The Educational Opportunity Fund Program (E.O.F.)
EOF Main Number: 201-559-6054
EOF Fax Number: 973-777-3728
The New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund was created 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.
EOF is distinctive in the comprehensiveness of its approach. To ensure the opportunity to attend college, EOF provides supplemental financial
aid to help cover college costs that are not covered by the state’s Tuition Aid Grant Program. To ensure a viable
opportunity to succeed and graduate, EOF supports a wide array of campus-based support services such as counseling,
tutoring, meetings and workshops.
EOF set the pace for many initiatives, which today are widely incorporated into college life. Among the many
powerful strategies implemented by EOF are pre-college articulation, basic skills testing and remediation,
systematic retention efforts, peer counseling and peer tutoring, academic support courses, student leadership
development and outcomes-based program evaluation. EOF has also been a leader in the higher education system’s
effort to increase diversity. While participation is not limited to minority students, EOF sponsors more than
one-third of the African American and Latino students at the state colleges and New Jersey’s independent
institutions. Over one-quarter of the African American and Latino students enrolled at New Jersey colleges and
universities participate in the EOF Program. EOF enrolls about 12.5% of the first-time, full-time New Jersey
freshmen who enter the state’s colleges and universities each fall.
 The New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) provides financial assistance and support services (counseling,
tutoring, developmental course work) to students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who
attend institutions of higher education in the State of New Jersey. Forty-one of New Jersey’s community colleges
and public and private four-year colleges and universities participate in the EOF Program. However, the actual
number of available spaces at each college or university is limited. To participate in an EOF program, students
must be New Jersey residents and must apply to a NJ College or University and file a Free Application for Federal
Student Aid. Because EOF is a campus-based program, each campus is responsible for student recruitment, selection,
program services, and its own specific criteria for EOF admission and program participation. Students should contact
the EOF Office directly at Felician College for specific admissions information and requirements for participation
in the EOF program. Grants are generally available to students from families with a background of poverty, whose
annual income falls within the requirements and who meet the academic criteria set by Felician College.
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All incoming freshmen must attend a mandatory six-week summer program prior to their first year in college.
The Summer Program is designed to help students adjust to the college. During the Summer Program students review
math and English basic skills. The purpose of the Summer Program is to acclimate the student to college life
along with brushing up on their basic skills in math and English. All incoming freshmen must successfully
complete the EOF Summer Program before they can register for the fall semester.
All students are required
to attend a minimum of four workshops per semester in order to be an active participant
of the EOF Program. These workshops are implemented to help students in areas where they may experiencing
difficulties. Listed are just some of the workshops that may be featured during the semester: Research Paper
Writing Strategies, Making Life Choices, Classroom Ethics, Plagiarism, Note-taking & Study Skills, Citation
Styles, Calculating GPA’s and Time Management. These workshops are presented by some of the college faculty
or by one of the EOF counselors. Important tips can be obtained by attending these workshops. We encourage
all students in the EOF Program to attend as many as possible. In order to stay in good standing with the
EOF Program and to continue to receive funding, counseling, workshops and EOF meetings are a crucial factor
to ensure your EOF funding be renewed each semester. Failure to adhere to the guidelines that have been set
forth by the State of New Jersey can result in loss of EOF monies. 