Do NJ residents need to submit additional forms beyond FAFSA for state aid?

You shouldn't need to fill out anything additional for NJ state aid this year. The FAFSA automatically shares your information with your state aid agency (HESAA in New Jersey) if you list a NJ college on your application. Just make sure you completed that section on the FAFSA where it asks if you want your information shared with state programs. The deadline for TAG (Tuition Aid Grant) is April 15, 2025 for returning students, earlier for first-time applicants.

This. Although they did make some adjustments to their process this yr. I filled out mine 2 months ago and got my TAG notification just last week. The email comes from HESAA not FAFSA so check ur spam folder.

Thanks!! I definitely checked the box for sharing with state programs, but wasn't sure if that was still working the same way. Will keep an eye on my email for the HESAA notification.

No you dont have to file anything else. I'm from NJ and got all my state aid just from FAFSA. Just make sure ur schools are in NJ lol

This is NOT entirely correct for all cases! If you're an independent student with dependents OR if you're attending certain county colleges, you might need to fill out the additional state verification form. My daughter had to do this last year even after FAFSA was processed. Check your NJFAMS account once HESAA receives your FAFSA data.

The process is supposed to be automatic, but honestly NJ's system is a mess this year. My FAFSA was processed in January but my NJFAMS account showed nothing until March. Then suddenly I got an email saying I needed to submit income verification directly to HESAA even though my FAFSA used IRS Data Retrieval. The whole system is frustrating and contradictory! I've been trying to call them for 3 weeks and can't get through to a real person. Anyone know a better way to contact HESAA?

I had the same frustration trying to reach HESAA about my TAG grant verification. After days of busy signals, I used Claimyr to get through to them and resolved my verification issue in one call. They connect you to the agency without the wait. Their video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ shows how it works. Definitely worth it for the time saved - I was about to miss my verification deadline!

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to try this. If I miss the verification deadline I'll lose my entire TAG grant and that's literally thousands of dollars.

THE WHOLE NJ AID SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!! I did everything right on my FAFSA and they STILL claimed they never got my info. Then when I called HESAA they said \

I understand your frustration, but there's a reason for the delays this year. FAFSA implemented the new SAI (Student Aid Index) system replacing the old EFC, and many state systems including HESAA are still adapting their software. Double-check your NJFAMS account and look specifically for any \

Thanks for actually explaining WHY instead of just saying \

my cousin works at Rutgers financial aid office and she said sometimes NJ residents need to make a NJFAMS account to check if theres anything else needed...idk if thats still true tho

Oh that's a good point! I just created my NJFAMS account and it shows my FAFSA was received but is

Here's exactly what you need to know about NJ state aid for 2025-2026:\n\n1. Your FAFSA information is automatically sent to HESAA (Higher Education Student Assistance Authority) if you indicated you're a NJ resident AND listed at least one NJ institution\n\n2. You must create a NJFAMS account (New Jersey Financial Aid Management System) at njfams.hesaa.org to track your state aid status\n\n3. Some students will be selected for verification by HESAA separately from FAFSA verification\n\n4. TAG deadlines are critical: April 15, 2025 for returning students, September 15, 2025 for fall/spring terms for new students\n\n5. If you're a Dreamers/DACA student, you cannot use FAFSA and must complete the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application\n\nThe automatic transfer from FAFSA to HESAA is still functioning, but the processing time has increased significantly with the new SAI system.

This is so helpful, thank you! I made my NJFAMS account and can see my application is in process. One question: if I get selected for verification by HESAA, will they email me or do I need to keep checking the NJFAMS portal?

They're supposed to email you, but their notification system has been unreliable. I recommend checking your NJFAMS account weekly until your TAG award is confirmed. Any required verification documents will appear in your \

As someone who just went through this process, I can confirm that the FAFSA-to-HESAA transfer is still automatic for 2025-2026, but you definitely need to stay on top of checking your NJFAMS account. I had my FAFSA processed in February and didn't get my TAG notification until last week - way longer than previous years. The key thing is making sure you selected "Yes" to sharing your info with state programs on the FAFSA. Also, even though it's automatic, HESAA might still ask for additional verification docs that are different from what FAFSA required. Check your NJFAMS portal every few days rather than waiting for emails since their notification system seems hit or miss this year.

Just wanted to add that if you're still having trouble reaching HESAA by phone, try calling right when they open at 8:30 AM - that's when I had the most luck getting through. Also, make sure your contact info is updated in both your FAFSA and NJFAMS accounts because I noticed some students were missing notifications due to outdated email addresses. The system automatically pulls your info from FAFSA, but if there are any discrepancies between the two accounts, it can cause delays. One more tip: if you're applying to multiple NJ schools, make sure they're all listed on your FAFSA because HESAA uses that list to determine your eligibility for certain campus-based state programs.

As a newcomer to this process, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a NJ resident who just submitted my FAFSA last week and was completely confused about whether I needed to do anything else. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key steps are: 1) Make sure I selected "yes" to sharing info with state programs on FAFSA (which I did), 2) Create a NJFAMS account to monitor my status, and 3) Be patient since processing times are much longer this year due to the new SAI system. I'm planning to check my NJFAMS portal weekly and try calling HESAA at 8:30 AM if I need to speak with someone. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's reassuring to know the delays are normal and not something I did wrong!

As someone who's been navigating NJ state aid for a few years now, I can confirm that the system has definitely gotten more complicated this year! The good news is that the FAFSA-to-HESAA transfer is still automatic, but you absolutely need to stay proactive about monitoring your status. A couple additional things I've learned: 1) If you're transferring between NJ schools, make sure to update your school list on FAFSA AND notify HESAA directly - sometimes the transfer doesn't trigger an automatic update to your TAG eligibility, 2) Keep copies of all your tax documents even after using IRS Data Retrieval because HESAA sometimes requests manual verification for random audits, and 3) If you qualify for other state programs like Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), those have separate deadlines and requirements that won't automatically flow from your FAFSA. The NJFAMS portal is really your lifeline for tracking everything, so bookmark it and check it regularly. Good luck everyone - the financial aid process in NJ is frustrating but the state aid is definitely worth the hassle!