CalGrant Deadline Extended to 4/1!

New Deadline for CalGrant Consideration: April 1, 2022

All Cal Grant and California Dream Act financial aid applications (including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA)) from California students for 2022-23 completed by April 1, 2022, will be considered on time for priority consideration.

Got More Questions?

• Visit studentaid.gov
• Email studentaid@ed.gov
• Call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) toll free
• TTY for the deaf or hard of hearing: 1-800-730-8913
  

Financial Aid Application

https://studentaid.gov/

https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/sign-in/landing- Create an FSA ID for parent and student

Dream Act Application

https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing

(Tip: Not sure whether to use FAFSA or Dream Act? Go to this guide)

Ms. An - College Counselor

https://msanappt.youcanbook.me

Mr. Vazquez - College Advisor

https://andresv.youcanbook.me/

Website: www.instagram.com/mkhscollegecareercenter

Cal Grants are the foundation of state-funded financial aid for California students who attend college in the state. Aimed at low-to-moderate-income families, they are thought to be among the most generous in the nation and can cover big chunks of the cost of attending a community college, a California State University or University of California campus, an eligible private campus or a vocational program.

Cal Grants come in different varieties and sizes depending on the school, the students’ income and their Grade Point Average (GPA). The amounts usually rise with tuition at California’s public colleges and universities. So the maximum award in 2017-18 will be $12,630 at a UC, $9,084 at a private non-profit college, $5,742 at a CSU and $1,672 at a community college. (In some cases, for very low-income students at UC and CSU, an additional $1,672 may be available for living expenses and books.) The overall average Cal Grant was about $5,700 last year, according to the Student Aid Commission, which administers the program.

As the name implies, they are outright grants and do not have to be repaid — even if a student never graduates.

How can I apply for one?

Most students do not have to file a separate application for Cal Grants. By completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), they are automatically given a review for Cal Grant eligibility, as long as the commission receives a school-verified GPA record. The FAFSA needs to be submitted every year, for entering freshmen, returning students and transfers. Undocumented students, however, are not allowed to use FAFSA but are eligible for Cal Grants through a separate “California Dream Act” application.

Watch the Cash for College Videos:

https://tinyurl.com/AUSDC4C21vids

FAFSA (English)
FAFSA (Spanish)
FAFSA (Cantonese/Mandarin/Vietnamese)
Dream Act (English/Spanish/Mandarin)

"My parents make too much money, so I won’t qualify for any aid."

FACT: The reality is there’s no income cut-off to qualify for federal student aid. It doesn’t matter if you have a low or high income; most people qualify for some type of financial aid, including low-interest federal student loans. Many factors besides income—such as your family size and your year in school—are considered to determine your aid package.

TIP: When you fill out the FAFSA form, you’re automatically applying for funds from your state, and possibly from your school, in addition to federal student aid. In fact, some schools won’t even consider you for any of their scholarships (including academic scholarships) until you’ve submitted a FAFSA form. Don’t make assumptions about what you’ll get—fill out the application and find out!

“Federal student aid is just ‘free money’ like grants.”

Reality: Federal student aid includes three different kinds of financial help: grants, low-interest loans, and work-study funds (a part-time job on or near campus). To learn more about the different types of federal student aid, visit StudentAid.gov/types.

“The FAFSA® form takes forever to fill out, and it’s really hard to do.”

Reality: If you’ve got 30 minutes to spare, you’re good. Because that’s about how long it takes to fill out the FAFSA form. It’s also not nearly as hard as you might think.

“Only students with good grades get financial aid.”

Reality: While a high grade point average will help a student get into a good school and may help with academic scholarships, most of the federal student aid programs do not take a student’s grades into consideration. Provided a student maintains satisfactory academic progress in his or her program of study, federal student aid will help a student with an average academic record complete his or her education. State aid, like Cal Grant, is a different story -- Cal Grant RELIES on your household income AND your grades. Cal Grant A is a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and Cal Grant B is a minimum of a 2.0 GPA.

“My siblings didn't qualify for financial aid so filling out the FAFSA® form again is just a waste of time.”

Reality: It’s super important to fill out a FAFSA form every year you’re in college or career school even if other siblings didn't get financial aid. Why? Because things can change. For instance, your school or state might create a new grant or scholarship, or the factors used to calculate your aid could change from one year to the next. Either way, if you don’t submit a new FAFSA form, you’re out of luck.

Keep in mind that even if you don't qualify, FAFSA or CADAA is required by all UC/CSUs and most other universities, in order to be eligible for ANY aid -- this includes LOANS!