Financial Aid forms are open!
If you ARE a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen, please follow these steps (Undocumented students scroll down):
1. Create an FSA ID HERE. You and your parents need to use an FSA ID to sign your FAFSA, and it's easier to have it done before you start your FAFSA. You must have a Social Security Number to create an FSA ID. It cannot be a "work only" SSN. If you have an SSN, but your parents don't, YOU create an FSA ID, and THEY do not. It's OK. (Anytime the FAFSA asks for your parents' SSN and they don't have one, just put in all zeros.)
2. Fill out your FAFSA: You will need your parents' tax information from tax year 2020. (Yes, your PARENTS' information, even if you don't live with them. Contact me if you have problems getting that information.)
You are filling out the 2022-2023 application. (If you plan to attend school in Summer 2022, you might have to also do a 2021-2022 application.) Do this as soon as possible after the Oct. 1 opening date. March 2 is the deadline for four-year schools and for CalGrant eligibility, and September 2 is the deadline for community colleges, but DO NOT wait! The sooner you know what money you'll receive, the sooner you can make good decisions about school. Some grants have limited resources. After the March 2 deadline, it could be much harder to get funding, even for community college students.
You can get an APP for your FAFSA! Android or Apple.
3. California State Aid (CalGrants): After you submit your FAFSA application, you may see a link to open a WebGrants account. Your FAFSA information is automatically shared with CalGrants, but with a WebGrants account, you'll be able to check your status, view your awards, and manage your account online. It takes a few days for your information to register with FAFSA and get sent to this site, so wait about a week before you open the WebGrants account. You can clink on the link on the FAFSA confirmation page and save as a bookmark, or visit THIS LINK to complete the setup. REMEMBER TO WAIT A WEEK!
Make sure your Verified GPA has been sent to the California Student Aid Commission. Most schools will do this automatically by the March 2 deadline. It is REALLY IMPORTANT that your information on your high school transcript matches your information from your FAFSA.
Go back to WebGrants in February to confirm your school of attendance. Log in on the WebGrants page, then go to the CalGrants main page to find the link. Come back again when you graduate to submit your high school graduation confirmation.
4. If you will be a community college student, create a California Community Colleges account here. You will use this account to apply for admission to a community college and for the California College Promise Grant (formerly known as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver), which waives your community college enrollment fees (there is no tuition).
5. Most graduating seniors at California high schools should qualify for the California Promise, which waives fees for the first two years of full-time attendance at a California Community College. Just in case you don't qualify or your school doesn't waive those fees, apply for the California College Promise Grant (formerly the BOG Fee Waiver) here. The two programs have similar names and do essentially the same thing, but they are different. The deadline for the California College Promise Grant is September 2, but DO NOT wait! You'll log in with your CCC account you just made! This links to the FAFSA and uses that information to determine your eligibility. If you don't want to take a full load of classes, you'll need the CCPG mentioned above to cover those fees.
Your waiver does NOT move with you from community college to community college. You'll need to apply every time if you move schools. Some schools take the info straight from the FAFSA and don't require a separate application. Contact your school's Financial Aid Office for more information.
If you are NOT a U.S. Citizen:
1. Fill out the California Dream Act application here. This is NOT an application for financial aid. It helps determine AB 540 status. It is NOT used for immigration purposes. It is safe and necessary to apply for California state aid. You will need your parents' tax information from tax year 2020. (Yes, your PARENTS' information, even if you don't live with them. Contact me if you have problems getting that information.)
You are filling out the 2022-2023 application. (If you plan to attend school in Summer 2022, you might have to also do a 2021-2022 application.) Do this as soon as possible after the Oct. 1 opening date. March 2 is the deadline for four-year schools and September 2 is the deadline for community colleges, but DO NOT wait! The sooner you know what money you'll receive, the sooner you can make good decisions about school. Some grants have limited resources.
2. California State Aid (CalGrants): Confirm your Dream Act information has been shared with CalGrants if you can. Wait about a week after you submit your Dream Act application, then go to this website to create your WebGrants account. (CalGrants and WebGrants are the SAME THING!) Use your Dream Act ID to sign in. With a WebGrants account, you'll be able to check your status, view your awards, and manage your account online. It takes a few days for your information to register with the Dream Act application and get sent to this site, so REMEMBER TO WAIT A WEEK before you open the WebGrants account.
Make sure your Verified GPA has been sent to the California Student Aid Commission. Most schools will do this automatically by the March 2 deadline. It is REALLY IMPORTANT that your information on your high school transcript matches your information from your CADA.
Go back to WebGrants in February to confirm your school of attendance. Log in on the WebGrants page, then go to the CalGrants main page to find the link. Come back again when you graduate to submit your high school graduation confirmation.
3. If you will be a community college student, create a California Community Colleges account here. You will use this account to apply for admission to a community college and for the California College Promise Grant (formerly known as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver), which waives your community college enrollment fees (there is no tuition).
4.Most graduating seniors at California high schools should qualify for the California Promise, which waives fees for the first two years of full-time attendance at a California Community College. Just in case you don't qualify or your school doesn't waive those fees, apply for the California College Promise Grant (formerly the BOG Fee Waiver) here. The two programs have similar names and do essentially the same thing, but they are different. The deadline for the California College Promise Grant is September 2, but DO NOT wait! You'll log in with your CCC account you just made! This links to the FAFSA and uses that information to determine your eligibility. If you don't want to take a full load of classes, you'll need the CCPG mentioned above to cover those fees.
