What is Financial Aid?
Financial Aid is money for college. It includes any type of monetary assistance received by a student for a college education. This assistance can be in the form of scholarships, grants, work, tuition waivers, loans, and family contributions.
A financial aid award is usually a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work study. Financial aid is awarded depending on the level of financial need to complete an education program. Scholarships may be based on grade point average and other factors.
Financial aid is a partnership between a student and the college that acts as a flow-through for the funds provided to you. If you receive financial aid, it is expected that you will enroll full-time in the courses needed to complete your chosen major.
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)- You must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal student financial aid and to apply for most state and college aid. Applying online with FAFSA on the WEB at www.fafsa.ed.gov is faster and easier than using a paper FAFSA.To get a free application for Federal Student Aid from go to the financial aid office at the school that you want to attend. You may also call 800-433-3243 or go to www.fafsa.ed.gov
Click to open: > https://www.chafee.csac.ca.gov/default.aspx
State Level College Grants
Funded by the State of California and administered by the California Student Aid Commission, Cal Grants are one of the smartest ways to get cash for college. For starters, it's money you don't have to pay back. And secondly, it's guaranteed. If you're a graduating high school senior or recent graduate, have a 2.0 GPA, meet financial and other requirements and submit two forms by March 2, make some room in your pockets because a Cal Grant is on its way.
How Many Dollars Are We Talking About?
With a Cal Grant, you can get up to $8,300 a year to pay for college expenses at any qualifying California college, university or career college. Depending on which Cal grant you get, the money can be used for tuition, room and board, even books and pencils.
Here's How to Get It.....
All you have to do is submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form between January 1 and March 2. If you meet the income, eligibility, and GPA requirements, the cash is yours. The best part is, you can fill out the FAFSA online, and your school completes the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form. Be sure to ask, though, because not all schools automatically submit GPAs. What are you waiting for?
Types of Cal Grants
Cal Grant A can be used for tuition and fees at public and private colleges as well as some occupational and career colleges. At CSU and UC schools, this Cal Grant covers up to the full system wide fees of $2,334 and $5,684, respectively. If you are attending a private college, it pays up to $8,322 towards tuition and fees.
To get this Cal Grant, you need to be working toward a bachelor's degree.
Cal Grant B provides low-income students with a living allowance and assistance with tuition and fees. Most first-year students receive an allowance of up to $1,551 for books and living expenses.
After the freshman year, Cal Grant B also helps pay tuition and fees in the same amount as a Cal Grant A. For a Cal Grant B, your coursework must be for at least one academic year.
Cal Grant C awards help pay for tuition and training costs at occupational or career colleges. This $576 award is for books, tools and equipment. You may also receive up to an additional $2,592 for tuition at a school other than a California Community College.To qualify, you must enroll in a vocational program that is at least four months long at a California Community College, private college, or a vocational school. Funding is available for up to two years, depending on the length of your program.
Cal Grant A and B Competitive Awards are for students who aren't eligible for the entitlement awards. The main difference is that these awards are not guaranteed.Cal Grant A Competitive Awards are for students with a minimum 3.0 GPA who are from low-and middle-income families. These awards help pay tuition and fees at qualifying schools with academic programs that are at least two years in length.
Cal Grant B Competitive Awards are for students with a minimum 2.0 GPA who are from disadvantaged and low-income families. These awards can be used for tuition, fees and access costs at qualifying schools whose programs are at least one year in length. If you get a Cal Grant B Competitive Award it can only be used for access costs in the first year. These costs include living expenses, transportation, supplies and books.
Beginning with the second year, you can use your Cal Grant B Competitive Award to help pay tuition and fees at public or private four-year colleges or other qualifying schools
For more information on California Financial Aid go to www.csac.ca.gov
