FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS

Financial aid and scholarship information also located in the Senior Class of 2025 Google Classroom

Financial Aid

Dear Parents and Guardians of 12th Grade Students,

Students and families are now able to access and submit the 2025-26 financial aid application. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act (CADAA) is required by most colleges and universities. Students that plan to attend Allan Hancock College must complete the financial aid application to be eligible for the Hancock Promise (two years free tuition).

Completing the FAFSA / CADAA application opens doors to federal grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. It’s an investment in your child’s future.

To assist you with this process, Cabrillo will be hosting a Cash For College event on Tuesday, January 28th from 4:00-7:30 pm in room B-8. You can drop in anytime to get help, and the application takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Alternatively, you can attend a Cash For College event hosted by any local high school. Please refer to the Cash For College flier for dates and times.

Here's a list of documents you'll need to bring to a Cash For College workshop:

Drivers license number
Student and parent(s)/adoptive parent(s) Social Security Number (or ITIN number for CA Dream Act application)
Permanent resident number (if applicable)
Student and parent(s)/adoptive parent(s) 2023 Income tax return
Student and parent(s)/adoptive parent(s) 2023 W-2 forms
Parent(s)/adoptive parent(s) marital status

If you prefer to complete the FAFSA on your own, here are some resources that can help:

You can find more information on financial aid, scholarships, and senior year information on the CHS Counseling Department website. Additionally, refer to attached documents for more information.

Important Date: March 3rd is the FAFSA/CADAA priority submission deadline to be eligible for California grants.

If you encounter any issues, visit StudentAid.gov for assistance. Thank you for supporting your child’s educational journey.

FINANCIAL AID PARENT PRESENTATION

Wednesday, October 23 - 5:00 pm English / 6:00 pm Spanish in the CHS Library

Topics Discussed:

What is financial aid
Cost of attendance
Financial need
Four sources of financial aid
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara

Financial Aid Presentation (PowerPoint)

CASH FOR COLLEGE

Get help with the FAFSA or CA Dream Act financial aid applications at our Cash For College event. Families can attend any Cash For College event offered at any local high school. Registration is not required. To get help, just attend a Cash For College event (parent/guardian and student) and bring the required documents listed below.

What to bring to the workshop:

Drivers license (optional)
Parent(s) date of birth
Parents marital status
Both student and parent(s) social security numbers (if applicable)
Permanent Resident number (if applicable)
Student and parent(s) 2023 W-2 forms
Student and parent(s) income tax return (if filed)

Here is a list of all Cash For College events:

Cash For College Flyer

FINANCIAL AID STEPS

1. Submit the FAFSA or Dream Act application

FAFSA
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) ensures that all eligible individuals can benefit from federally funded financial assistance for education beyond high school.

CA Dream Act
The California Dream Act allows undocumented and documented students who meet certain provisions of AB 540 law to apply for and receive private scholarships.

2. Login into Web Grants 4 Students and confirm GPA

After your FAFSA or CADAA application is processed (wait approximately 2 weeks after you submit), you’ll receive an email letting you know it’s time to create your WebGrants4Students account. Once you are logged in, confirm that CSAC (California Student Aid Commission) has your GPA as this completes your Cal Grant application.

Web Grants 4 Students will allow you to manage your Cal Grant and/or Chafee account(s) online by letting you:

View updates

Make school changes

Make address changes

Make corrections

Post leave of absence requests

Web Grants 4 Students account does not replace your school or FAFSA accounts. Each account must be monitored and managed independently.

Cal Grant is money for college you don’t have to pay back. To qualify, you must 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.

3. Apply for Scholarships (optional)

Scholarships & scholarship finder websites are posted on this page and in the Senior Class of 2025 google classroom.

Resources:

FAFSA HELP

Check out these videos for instructions on how to complete sections in the FAFSA application.

FAFSA Worksheet - Spanish

FAFSA Worksheet - English

PARENTS GUIDE TO FILING OUT FAFSA

FAFSA Help Videos

CALIFORNIA GRANTS

Here is a list of Financial Aid Programs administered by the California Student Aid Commission:

Cal Grants
California Grant for Foster Youth (CHAFEE)
Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)
California Military Department GI Bill Program
Law Enforcement Personnel Dependents Grants Program (LEPD)
Golden State Teacher Grant Program (GSTG)
California Dream Act Service Incentive Program (DSIG)

CalKIDS - COLLEGE SAVINGS ACCOUNT

The State of California is proud to announce the launch of the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS). The program provides a minimum of $500 in a college savings account for eligible low income public school students, with additional financial awards for students identified as foster youth and/or homeless. CalKIDS gives children in California a jump start on saving for college or career training.

To be eligible for CalKIDS, participants must be:

Born in California on or after July 1, 2022; or
An eligible low-income public school student in grades 1-12* in California.

All participants receive a seed deposit in a CalKIDS account to help pay for future education after high school.

To ensure that your child has access to the CalKIDS account, you must register on the program’s online portal. The easy registration process does not require you to disclose any taxpayer identification numbers. Register your account on the CalKIDS Portal.

For more information, visit the CalKIDS website.

AB 288 - SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT

WHAT IS AB 288

Assembly Bill 288, the California Ban on Scholarship Displacement Act is a bill signed into law on September 30, 2022. This means starting with the 2023-2024 academic year, all public and private colleges in California will be prohibited from displacing student's private scholarships if they are eligible for the federal Pell Grant or financial aid via California Dream Act (CADAA).

WHAT IS SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT?

Scholarship displacement happens when a college or university reduces a student's financial aid after the student has received a private scholarship. Colleges typically reduce institutional gift aid by an amount equal to the dollar amount of the scholarship, leaving students with zero-net benefit for their effort and forcing them to seek alternative funding sources.

AB 288 - Guide To Prevent Scholarship Displacement

AB 288 - Know Your Rights Student Guide