Study Overseas

'New Jersey and You' is as applicable a slogan to international students as it is to the state residents and tourists who take advantage of the Garden State's endless opportunities for study, cultural enrichment and recreation. With so many different colleges and universities offering a broad range of degree and certificate programs, and so much to see and do outside the classroom, New Jersey is the perfect place to live and study.

The state is home to many different types of higher education institutions that operate independently within a coordinated system. Each of the 59 colleges and universities has its own distinctive mission and character, offering students a unique blend of learning opportunities and experiences.

New Jersey's vision for higher education links excellence with access and affordability. Quality teaching and high academic standards ensure that degrees from New Jersey colleges and universities are valued and respected. The campuses of New Jersey colleges and universities are abuzz with activity day and night. From historic buildings to sleek modern facilities, students learn in a mix of traditional classrooms, high-tech laboratories and state-of-the-art libraries. Many of the colleges are residential, which fosters an active campus life that includes a variety of social, cultural and athletic events.

The broad array of courses and programs offered at New Jersey higher education institutions is enhanced by the abundant cultural and natural resources available in and around the state. From the mountains to the beaches, from nearby cities to rural villages, the Garden States has something for everyone. New Jersey's cities and its proximity to the major urban centers of New York City and Philadelphia afford students access to innumerable cultural resources, including world-class museums and award-winning theater, music and dance. Fascinating historical sites and professional sports venues are located throughout the state, as well as unique natural resources such as the 127-mile long Atlantic shore, the rustic Pine Barrens Reserve, and scenic mountains and valleys. The students enrolled at New Jersey colleges and universities come from a diverse mix of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Roughly one-third are minorities and almost 7,000 are foreign residents.

With the creation of the New Jersey Virtual University (www.njvu.org) in early 1999, students can use the Internet to reach beyond a single campus and access distance learning courses and programs at 47 different colleges and universities in the State. Although NJVU does not offer courses or grant degrees, the website provides a user-friendly online index of over 800 distance learning opportunities.The virtual university complements other efforts to put New Jersey's higher education system on the leading edge of communications and information technology.

Three public research universities - Rutgers, the State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - offer baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees in a wide range of fields. They also offer professional degrees in areas such as law, business, medicine, engineering, architecture and education. In addition to teaching and learning, these multi-campus institutions stress the importance of expanding the frontiers of knowledge and discovery through research. New Jersey is also home to five independent research universities with similar offerings and missions, including world-renowned Princeton University, a member of the prestigious Ivy League.

New Jersey's nine state colleges and universities, located throughout the state. As diverse in their offerings as they are in their settings, the state colleges and universities share the common goal of making affordable, quality higher education available to all who are academically prepared.

Nineteen county-based two-year community colleges offer a wide range of associate degree, certificate and training programs to local students across the state. Many of their offerings prepare students directly for the workforce. Other courses and programs provide a solid academic foundation that prepares students to go on to earn baccalaureate degrees at four-year institutions.

The 31 public institutions are complemented by 14 independent four-year colleges and universities. In addition to the aforementioned research universities, this category includes five liberal arts institutions that grant baccalaureates, and in some cases, graduate degrees. New Jersey also has three degree-granting institutions that operate for profit (proprietary institutions) and 11 religious and theological institutions.

Almost all of these colleges and universities have a presence on the World Wide Web. Their individual sites can be reached through the index included in the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education's website: http://www.nj.gov/highereducation/Program_Inventory/.

Quality academic programs, degrees recognized around the globe, and proximity to exciting cultural and recreational resources make studying in New Jersey an experience that provides lifetime benefits. For international students, New Jersey is the perfect place to live and learn.

Author
New Jersey Commission
on Higher Education