Overview | Eligibility | Placement Schools | How to Apply | FAQ
Qualified candidates for the Young Scholars Program of NJ SEEDS must live in Greater Newark (Newark, Orange or East Orange) and be enrolled in the 4th grade or 5th grade at the time that they complete an application. These students must demonstrate strong academic skills and potential, as well as financial need.
Our Admissions Committee will carefully review school reports, including behavioral assessments, standardized test scores, student writing samples and overall student achievement. Finalists will be interviewed with a parent or guardian. The final selection of 20 students for the Young Scholars Program is made each spring.
Like all SEEDS programs, the Young Scholars Program is open to high-achieving, low-income (see chart below) students. Families with incomes above our cap may request that New Jersey SEEDS review their application on an individual basis.
All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents residing in the state of New Jersey. (A social security number or alien registration number will be required for verification of citizenship status at the time of application.)
All SEEDS programs are free of charge to participants.
Household Size | Annual Income |
4 .................................................................. | $70,000 or below |
5 .................................................................. | $75,000 or below |
6 .................................................................. | $80,000 or below |
For each additional dependent, add $5,000.
"New Jersey SEEDS has had a tremendous impact on many aspects of my life. SEEDS not only helped open up opportunities for my education and career, but most importantly, helped shape my way of thinking and set a foundation for my desire to learn and to achieve. By attending the program with other young, diverse students, I learned to be open to others' perspectives, which has helped build my intellectual curiosity. When I think about all the achievements in my life, the opportunities that I have taken advantage of, and the interests and curiosities that I’ve developed, I always think about how this all stems from the learning and growth experience that I had with the SEEDS program at a very young age. New Jersey SEEDS set the foundation for me to explore my intellectual curiosities and to achieve my goals, and I am very thankful for that opportunity."