Financial Aid

To apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free. Many states and colleges use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid. Get started now by visiting https://fafsa.ed.gov

Even if a family’s income is too high for need-based aid, the student may qualify for scholarships, work-study, or low interest student loans. Don't assume you won't qualify for financial aid. The FAFSA formula considers not just income and savings when calculating a family's Expected Family Contribution (EFC), but also other factors such as the age of the parents and the number of children enrolled in college.

Each October, the FAFSA is available for the next school year. It's important for seniors and their parents/guardians to fill it out as soon as possible to meet school and state financial aid deadlines. The deadline for the state of California is March 2 each year. Other colleges and universities may have earlier or priority deadlines; it is important to check filing dates for specific colleges.  

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Application

FAFSA Overview - https://youtu.be/c-23SMf5DyQ

FAFSA: Determining Your Dependency Status - https://youtu.be/dEbxaRjlLus

How to Fill Out the FAFSA - https://youtu.be/w9HWaQpuNSk

How to create an account username and password (FSA ID) - https://youtu.be/yj1Pn-shze8

After the FAFSA: What Happens Next - https://youtu.be/1c1gNefSw78 

The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresident students (U.S. Citizens and eligible non-citizens) who qualify for a non-resident exemption under Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) to receive certain types of financial aid such as: private scholarships funded through public universities, state administered financial aid, university grants, community college fee waivers, and Cal Grants. In addition, the California Dream Act, allows eligible students to pay in-state tuition at any public college in California. 

Get started now by visiting https://dream.csac.ca.gov/ 

The State of California provides aid for students through its Cal Grant program.

To qualify, you must complete the FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application by the deadline and meet the eligibility and financial requirements, as well as any minimum GPA requirements. Cal Grants can be used at any University of California, California State University or California Community College, as well as qualifying independent and career colleges or technical schools in California.

There are three kinds of Cal Grants — A, B and C — but you don’t have to figure out which one to apply for. Your eligibility will be based on your FAFSA or CADAA responses, your verified Cal Grant GPA, the type of California colleges you list on your FAFSA and whether you’re a recent high school graduate. 

Please note that LVJUSD submits the Cal Grant GPAs for all seniors to the California Student Aid Commission. Students do not need to submit a GPA verification form. Your Cal Grant GPA is not your cumulative GPA that you see on your transcript. Click here to learn more about how a Cal Grant GPA is calculated.

Are you wondering if your Cal Grant GPA has been received by the Commission? After you have filed a FAFSA or CADAA, you can go on-line and check the status of your Cal Grant application by logging on to WebGrants for Students and creating an account.

For more information about Cal Grants, please visit https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants

Federal Student Aid - an office of the U.S. Department of Education.  Read about the types of financial aid available from the government and other sources: grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. 

College Board EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) Calculator - Get a general estimate of how much a student’s family will be expected to contribute for the year. This information helps families plan ahead for college.

US Dept. of Education Net Price Calculator Center - If you have a specific college in mind, you can get a more accurate estimate of your real cost by using the net price calculator provided on each college's website. A particular college’s net price calculator uses the financial aid policies of that college to calculate its estimate. Find the net price calculator for your prospective college at this site provided by the US Department of Education.

Information & Resources to Help You Understand Your Financial Aid Offers

Tool to Compare Your Financial Aid Offers

College Scholarship Search (CSS)/Financial Aid Profile - The CSS PROFILE is required by many private colleges and universities - in addition to the FAFSA - to determine your eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institution's own grants, loans and scholarships.