Kean Takes Steps to Make College More Affordable Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Kean University, already New Jersey’s most affordable comprehensive university, is enhancing scholarship opportunities for Fall 2020 admission to support prospective students and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kean is also expanding its test-optional admissions process since SAT and ACT tests were canceled this spring due to the pandemic. 

“The two pillars of the mission of Kean University are excellence and access,” said University President Dawood Farahi, Ph.D. “We have been committed to this mission for more than 100 years, and the circumstances facing us today have not changed that commitment.”

The University is introducing two new scholarship opportunities for talented students from low-income families in New Jersey. Garden State Equity scholarships, worth up to $8,000 over four years, now are available for prospective students with family incomes under $80,000 who meet the eligibility requirements. Additional scholarships for academically gifted and needy students are available through the University’s Centennial Fund.

In addition, Kean’s financial aid staff is working with prospective and current students, especially now as families face economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak. If there has been a change in income or job loss due to the pandemic, students can contact a Kean financial aid counselor to update their financial information to see if they qualify for additional financial aid.

The University has adjusted the required GPA to 3.0 for prospective Fall 2020 students who choose to apply without submitting their SAT or ACT scores, since test sessions were canceled this spring.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put tremendous pressure on students not only financially but in many other aspects of their lives, and we want to support them,” Farahi said. “We don’t want students to give up on their dream of a college education because of this crisis. Together, we can still make it happen.”

Kean Admissions developed a number of virtual events for prospective students, including virtual information sessions with a virtual campus tour that features current students. 

“Many of our students delay applying to college because they would be the first in their family to attend college and believe that they can’t afford it,” Director of Admissions Carlos Nazario said. “Then they learn about Kean and our affordable tuition, coupled with our generous scholarships and grants. With the new test-optional GPA, it provides a bit more flexibility for students who, through no fault of their own, were unable to take the SAT or ACT tests this spring.”

Students are still able to submit admission test scores to be considered for scholarship programs. Nazario noted that Kean is also continuing to offer a $1,000 test-optional scholarship for students who achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

“We are the only university in our region that offers a scholarship for test-optional students,” Nazario said.

For more information about applying to Kean, visit Kean’s Admissions website.