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): January 26, 2005

                       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.
                -------------
                        
     On January 26, 2005,  Provident  Financial  Services,  Inc. (the "Company")
issued  a  press  release   reporting  that  the  Company's  Annual  Meeting  of
Stockholders  will be held on  Wednesday,  April 27, 2005,  at 10:00 a.m.  local
time, at the Hilton Newark Airport, 1170 Spring Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey.

     The  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  is being  held for the  purposes  of
considering and voting on the election of three  directors and the  ratification
of the appointment of its independent auditors.  The record date for determining
stockholders  of record  entitled to notice of the Annual Meeting and to vote is
the close of business on March 4, 2005.

     A copy of the press  release 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
                ---------------------------------

               (c) Exhibits.

                Exhibit No.                 Description
                -----------                 -----------

                    99.1                    Press release issued by the Company
                                            on January 26, 2005 announcing
                                            information relating to its Annual
                                            Meeting of Stockholders to be held
                                            on April 27, 2005.





                                   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:  January 26, 2005                 By: /s/ Paul M. Pantozzi
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Paul M. Pantozzi
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit             Description
-------             -----------

  99.1              Press  release  issued by the  Company on January  26,  2005
                    announcing  information  relating  to its Annual  Meeting of
                    Stockholders to be held on April 27, 2005.