Homeschool benefits: Sussex County Community College
Sussex County Community College's Jump Start program cuts tuition and fees in half for high school and homeschooled students ages 16 to 18, on up to two courses or eight credits a semester. For a Sussex County resident in fall 2026, a three-credit course costs $355.50 instead of $711.
Who qualifies
Is homeschooled and 16 to 18
Jump Start is open to high school or home-schooled students ages 16 to 18. Students under 16 are considered case by case, and students who have graduated no longer qualify.
Has parent permission
A parent or legal guardian signs permission, and parents sign the registration form for any student under 18.
Shows college readiness
Show a transcript with a B or better in college-prep math and English, an SAT score of 450 in reading and writing and 500 in math, ACT scores of 23 in English, reading, and math, or qualifying placement test scores.
What it is worth
Sussex charges $237 a credit in county and $312 a credit out of county for fall 2026, counting tuition and the general, technology, and student services fees, and Jump Start takes off half.
- One 3-credit course, in county
- $355.50
- One 4-credit course, in county
- $474
- Two 3-credit courses, in county
- $711
- 8 credits, the semester maximum, in county
- $948
- One 3-credit course, out of county
- $468
Online courses carry a $100 fee and lab courses a lab fee, so ask the Early College Coordinator whether the 50% reduction applies to those fees too.
From applying to keeping it
- Before the semester
Apply online
Apply at my.sussex.edu and choose the Jump Start Program admission status for concurrent high school students. The college emails your student ID number.
- If needed
Take the placement test
Placement testing is required for courses such as pre-calculus, calculus, and college chemistry. Call the Testing Center at 973-300-2155.
- Each semester
Send the registration form
Print and complete the Jump Start Registration Form with your chosen courses, your county of legal residence, and the required signatures.
- After registering
Pay online
Pay the reduced bill through the My Sussex Portal.
What it pays for
Covered
- Half of tuition
- Up to two courses each semester
- Campus or online courses taught by Sussex faculty
Not covered
- A third course, which is charged at full price
- Credits beyond eight in a semester
- Students who have finished high school
If your student takes more than two courses, the discount goes to the two least expensive ones.
Good to know
Homeschooled students ages 16 to 18 can join
Sussex names home-schooled students ages 16 to 18 alongside high school students, as long as they have parent permission and show college readiness.
A 15-year-old may be able to apply
Sussex considers students under 16 case by case, so call the Early College Coordinator first.
Who to contact
Sareena Sciabica, the Early College Coordinator, answers questions about Jump Start eligibility, readiness, and registration.
ssciabica@sussex.edu 973-300-2235 Jump Start page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in New Jersey
No routine annual notice. NJDOE identifies notice obligations after an unappealed denial of district enrollment and a transfer form when withdrawing an enrolled high-school student. A district may request documentation when credible evidence suggests noncompliance.
New Jersey sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide instruction academically equivalent to the local public school for a child of similar grade and attainment. District curriculum approval is not required.
- Testing: New Jersey does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: No prescribed homeschool portfolio or routine reporting. Evidence of equivalent instruction is useful if a district requests documentation based on credible evidence of a compulsory-education violation.
- Teachers: No state teacher certification required for a parent or other person teaching at home.
Read the New Jersey homeschooling guide See statewide programs in New Jersey
Questions parents ask
- Do we have to live in Sussex County?
- Not that Sussex lists for Jump Start, but the in-county rate of $237 a credit before the discount is lower than the $312 out-of-county rate.
- Will the credits count later?
- Yes. They apply to a Sussex associate degree or certificate, and students going elsewhere can request an official Sussex transcript.
- Is Jump Start changing?
- Its name is. The college says Jump Start will soon be known as Dual Enrollment, and the page does not say whether the discount will change.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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