UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 10, 2008
                                                         -----------------

                       PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
                       ----------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

    Delaware                           001-31566              42-1547151
-----------------------------    ---------------------     --------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction)    (Commission File No.)      (I.R.S. Employer
      of Incorporation)                                     Identification No.)


830 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey                      07306-4599
------------------------------------------                      ----------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                        (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (201) 333-1000
                                                     --------------

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[  ] Written communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[  ] Soliciting  material  pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
     CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  14d-2(b)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ] Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  13e-4(c)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





Item 8.01   Other Events.
            -------------
     Provident Financial Services,  Inc. (the "Company")  announced that it will
not make  application to participate in the Capital Purchase  Program,  which is
part of the federal  government's  Troubled Asset Relief Program.  A copy of the
Company's  news release  dated  November 10, 2008 is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to
this report and is being  furnished  to the SEC and shall not be deemed  "filed"
for any purpose.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
            ---------------------------------

          (a)  Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired. Not applicable.

          (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information. Not applicable.

          (c)  Shell Company Transactions. Not applicable.

          (d)  Exhibits.

           Exhibit No.               Description
           -----------               -----------
              99.1                    News release dated November 10, 2008.





                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.


                                       PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.



DATE:  November 10, 2008                By: /s/ Paul M. Pantozzi
                                            --------------------
                                            Paul M. Pantozzi
                                            Chairman and
                                            Chief Executive Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit           Description
-------           -----------
 99.1             News release dated November 10, 2008.