Federal Financial Aid

Students can apply for Federal Financial Aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

FAFSA information:

• The 2026-2027 financial aid application will be available  by October 1st, 2025 @ studentaid.gov or on student CCGI accounts.

• Apply before March 2nd, 2026

• Students (and parents if they did not create one for a previous FAFSA submission) will need to create a unique FSA ID @ https://fsaid.ed.gov. The FSA ID with be a username and password. Please keep this information in a safe place as you will need it every year in which you apply for Financial Aid. The FSA ID will need to be created prior to the FAFSA being submitted.

Resources: 

• Cal-Soap San Diego virtual events - calsoapsandiego.org

• FAFSA FAQ - https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help

• Federal Student Aid Youtube Tutorials

• 7 Options if You Didn’t Receive Enough Financial Aid - https://studentaid.gov/articles/financial-aid-not-enough/

• California Community Colleges- https://icangotocollege.com/financial-aid

• Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) - https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact

  • 1-800-433-3243

State Financial Aid

Students will automatically apply for State Financial Aid by completing the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by March 2nd and ensuring their high school submitted their Cal Grant GPA to the state. Public schools are required to submit GPAs for all seniors. If you have moved districts during senior year, please see your school counselor to confirm.

For those that do not qualify to complete the FAFSA, you may still qualify for State Financial Aid by completing the California Dream Act Application by March 2nd, 2026.

• The 2026-2027 Dream Act Application will be available  by October 1st @ https://dream.csac.ca.gov/ 

• Apply before March 2nd, 2026. 

If you are unsure if you should complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act, please see your school counselor for assistance.

CSS Profile

The CSS Profile is required (in addition to the FAFSA) for some private schools if you want to be considered for Financial Aid.

Check the colleges' Financial Aid website to see if it is required and deadlines to apply. These deadlines are often in the Fall so complete it early if you know it is required.

Costs associated with submitting the CSS Profile:

• $25 to send the CSS Profile report to one college, university or scholarship program

• $16 for each additional report 

• CSS Profile Fee Waivers -

  • Students completing the CSS Profile for the first time and who utilized a collegeboard fee waiver to take the SAT can receive up to eight CSS Profile fee waivers by signing in and utilizing the same account that they used to register for the SAT.

  • Students who did not use an SAT fee waiver may still qualify for a CSS Profile fee waiver based on income.

For more information please click the link below:

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/get-help-paying-for-college/how-to-complete-the-css-profile

El Capitan Counseling Virtual Scholarship Bin

Our Virtual Scholarship Bin will be updated regularly, so check back frequently. Sometimes scholarship providers do not give a lot of time between notifying us of the scholarship and the deadline so even a daily or biweekly check would be a great idea!

Institutional Scholarships

(Scholarships awarded to students who apply to a specific college or university)

It is important that you visit the college or university Financial Aid and Scholarship website to find out how to apply for institutional scholarships. 

Ways to apply for these scholarships vary by institution:

• They may require one separate application to apply to all of their institutional scholarships.

• They may require multiple applications for each institutional scholarship in which you are eligible. 

• They may have a priority or mandatory deadline to submitted the admissions application in order to be considered for need-based or merit scholarships. DO NOT miss out on these important deadlines.