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Affording College

A guide to Financial Aid

There are four types of financial aid available to qualified students: grants, work-study, loans and
scholarships. A student must maintain a 2.0 grade point average in their college academic work to continue
receiving Financial Aid. Hoover over the images to learn more about each type of aid.

GRANTS

  • Free money for college

  • Usually based on financial need

  • You don’t pay it back

  •  Can be government or state grants

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WORK-STUDY

  • A part-time job (often on campus)

  • You earn money to help pay school costs

  • Paid like a regular job (hourly wages)

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SCHOLARSHIPS

  • Free money you earn

  • Based on grades, sports, talents, leadership, or interests

  • You don’t pay it back

  • Can come from schools, organizations, or companies

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LOANS

  • Borrowed money for college

  • You must pay it back, with interest

  • Can come from the government or private banks

  • Usually paid back after college

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The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step in the financial aid process. You use it to apply for federal student financial aid, such as grants, loans, and work-study.

1.Complete your FAFSA
 

STUDENTS NEED TO COMPLETE EITHER THE FAFSA OR THE CADAA, NOT BOTH.

Filing out the FAFSA will allow you to see how much financial aid you can get for college. The amount will be determined by different factors such as your financial need, college enrollment, and background. Use this federal student aid estimator to get an idea of how much federal aid you might be eligible for (note this tool is only to estimate, it is not the FAFSA form itself).

 The FAFSA priority application period is usually October
1-March 2. The earlier the better, as you are more likely to know how much free money you will be offered for college. Start by creating your FSA ID (FAFSA Account log-in credentials).

You’ll need to resubmit every year to keep receiving aid. Save the log in information after you submit it for the first time, you'll be using the same account (but start a different application each year). 

To complete the FAFSA as a dependent student, you will need: 

  • Social Security Number (student/parents)

  • Student Alien Registration number (for eligible non-citizens)

  • Last year’s Federal income tax returns (student/parents, if applicable)

  • Birthdates (student/parents)

  • Dates parents were married, separated, divorced or widowed

  • List of schools you will apply to (up to 20 colleges)

The California Dream Act, also known as CADAA or Dream Act is an alternative to the FAFSA application. Completion of this application is required to determine financial aid for California AB540 eligible students. The California Student Aid Commission has not now, or in the past, shared any information which would indicate a student's immigration status, either documented or undocumented.​

2.Apply for Scholarships

Apply to as many scholarships as you can. You can never get too much money, right? College costs include tuition, personal expenses, transportation, and school supplies, among other things.

Scholarships can come from any place (like colleges, community organizations, companies, or individuals), and they have different eligibility criteria (like your financial need, your GPA, your extracurriculars, involvement in the community, your ethnic background, your career aspirations, or interest). Some scholarships might require you to write an essay, fill out a form, shoot a video, or complete a project.

There are a myriad of scholarships just about anything! For example, there are scholarships for Tall People, Zombie- themed, for students who live in a certain zip code, etc. 

The best places to find scholarships are in the counseling center at your high school and on the internet. At most high schools, there is a monthly bulletin with a list of scholarships with their deadlines. Check these links to get started!

3. Apply for State Aid

Cal Grants are need-based and do not have to be repaid. There are 3 types (A, B or C) and they must be used at eligible colleges in California. You need to submit your FAFSA or CADAA first, then create a WebGrants4Students account.

A

CAL GRANT A

  • Minimum GPA: 3.0

  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

  • Award Coverage: Up to 4 years of tuition/fees

B

CAL GRANT B

  • Minimum GPA: 2.0

  • Degree: Minimum 1-year certificate, Associate or Bachelor's Degree

  • Award Coverage: you get the award amount in year 1; then  Tuition/fees AND the award paid in years 2-4 

C

CAL GRANT C

  • Minimum GPA: N/A

  • Degree: Vocational, technical, or occupational programs at a California community college (4 months-24 months duration).

  • Award Coverage: Up to 2 years

MC

Middle Class Scholarship

If you do not qualify for Cal Grants, you may still be eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship if you meet the following criteria:​

  • Submit a FAFSA or CADAA application by the priority registration deadline​

  • Be a California resident attending a University of California (UC), or a California State University (CSU) for your first bachelor's degree. 

  • Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or possess AB 540 student status.

Promise Grant

​ The California College Promise Grant (CCPG) waives community college enrollment fees if you’re eligible (in other words, your tuition will be covered!). You should apply if: 

  • You’ve lived in California for at least one year, or

  • You’ve been determined a California resident homeless youth by the Financial Aid Office, or

  • You’re eligible for non-resident tuition as an AB 540 or AB 1899 student, or with a “T” or “U” visa.

PG

Cal Kids

 

CalKIDS is a program from the State of California that funds up to $1,500* in free money for eligible low-income public school students to save for college and career training. Eligible students who were enrolled in a low-income public school in grades 1-12 can claim their funds, which can be used for higher education expenses, such as tuition and related fees, books and required supplies, and computer equipment.

 

To claim your account, you will need:

  • Statewide Student Identifier (SSID)-contact your school for assistance

  • Student's Date of Birth

  • The county where the student was enrolled on the applicable Fall Academic Census Day

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*Up to $1,500 in free money for college students

  • Every eligible low-income public school student in grades 1-12 will have a CalKIDS account created in their name with an initial deposit of $500.

  • Eligible students identified as foster youth will receive an additional one-time $500 deposit.

  • Eligible students identified as homeless will receive an additional one-time $500 deposit. 

CK

4. Consider Work-Study

Like grants, work-study is determined by your FAFSA application. If you qualify for it, your college will offer you an amount that you can earn each semester in a work-study position. 

You need to apply for a work-study job as you would for any other position (simply qualifying will not automatically enroll you in a job). The money you earn will come from your work-study financial aid (as opposed to the employer).

You do not need to repay your work-study earnings, since it is they money you earn from working a real job. 

Many work-study jobs are on campus and some positions offer some experience in the career that the student wishes to pursue. There are limited positions and the hiring process can be time consuming, so the earlier you apply to a job the better!

Your working hours (and earnings) will depend on your work-study award and the term (semester/year) you were hired for. Once you've exhausted (or get close) your award amount, the hiring organization may terminate your contract, limit your hours, or hire you as a non-work-study employee. You might also be able to ask your college's financial aid office for an increase in your work-study award to work more hours.

5. Support Programs
 

Promise Program: Eligible students receive up to two years of: free tuition (Per-Unit Fee) and health fees. Offers Textbook/ Course Materials Support (grants for textbooks and supplies to support students in need).

EOP/EOPS: Services vary by campus*. Example opportunities include student employment in the office (front desk, tutoring and office support), CalFresh assistance, book award/text book assistance, and financial aid application assistance.

Guardian Scholars: Guardian Scholars scholarships, free test materials (scantrons, blue books), a year-round housing award for on or off campus living (varies by campus), and financial advising and support.

TRIO Student Support Services: Provide Financial Literacy Advising, guidance in completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and in seeking scholarships.

TRIO McNair: Services vary by campus*. Example benefits include graduate school application waivers and conference travel funding. Summer stipend/fellowship, and free on-campus housing, or a housing stipend.

6. Loans
 

Unlike everything else mentioned on this page, you will pay back this type of financial aid (most likely with interest).  Calculate your federal student loan repayment options with this Loan Simulator. If you will work in public service in federal, state, tribal, or local government, or for a non-profit organization, you might be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Federal Unsubsidized loans accrue interest from the date of disbursement (so they will start accumulating interest the moment you accept them, even if you start paying them after you graduate). 

Federal Subsidized loans accrue interest after you graduate. 

Federal Parent Plus loans enable parents to borrow money for their dependent undergraduate students. 

Private loans might be offered by financial institutions or private organizations. The interest rate on federal student loans is fixed and usually lower than that on private loans.

Remember there are many avenues to pay for college, many scholarships go unclaimed every year...but first you have to apply!
 

The  CFPB Financial Award Tool can help you understand your financial aid offers, estimate your debt and decide what to do next.

© 2026 by The Pathways Quest. Education illustrations by Storyset.

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