Your waiver does NOT move with you from community college to community college. You'll need to apply every time if you move schools. Some schools take the info straight from the FAFSA and don't require a separate application. Contact your school's Financial Aid Office for more information
If you ARE a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen, please follow these steps (Undocumented students scroll down):
1. Create an FSA ID HERE. You and your parents need to use an FSA ID to sign your FAFSA, and it's easier to have it done before you start your FAFSA. You must have a Social Security Number to create an FSA ID. It cannot be a "work only" SSN. If you have an SSN, but your parents don't, YOU create an FSA ID, and THEY do not. It's OK. (Anytime the FAFSA asks for your parents' SSN and they don't have one, just put in all zeros.)
2. Fill out your FAFSA: You will need your parents' tax information from tax year 2020. (Yes, your PARENTS' information, even if you don't live with them. Contact me if you have problems getting that information.)
You are filling out the 2022-2023 application. (If you plan to attend school in Summer 2022, you might have to also do a 2021-2022 application.) Do this as soon as possible after the Oct. 1 opening date. March 2 is the deadline for four-year schools and for CalGrant eligibility, and September 2 is the deadline for community colleges, but DO NOT wait! The sooner you know what money you'll receive, the sooner you can make good decisions about school. Some grants have limited resources. After the March 2 deadline, it could be much harder to get funding, even for community college students.
You can get an APP for your FAFSA! Android or Apple.
3. California State Aid (CalGrants): After you submit your FAFSA application, you may see a link to open a WebGrants account. Your FAFSA information is automatically shared with CalGrants, but with a WebGrants account, you'll be able to check your status, view your awards, and manage your account online. It takes a few days for your information to register with FAFSA and get sent to this site, so wait about a week before you open the WebGrants account. You can clink on the link on the FAFSA confirmation page and save as a bookmark, or visit THIS LINK to complete the setup. REMEMBER TO WAIT A WEEK!
Make sure your Verified GPA has been sent to the California Student Aid Commission. Most schools will do this automatically by the March 2 deadline. It is REALLY IMPORTANT that your information on your high school transcript matches your information from your FAFSA.
Go back to WebGrants in February to confirm your school of attendance. Log in on the WebGrants page, then go to the CalGrants main page to find the link. Come back again when you graduate to submit your high school graduation confirmation.
4. If you will be a community college student, create a California Community Colleges account here. You will use this account to apply for admission to a community college and for the California College Promise Grant (formerly known as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver), which waives your community college enrollment fees (there is no tuition).
5. Most graduating seniors at California high schools should qualify for the California Promise, which waives fees for the first two years of full-time attendance at a California Community College. Just in case you don't qualify or your school doesn't waive those fees, apply for the California College Promise Grant (formerly the BOG Fee Waiver) here. The two programs have similar names and do essentially the same thing, but they are different. The deadline for the California College Promise Grant is September 2, but DO NOT wait! You'll log in with your CCC account you just made! This links to the FAFSA and uses that information to determine your eligibility. If you don't want to take a full load of classes, you'll need the CCPG mentioned above to cover those fees.
Your waiver does NOT move with you from community college to community college. You'll need to apply every time if you move schools. Some schools take the info straight from the FAFSA and don't require a separate application. Contact your school's Financial Aid Office for more information.
If you are NOT a U.S. Citizen:
1. Fill out the California Dream Act application here. This is NOT an application for financial aid. It helps determine AB 540 status. It is NOT used for immigration purposes. It is safe and necessary to apply for California state aid. You will need your parents' tax information from tax year 2020. (Yes, your PARENTS' information, even if you don't live with them. Contact me if you have problems getting that information.)
You are filling out the 2022-2023 application. (If you plan to attend school in Summer 2022, you might have to also do a 2021-2022 application.) Do this as soon as possible after the Oct. 1 opening date. March 2 is the deadline for four-year schools and September 2 is the deadline for community colleges, but DO NOT wait! The sooner you know what money you'll receive, the sooner you can make good decisions about school. Some grants have limited resources.
2. California State Aid (CalGrants): Confirm your Dream Act information has been shared with CalGrants if you can. Wait about a week after you submit your Dream Act application, then go to this website to create your WebGrants account. (CalGrants and WebGrants are the SAME THING!) Use your Dream Act ID to sign in. With a WebGrants account, you'll be able to check your status, view your awards, and manage your account online. It takes a few days for your information to register with the Dream Act application and get sent to this site, so REMEMBER TO WAIT A WEEK before you open the WebGrants account.
Make sure your Verified GPA has been sent to the California Student Aid Commission. Most schools will do this automatically by the March 2 deadline. It is REALLY IMPORTANT that your information on your high school transcript matches your information from your CADA.
Go back to WebGrants in February to confirm your school of attendance. Log in on the WebGrants page, then go to the CalGrants main page to find the link. Come back again when you graduate to submit your high school graduation confirmation.
3. If you will be a community college student, create a California Community Colleges account here. You will use this account to apply for admission to a community college and for the California College Promise Grant (formerly known as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver), which waives your community college enrollment fees (there is no tuition).
4.Most graduating seniors at California high schools should qualify for the California Promise, which waives fees for the first two years of full-time attendance at a California Community College. Just in case you don't qualify or your school doesn't waive those fees, apply for the California College Promise Grant (formerly the BOG Fee Waiver) here. The two programs have similar names and do essentially the same thing, but they are different. The deadline for the California College Promise Grant is September 2, but DO NOT wait! You'll log in with your CCC account you just made! This links to the FAFSA and uses that information to determine your eligibility. If you don't want to take a full load of classes, you'll need the CCPG mentioned above to cover those fees.
Your waiver does NOT move with you from community college to community college. You'll need to apply every time if you move schools. Some schools take the info straight from the FAFSA and don't require a separate application. Contact your school's Financial Aid Office for more information