This bill aims to expand the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program in New Jersey to include part-time undergraduate students attending eligible institutions. Currently, TAG awards are only available to full-time students, but the proposed legislation will allow part-time students to receive grants based on their financial need, with awards prorated against full-time grants. The bill amends existing law to include language that explicitly states part-time students will be eligible for grants, and it establishes that each period of part-time award status will count as half of the maximum allowable period of full-time eligibility. Additionally, it removes a previous provision that allowed for part-time eligibility only through regulations if funds were separately appropriated.

The bill also ensures that appropriations for part-time tuition aid grants will be made separately by line item, safeguarding the funding for full-time grants from being reduced or diverted to accommodate part-time awards. This legislative change reflects the state's commitment to providing financial assistance to all students, regardless of their enrollment status, thereby enhancing access to higher education in New Jersey. The act is set to take effect immediately and will first apply to the 2022-2023 academic year.