The CAL GRANT

California has one of THE most generous state grant programs in the nation.  If your student is a resident of California and is planning on attending a California college - whether it be CSU, UC or private - then it's critically important that you understand the eligibility requirements of the Cal Grant program.  If your student is eligible for a Cal Grant, you do NOT want to miss out on this important funding element.

3 Criteria for Cal Grant Eligibility

There are 3 unique criteria required in order to qualify for the Cal Grant:

  • Income less than the income ceiling
  • Assets less than the asset ceiling
  • GPA of 3.00 or above (for Cal Grant A)

The income and asset ceilings are available in the following document:

www.GetCollegeFunding.org/calgrant/ceilings.pdf

Notes on Cal Grant Eligibility

  • INCOME:  The income ceiling varies with the size of the family.  For the smallest family of 2 (1 student and 1 parent), the ceiling is the lowest ($72,100 for Cal Grant A), and for a large family of 6 or more, the ceiling increases to $92,700.
    It's important to realize that for financial aid purposes, INCOME is defined to be AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) from your 2009 Income Tax Return (Form 1040) PLUS any untaxed income, such as contributions to a qualified retirement plan - like 401(k) or 403(b) - or child support received.
  • ASSETS:  These are essentially LIQUID assets and do NOT include your retirement plans, annuities, or equity in your PRIMARY residence.
  • GPA:  The GPA used for Cal Grant purposes is uniquely calculated by high school guidance couneling.  You will NOT find this particular GPA on your student's transcript.

Required Documents

There are 2 documents your MUST file in order to qualify for the Cal Grant:

Both of these forms must be filed no later than March 2nd!

GPA Verification Form

This form is often overlooked and is vital in qualifying for the Cal Grant.  The GPA Verification Form is provided by the student's high school guidance counselor and is sent to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) in one of two ways:

  • Some high schools submit the form electronically for EVERY student automatically
  • Some high schools require the student to provide the blank form to their guidance counselor and REQUEST the counselor to complete it.  The counselor then returns it to the STUDENT and it is the student's responsibility to mail it to the CSAC.

If mailed - the GPA Verification Form MUST be post-marked NO LATER THAN March 2nd.  This is a hard deadline and should NOT be missed.  Be sure to pay a little extra for "Return Receipt".

So How Much IS the Cal Grant Award?

The Cal Grant A (the highest award) has 3 levels.  Here is the value of the grant:

  • Cal State University:  $3354
  • University of California:  $7788
  • Private CA Colleges:  $9708

More Information?

For more information on the Cal Grant, go to www.CalGrant.org.


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