Financial Aid Resources
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Financial Aid is the assistance students get to pay for college. Aid comes in a few different forms:
Free Money- Scholarships & Grants
Work-based money- Work-study programs (ex. working on campus)
Loans- Subsidized and un-subsidized loans (ex. loans you don't start paying until after you graduate college)
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the online form you complete to be eligible for financial aid.
Why Should I fill out the FAFSA?
If you don’t fill out the FAFSA, you could be missing out on a lot of financial aid! We’ve heard a number of reasons students think they shouldn’t complete the FAFSA form. Here are a few:
“I (or my parents) make too much money, so I won’t qualify for aid.”
“Only students with good grades get financial aid.”
“The FAFSA form is too hard to fill out.”
“I’m too old to qualify for financial aid.”
If you think any of these statements apply to you, then you should read Myths about Financial Aid. The reality is, EVERYONE who's getting ready to go to college or career school should fill out the FAFSA form!
The 2025 - 2026 FAFSA form will be available starting October 1, 2024. You will want to complete by March 2nd, 2025 to be considered for Cal Grants.
Click Here To create your FSA ID
The FSA ID is necessary to complete the FAFSA, and your parent needs one too!
Not sure who to list as a Parent on the FAFSA? This infographic will answer that question!
Click here for more information on parent contributors
What if my Parent does not have a SSN?
If you’re inviting your parent to the FAFSA form as a contributor and they don’t have an SSN, select the box that indicates the individual does not have an SSN. Don’t enter an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in the SSN field. Individuals without an SSN will instead be asked to provide an ITIN in a separate ITIN field in their section of the form.
Finish your FAFSA TODAY to get free money for College!
Once you've submitted the FAFSA, there's a bit more to do...
Make sure you have a Cal Grant account so you can monitor and manage your application.