FAFSA
financial aid (fafsa)
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)
Figuring out how to pay for college is often the most difficult part of the application process! Luckily, when it comes to figuring out how to pay for college, students have many options. Whether you decide to take advantage of federal aid and scholarships, take out student loans, enter a work-study program, or a combination of them all, help is available. The key is deciding which option is the best for you and it all starts with the FAFSA!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known as the FAFSA) is a form that can be prepared annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate). The FAFSA is used primarily to determine the financial aid you’re eligible to receive from the federal government, but many schools also rely on it to determine their own financial aid packages.
Learn more on the Financial aid process!
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
Federal and State Grants
Federal Student Loans
College Institutional Grants/Scholarships
Work-Study Award
GOING MERRY
Applying for the FAFSA just got 1000x easier with Going Merry!
Our school has partnered with Going Merry to offer students the FAFSA Made Easier product -- a much improved version of the government form.
Click here to watch a quick video on how Going Merry will help you with the FAFSA or the button below to get started!
Be prepared for the FAFSA by completing the FAFSA Prep Assignment
Need one-on-one support completing the FAFSA? Schedule a virtual meeting with one of our CAL-SOAP Coaches!
Check out this presentation on how the FAFSA® Made Easier form works! You will find that it has instructions on how students/families can access it and every question in the form, plus guidance on how to answer them!!
cal Grant
What is a Cal Grant?
Which is the best kind of financial aid? The free type! Grants (whether they’re from the government, your college, or an external foundation or company) are the best because they are free money that you do not need to repay.
A 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.
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 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. To learn more about the qualifications and ty, go to Calgrants.org.