By Kelly Heyboer | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Gov. Phil Murphy signed controversial legislation last spring making New Jersey one of the few states in the nation to offer taxpayer-funded financial aid to help immigrants living in the country illegally pay for college.

While immigrations advocates celebrated a victory for "Dreamers" in New Jersey, some questioned how many unauthorized immigrants would come forward and fill out the paperwork to apply for the money amid President Donald Trump's administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.

Yesterday, state officials revealed the answer.

Within the first four months of the program, 1,365 students have applied for the program for unauthorized immigrants, according to state officials.

Of the 1,365 applicants, 665 have been approved to get money for college once their paperwork is finalized, said Jennifer Azzarano, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Higher Education Assistance Authority, the state organization that oversees financial aid for students.

Another 350 applications are still pending and 350 others were rejected because the students were deemed ineligible for the money, she said.

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Did the state expect that many to apply?

Early estimates by the state Legislature said the program would cost about $5 million a year if an expected 600 eligible unauthorized immigrants applied for and were granted the financial aid each year. The applications have already exceeded that estimate in the first few months.

Azzarano did not say if the applications were more or less than officials from the state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority were expecting.

“HESAA did not have any expectations on number of applications,” Azzarano said.

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Why is New Jersey offering money to immigrants living in the country illegally?

Murphy’s predecessor, Republican Gov. Chris Christie, signed a law in 2013 that allowed students living in the country illegally to attend New Jersey colleges at in-state tuition rates.

But, Christie rejected the idea of having taxpayers help unauthorized immigrants pay their tuition. He said it was unfair to ask taxpayers to help immigrants living in the country illegally when other students were struggling to pay their college costs.

However, Murphy, a Democrat, supported the financial aid plan and signed the legislation in May, within months of taking office.

"This is the world's melting pot where people in every part of the globe can come here in the hope of a new life," Murphy said before signing the bill at Rutgers University.

Unauthorized immigrants are already permitted to attend K-12 public schools at taxpayer expense nationwide under federal law. About 10 states offer college financial aid for immigrants living in the country illegally.

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How much will this cost New Jersey taxpayers?

The legislation that authorized New Jersey's financial aid program did not cap the number of applicants. College financial aid will be given to as many eligible unauthorized immigrants who apply.

Early estimates say the program would cost New Jersey about $5 million in its first year.

However, that estimate was based on a 2015 analysis that said only about 600 unauthorized immigrants would apply and be eligible for the money each year.

State officials have no official estimate of how many unauthorized immigrants are living in New Jersey, how many are going to college or how many would be eligible for financial aid.

An NJ Advance Media analysis of data from New Jersey's public colleges found there were at least 758 unauthorized immigrants enrolled at the four-year colleges during the last school year. That did not include those enrolled at the two-year community colleges, who are also eligible for state financial aid.

Rutgers University enrolled the most unauthorized immigrant students last year, with 471 registered, the data showed.

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How do students apply?

Students had until Sept. 15 to apply for the first wave of aid for the fall semester. But, they can continue applying now for the spring semester, state officials said.

Students apply by filling out the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application.

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Who is eligible?

The program allows students living in the country illegally to apply for college financial aid in New Jersey if they meet the following criteria:

Attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years

Graduated from a New Jersey high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in New Jersey

Male students have registered for the Selective Service

The student signs an affidavit stating they will file an application to legalize their immigration status if and when they are eligible

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What aid programs are unauthorized immigrants eligible for?

Students are eligible for the state's Tuition Aid Grants, known as TAG, that help low-income students pay for tuition.

The amount of TAG money a student can get each year is based on their income and where they go to college. For example, a Rutgers University student can get a maximum TAG grant of $9,848 this year.

Unauthorized immigrants are also eligible for other state aid and scholarship programs, including: Educational Opportunity Grant (EOF), New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJSTARS) Programs and Governor's Urban Scholarship (GUS).

NJSTARS offers students who graduate in the top 15 percent of their high school classes free tuition at the state's county colleges-- and additional NJSTARS II scholarships if they want to continue on to a four-year college.

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Can unauthorized immigrants getting financial aid from New Jersey also apply for federal financial aid?

No, the new law only allows unauthorized immigrants to apply for college financial aid in New Jersey. Federal law still forbids immigrants living in the country illegally from applying for Pell Grants and federally-backed student loans.

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When will the approved students get their money to pay for school?

The 665 applications that have been approved need to go through a final approval process in which a New Jersey college certifies that the student is attending.

“In most cases, applicants listed more than one school (on their applications) and HESAA needs certification from a New Jersey school regarding registration, affidavit on file, and that the student completed 3 years of high school in New Jersey,” Azzarano said.

So far, only 61 of the 665 applications have been certified so the students can get their aid to pay their tuition bills, she said. The process is ongoing.

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Will the state turn over the names of unauthorized immigrant students to ICE?

No, state officials said the application process for state financial aid is separate from any federal databases. No information will be given to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

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Students rally in Washington, D.C., for the so-called "Dreamers," immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. In New Jersey, a new program offers college financial aid for unauthorized immigrants. (AP file photo)

Read more about immigration in N.J.:

These N.J. public colleges enroll the most unauthorized immigrants

How much will it cost N.J. taxpayers to send unauthorized immigrants to college?

5 surprises in N.J.'s new college financial aid plan for immigrants

Meet N.J.'s most typical unauthorized immigrant

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.