OVERVIEW New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority's issuance is an ABS transaction backed by private student loans made under the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority's NJCLASS loan program that includes a pilot loan refinance loan program. We assigned our preliminary ratings to the series 2016-1A and 2016-1B notes. The preliminary ratings reflect our view of the transaction's available credit support, parity, and payment and legal structures, among other factors. NEW YORK (S&P Global Ratings) May 3, 2016--S&P Global Ratings today assigned its preliminary ratings to New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority's $190.0 million student loan revenue bonds series 2016-1 (see list). The note issuance is an ABS transaction backed by private student loans made under the