single piece of paperwork, go talk to somebody at the Rutgers financial aid office. Get a picture of the aid they give out, and ask about their ‘free money’ awards (scholarships and grants). See if you might be eligible for one of these, and also ask if borrowing might be a necessity for you. From there, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and you’re golden. Once you submit this form, your application process will be complete, and you will receive a financial aid package some time thereafter.

Rutgers Financial Aid Packages

Most students who receive Rutgers Financial Aid will be offered federal student loans in their financial aid package, and will be encouraged to work on campus to contribute to their education. Students who need student loans should exhaust all federal aid options as their first source of funding, and then pursue private student loansas a final option. To find, compare, and apply for private student loans for Rutgers, just use our Student Loan Comparison Tool.