Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars are recognized as the highest achieving graduating high school students in or from New Jersey and are granted awards regardless of need.
The recipient must enroll full-time during the academic year following his or her secondary school graduation at a New Jersey college or university to receive payment of the award.
[1][permanent dead link] The award was established in the 1989-1990 academic year and posthumously honors Edward J. Bloustein, the seventeenth President of Rutgers University.
On April 27, 2010, Distinguished Scholars were informed by letter that "in light of the economic challenges facing the State of New Jersey, difficult decisions regarding program funding had to be made.
As of now, the HESAA website states the program "recognizes outstanding academic achievement of New Jersey high school seniors who graduated prior to 2010," indicating it has been discontinued.