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Attendance Costs for Rutgers’ Three-Week Turf Course
Registration fees for the 2025 Three-Week Turf Course will be posted soon; please check back.
This course is held 100% online, so there are no costs associated with travel or housing. Log on and attend the class sessions from your home, work place, or anywhere with an internet connection!
Students who reside outside of the United States do not need a visa in order to participate in this online course, so there are no additional fees assessed for international students.
There are no required textbooks for the Three-Week Course. However, in order to participate in class activities, it is required that all students supply their own laptop computer, Chromebook, tablet, or similar device that meets the Canvas technical requirements and computer hardware specifications.
Eric Ryan, Assistant Superintendent, Sebonack Golf Club
"The format of the Rutgers program gives you the best bang for your buck. I learned so much in just three weeks. I knew [Rutgers’] networking would be a huge benefit."
After taking the Three-Week Turf course, Eric went on to complete the Rutgers Two-Year Turf Certificate Program and graduated in 2017.
Options for Funding Your Turf Education
Pursuing and achieving your turf education goals may be more affordable than you think. Scroll down to learn more about how our Three-Week students can take advantage of options such as payment plans, financial aid, and tuition service agreements to help offset the cost of tuition.
Payment Plans
Payment plans are available. The full tuition is due before the start of class or you will not gain access to the program.
Financial Aid
Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School offers non-credit, continuing education programs, so traditional financial aid such as FAFSA is not available. However, there are several other financial aid options available to Turf students. See below for additional information.
Student Loans
Student loans are private and credit based. It is important that you begin planning as early as possible and request a disbursement date prior to your class start date. When applying for a student loan to attend the Three-Week Turf Course, please be mindful of the potential issues surrounding obtaining a loan and be sure to secure your financial arrangements early. Loan disbursements must be at least 4 weeks prior to the class start date. To qualify, you must have good credit or a co-signer with good credit.
Two options you may wish to explore for continuing education loans are the Rutgers Federal Credit Union and SallieMae.
Rutgers Federal Credit Union (RFCU)
To begin the loan process, fill out the RFCU continuing education loan application form. Visit the RFCU website for more details. You will need to present an invoice and an acceptance letter to RFCU when you apply for a loan. Contact Suzanne Hills at 848-932-7234 or via e-mail at suzanne.hills@rutgers.edu to request these documents.
SallieMae
Sallie Mae will pay Rutgers University directly and that money will be applied toward your tuition fees. If you take a loan for more than your tuition, Rutgers will issue a refund check to you for the amount over the tuition fees*.
To begin the loan process, visit www.salliemae.com and select Undergraduate Student Loan. Details for your SallieMae application:
- Select State: NJ
- Select: Undergraduate degree (Do not choose career training)
- Select School: Rutgers – University, OCPE Continuing Education, New Brunswick, NJ, 00262997
- Degree/Certificate of Study: Other
- Grade Level: Certificate – Continuing Education
- Enrollment Status: Half time
*PLEASE NOTE:
- It takes Rutgers 6-8 weeks to process and mail refund checks. If you need this money by the start of class (e.g., for food, housing, etc.), we recommend that you choose a loan start date on your application of at least 8 weeks (or about 60 days) before the class start date.
- The refund check will be mailed to the address we have on file for you; it will not be hand-delivered to you in class. Typically, this is your primary home address. Make sure there is someone available at your address to receive the check and deposit it or forward it to you, or you will not be able to access these funds until you return home after the 10-week session at Rutgers ends.
529 College Savings Plans
Do you have a 529 college savings plan? If so, you can use those funds to pay for your Rutgers Turf School education!
Once you’ve decided to attend the Rutgers Three-Week Turf program, request an invoice from us showing the amount due and give that to your 529 plan financial advisor. The funds to cover the cost of our course will be released directly to YOU. You should deposit those funds into your own account, then pay us directly using whatever form you choose (i.e., check, e-check, debit/credit card). It’s as simple as that!
If your 529 plan requires that you submit a receipt showing your payment to us, let us know. We’re happy to provide it to you!
US Veterans Assistance
Both our Two-Year Certificate Program and Three-Week Preparatory Course are approved by the New Jersey State Approving Agency for Veterans Training for educational benefits through the GI Bill®. All eligible U.S. veterans around the country are encouraged to apply for benefits. For more information, visit our Veterans GI Bill® Educational Benefits page.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Lifetime Learning Tax Credit
Students who attend Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School may qualify for a ‘Lifetime Learning Tax Credit.’ The tax credit is subject to income and other limitations. For more details, consult IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Higher Education” or discuss with your tax advisor. Visit Visit https://www.irs.gov/publications/p970 for information.
Tuition Service Agreements
Successful golf course superintendents and top sports field managers know that an educated staff is crucial to the success of their facilities, and they are increasingly willing to invest in employee education. In fact, employers help pay the tuition costs for students attending the Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School every year!
To formalize this process, many organizations draft contractual agreements, known as a tuition service agreements. These contracts specify the amount of financial support the employer will provide in exchange for a designated period of service during which the employee will put their new turf management skills to work for the organization.
For employers, these tuition service agreements are a great tool to increase employee retention rates. In other words, pay their way to get them to stay! For employees, these arrangements can lessen the financial burden of achieving a turf education.
Read our article “5 Tips on Asking an Employer for Tuition Assistance” to learn more about tuition service agreements and how they can help you fund your turf education at Rutgers.
Scholarships
Rutgers does not offer scholarships to students in the Three-Week Turf Course. However, many scholarships for continuing education are available through a variety of types of organizations. We encourage you to do your research and spend time finding and applying for any scholarships for which you may be eligible!
Joe Hess, 2nd Assistant Superintendent, GlenArbor Golf Club
"Throughout the three weeks, the amount I learned and the many people I met from all different corners of the country and industry astounded me. The experience was an eye-opening one."
After taking the Three-Week Turf course, Joe went on to complete the Rutgers Two-Year Turf Certificate Program and graduated in 2021.
