Senior Citizen Audit Program

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey provides senior citizens with opportunities in higher education.

The Rutgers University Board of Governors created the Senior Citizen Audit Program to permit retired New Jersey residents, age 62 or older, to audit courses on a space-available, noncredit basis. There are no tuition costs for auditing courses, and senior auditors do not receive academic credit for audited courses.

Application

NOTE: The university will be closed from December 25, 2024, through January 1, 2025. Applications received after Friday, December 20, 2024, will not be processed until the university reopens on January 2, 2025.

To join the Rutgers Senior Citizen Audit Program, please complete the online application and be ready to upload proof of your age and New Jersey residency (such as a NJ driver's license). The application period for the spring semester will close on January 6, 2025.

Choosing a Course

Important to know

• Browse class availability at Rutgers Schedule of Classes.
• Senior citizen auditors may audit classes with the permission of the instructor and within all departmental guidelines.
• Senior auditors are not required to complete assignments or participate in exams.
• Only courses offered during the spring and fall semesters are open to auditors. No other courses offered at the university are available under the Senior Citizen Audit Program, including courses offered during other terms.
• Rutgers classes offered at off-campus locations (i.e., Brookdale Community College, Burlington Community College) are not included in the program.
• The costs of textbooks or other software/materials are not included in the program.
• Winter Session and Summer Session courses are not covered by this program.

Senior Citizen Auditor Class Participation Guidelines

Senior Citizen Auditors are guests of the university and are welcome to enjoy classes as long as they respect the instructor's expectations regarding auditors and do not negatively impact the educational experience of other class participants.  

At their sole discretion, the class instructor determines whether auditors in the class will be able to fully participate in the class or will only be allowed to observe with no active participation. In addition, the instructor may rescind permission of the auditor to participate if the instructor deems that it is in the best interest of the class to do so.  If a senior citizen auditor does not abide by the guidelines set forth by the instructor, is disruptive, or otherwise behaves in a way the instructor believes is detrimental to the class, either the instructor or the Senior Citizen Audit Program coordinator has the authority to rescind consent to audit the class and/or disenroll the auditor from the program. 

Key Dates

*courses offered by the School of Nursing or the medical schools are not available for audit. 

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