April 19, 2021

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Children of military families who attended high school in New Jersey, but are not currently living in the state, are now eligible for in-state tuition at public New Jersey colleges under a measure sponsored by Assemblyman Ron Dancer and signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy today.

“Military commitments and sacrifices involve the entire family,” said Dancer (R-Ocean). “Most military families move every two to three years, and some even more frequently. For a military child, it’s possible to have moved 10 times by the time they are 12 and to have changed schools six to nine times between kindergarten and high school graduation.”

Dependent children of military personnel will be eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at New Jersey’s public colleges and universities if they attended high school in the state for at least three years.

“Moving around the country and the world can present many challenges for children,” continued Dancer. “Extending in-state tuition rates for young people who called New Jersey home, but had to move because of their families’ service to this country, is a small gesture that could potentially make a big impact. We want young people to come home to New Jersey, study here and build their lives and careers here. This is an incentive to bring people back to New Jersey.”

There are about 1.4 million military-connected children between 4 and 18 years old in the United States.

Both houses of the Legislature passed the bill (A2142/S275) unanimously. The law takes effect immediately.

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