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Questions
What can I do if I was denied a Cal Grant Competitive Award?
If you were recently denied a Cal Grant Competitive award, please be advised that the Commission cannot consider appeals for the denial of Cal Grant Competitive awards. You may want to visit your financial aid office to see if they have other funding available to assist you in meeting your financial obligations.
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When will my Cal Grant be renewed for the 2010-11 academic year?
If you're applying to renew your Cal Grant, you should receive your notification for renewal by mid-July. If you are a renewal Cal Grant student and you have not heard from the CSAC by August 1, please call toll free 888.224.7268 or e-mail studentsupport@csac.ca.gov.
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What are Cal Grants?
Cal Grants are free money for college that is awarded to students who meet eligibility, income and academic requirements. The money can be used to attend any California Community College, Cal State University, University of California, private college, and most career technical or vocational schools. The best thing of all, the money does not have to be paid back!
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When can I apply for a Cal Grant?
You must apply between January 1st and March 2nd of your senior year in high school (or get your GED), or between January 1st and March 2nd of the year after you graduate from high school (or get your GED). For students attending community colleges, you have until September 2nd to apply, although the number of Cal Grant awards is limited.
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What is the deadline to apply for a Cal Grant?
You must apply by the March 2nd deadline for the maximum opportunity to receive an award. If you miss the March 2nd deadline AND you plan to attend a community college in the fall, you have until September 2nd to apply.
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When will I know if I’ve received a Cal Grant?
After you apply, you can track the status of your Cal Grant application online by using WebGrants for Students. Log on to set up your personal, confidential account.
If you met the Cal Grant application requirements and qualify for a Cal Grant, you’ll receive an award letter, also known as the California Aid Report, or CAR. If you qualify for a Cal Grant Entitlement award and your application was received on time and needs no corrections, you should receive a CAR by the end of March or early April. If you have not heard from the Commission by April 30, please call toll free 888.224.7268 or e-mail studentsupport@csac.ca.gov to check your application.
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Can I get a Cal Grant if I am not a citizen?
To be eligible for a Cal Grant you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. To be considered a U.S. citizen, students must be a citizen of one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands. Generally, eligible non-citizens include U.S. permanent residents who have a Permanent Resident Card (I-551); conditional permanent residents who have a Conditional Resident Card (I-551C); or eligible non-citizens who have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security with one of the following designations: Refugee, Asylum Granted, Parolee or Cuban-Haitian Entrant. Students who are in the U.S. on an F1 or F2 student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations) are not U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands are eligible for most federal aid, as are those from American Samoa and Swain’s Island.
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I am a citizen but my parents are not. Can I get a Cal Grant?
Your parents’ citizenship is not a factor in whether or not you qualify for a Cal Grant. Your eligibility is based on your citizenship.
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What is my state of residence?
Your state of residence is your permanent home. If you are a dependent student this is usually the state in which your parents live. You must be a California resident to qualify for a Cal Grant.
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How do I know if I am a dependent or independent student?
Dependency is determined by your responses to certain questions on the FAFSA. If you answer no to all of the dependency questions on the FAFSA you are considered a dependent student. If you answer yes to any of these questions you are an independent student.
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What if I don’t have a Social Security Number (SSN)?
You must have a valid SSN. Your FAFSA will not be processed without an SSN, therefore you cannot be considered for a Cal Grant.
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What if I do not go to college right after graduating high school? Can I still apply for a Cal Grant?
There are a limited number of Cal-Grant awards available for students who have been out of high school for more than a year. The application process and the deadlines are the same. For older students, if your GPA is unavailable you must submit a recent SAT, ACT, or GED test score in place of your GPA.
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What happens if I qualify for a Cal Grant A and B? Can I use both?
You may only accept and use one of the Cal Grant awards. If you receive notice that you are eligible for both types of Cal Grants, contact your college financial aid officer to discuss which award will be most beneficial to you.
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How do I get the Cal Grant money?
Cal Grant funds are sent directly to the school you are attending. You must contact your school’s financial aid office to find out the disbursement schedule.
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How do I renew my Cal Grant?
If you filed your original FAFSA on-line or provided an e-mail address on a paper FAFSA, the federal processor will notify you by e-mail that you need to renew your FAFSA information. If you did not file on-line or did not provide an e-mail address, you will receive notification and instructions in the mail. If you do not receive notification for renewal by January, you need to contact the US Department of Education Customer Service at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or contact them on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You do not need to file another GPA Verification Form.
If you’ve already received a Cal Grant, whether or not you’re receiving payments or it’s on reserve, you don’t need to submit verified Cal Grant GPA to renew your award for the next year. You’ll just need to submit the FAFSA. Using your PIN, you can go online to update any information on your FAFSA.
Your school’s financial aid office will determine whether you’re still eligible to receive your Cal Grant based on your financial need, so be sure to include your school on your FAFSA. To prevent any delay in the release of your Cal Grant funds, you’re encouraged to contact your college’s financial aid office to make sure your school has the information it needs to determine your eligibility for a renewal Cal Grant.
In mid-July, you should receive a renewal notification letter, including a Renewal Recipient Cal Grant Fact Sheet (pdf). Please read this sheet completely and follow the directions. By following the guidelines, you can make your Cal Grant work for you.
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What is the difference between a Cal Grant and a Pell Grant?
The Cal Grant is a state funded grant and the Pell Grant is a federally funded grant. Students can receive both a Cal Grant and a Pell Grant to help pay for college or career technical school.
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As a foster youth can I get a Cal Grant? Are there any other special programs for me?
Yes. You can apply for a Cal Grant. You can also receive money through the Chafee Grant Program to attend technical school or college. Log on to http://www.csac.ca.gov and click on Commission Programs for more information on the Chafee Grant. Be sure to submit your FAFSA, GPA Verification and the Chafee Grant Program Application as soon as possible.
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I am a graduate student; do I qualify for a Cal Grant?
Cal Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students.
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A Message from the Executive Director
