Camden County College and Rutgers University partner to make tuition more affordable

A newly announced partnership between Camden County College and Rutgers University-Camden will allow income-eligible students to graduate from college with a smaller amount of debt.

Camden County is the only county in the state to work with the four-year university in offering this program to its residents.

“Camden County College is the first and only county college making this opportunity available to its students,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Ed McDonnell. “Our partnership with Rutgers University makes attending Camden County College one of the smartest and fiscally prudent decisions you can make to achieve a degree.”

The program called “Bridging the Gap” will transform access to a Rutgers degree by helping New Jersey families dramatically reduce their college cost by waiving tuition in full or by half.

Students who earn their associate’s degree from Camden County College and are transferring to Rutgers University-Camden are eligible for the program. Families with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $60,000 or less will receive a grant covering all of their tuition and the general campus fee not already covered by federal and/or state grants.

Families with an AGI of $60,001 to $100,000 will receive a grant covering 50 percent of their remaining tuition and the general campus fee after any other need-based federal and/or state grants are applied.

“This agreement is redefining higher education by making college degrees more attainable for the masses,” said Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez. “Providing Camden County College students with this affordable option will create a better workforce for South Jersey and a stronger economic engine for the state.”

In the fall of last year, Camden County College implemented “Rutgers at CCC.” This program allows students to earn a two-year associates degree at Camden County College, then transfer seamlessly to over 40 programs at Rutgers-Camden for a four-year degree with a choice of completing their coursework at Rutgers-Camden or remaining at Camden County College. This program has already allowed students to save an average of $20,000 in tuition costs.

“It’s a nice deal. It’s a very reasonable price tag for a four-year bachelor’s program,” said Don Borden, President of Camden County College. “We’re opening the door to students with financial issues and helping them out, and providing a portal of opportunity for them.”

According to Craig Westman, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at Rutgers University–Camden, “‘Bridging the Gap’ was created to substantially lower that amount and to allow students to begin their careers and advance their lives without long-term debt.

“By some estimates, the United States carries more than $1.3 trillion in student debt,” Westman said. “By removing in some cases, and dramatically lowering in others, the debt burden for some of our students, we are creating opportunities for students to access their futures, and for our regional economy to realize the benefits of its investment in supporting public higher education in a timelier manner.”