Galloway, N.J. - Stockton University has signed a dual admission and transfer partnership agreement with Hudson County Community College that will help students make a smooth transition from the two-year college to Stockton’s bachelor’s degree program.

The five-year agreement strengthens the relationship between Stockton and HCCC by offering multiple opportunities for students to seamlessly pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees at the two institutions of higher education.

Stockton President Harvey Kesselman said the agreement will give students access to Stockton University services while they attend HCCC and provide a smooth pathway to Stockton as juniors after they earn their associate degree.

“Our enrollment of students from Hudson County has been growing” Kesselman said. “This program will give even more students the opportunity to earn an affordable four-year college degree.”

“This transfer agreement demonstrates Hudson County Community College’s commitment to providing our students with seamless, high-quality educational pathways that lead to upward social and economic mobility,” said HCCC President, Dr. Christopher M. Reber. “We are proud to continue working with President Kessselman and his team to expand opportunities for HCCC students.”

Stockton Chief Enrollment Management Officer Robert Heinrich said the Transfer Pathways program gives students dual admission and financial aid options, including the opportunity to participate in the Garden State Guarantee program at Stockton, which covers the cost of tuition and fees for students with adjusted gross incomes of zero to $65,000.

“If a student applies to Stockton but is not initially accepted as a first-year students, they can start at Hudson County Community College, then seamlessly transfer to Stockton,”  Heinrich said. “If students are already enrolled at HCCC, they can apply for conditional acceptance at Stockton while they work towards their associate degree.”

 The terms of the agreement include:

• Students who are denied direct admission to Stockton can receive conditional dual admission in partnership with HCCC. Students will attend classes at HCCC but have access to campus housing, activities and student groups at Stockton and receive a special Stockton Identification card through Stockton’s Transfer Pathways program.
• Students who successfully complete their associate degree at HCCC can automatically transfer to Stockton with junior standing to complete their bachelor’s degree. Application fees to Stockton will be waived for eligible students.
• Students who complete at least 36 credits at HCCC, and a total of 64 credits between the county college and the four-year institution, are eligible to receive a retroactive associate degree from HCCC. Stockton and HCCC will co-host “reverse transfer” information sessions for students.
• Stockton and HCCC will develop specific program-to-program articulation agreements for high-demand majors to facilitate the quality and ease of transfer.
• Students will receive joint advising from Stockton and HCCC and a Stockton advisor will have office space and a regular schedule at HCCC.
• Students will be eligible for financial aid from whichever institution they are attending. Stockton will provide five one-year scholarships of $2,000 per year to HCCC graduates whose admission to Stockton is covered by the agreement.
• Stockton and HCCC will establish an advisory committee to ensure best practices in recruitment, enrollment management, academic and student services, information technology, marketing and facilities use.

Stockton already has similar agreements with Atlantic Cape Community College, Bergen County College, Brookdale Community College, Camden County College, Mercer County Community College, Middlesex College, County College of Morris, Ocean County College, Rowan College of South Jersey, Rowan College at Burlington County, and Salem Community College and is pursuing additional partnerships with other community colleges in the state.

More information about Stockton  Transfer Pathways partnerships can be found at stockton.edu/admissions/pathways