Educational Opportunity Fund
Program Description

The New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund was created by law in 1968 to ensure meaningful access to higher education for those who come from backgrounds of economic and educational disadvantage. The Fund assists low-income New Jersey residents who are capable and motivated but lack adequate preparation for college study.

The Fund is distinctive in the comprehensiveness of its approach. To ensure the opportunity to attend college, the Fund provides supplemental financial aid to help cover college costs (such as books, fees, room and board) that are not covered by the state's Tuition Aid Grant program. To ensure a viable opportunity to succeed and graduate, the Fund supports a wide array of campus-based outreach and support services at 28 public and 13 independent institutions.

The Fund is governed by a Board of Directors, which is appointed by the Governor. The Board sets policy, approves all necessary regulations for program operation and student eligibility, develops the annual budget request for the statewide program, and supports EOF programs at public and independent colleges and universities. The EOF Board also supervises a small graduate grant program, as well as the C. Clyde Ferguson Law and the Martin Luther King Physician-Dentistry programs.