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State Aid

The California Student Aid Commisson (CSAC) is the principal state agency responsible for administering financial aid programs for students attending public and private universities, colleges, and vocational schools in California. The Commission has never wavered from its central mission to make education beyond high school financially accessible to all Californians.

The Commission serves as a resource for policymakers and the public on college affordability and financing issues, and advocates for policy changes to eliminate cost as a barrier to any qualified California student pursuing a higher education

Vision: Transforming lives by creating educational opportunities for the state's diverse population, driving its social and economic well-being to ensure a promising future for all.

Mission: Promoting educational equity by making postsecondary education affordable for all Californians.

Learning-Aligned Employment Program

The Learning Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) offers eligible students at public colleges and universities an opportunity to earn money to help with educational costs while gaining education-aligned, career-related employment.

All LAEP opportunities at Cal Poly Humboldt will be on-campus and research-based employment. Positions must be aligned with areas of study offered by the institution. Awards are earned in the form of a monthly paycheck as you work your research-oriented job.

LAEP positions will include a research mentor to provide guidance and to enhance the quality and experience of the research.

Opportunities are not limited to STEM disciplines but should align with your areas of study and career objectives.

Student Eligibility

Eligible students are from an underrepresented background and meet all the following criteria:

  • At least half-time enrollment
  • Undergraduate or Credential
  • California resident classification
  • Satisfactory academic progress in a program leading to a degree or certificate
  • Demonstrated financial need*
  • Eligibility to work in the United States
  • Submit a FAFSA/CADAA

*Students must have room within their Cost of Attendance in order to be eligible for a LAEP award. Award amounts will depend on each student's individual circumstances, up to $4000 for an academic year.

Underrepresented Backgrounds

Eligible students must meet at least one of the following to be considered from an underrepresented background:

  • First generation college students
  • Low-income students
  • Current or former foster youth
  • Homeless students/at risk of becoming homeless
  • Students with disabilities
  • Displaced workers
  • Students with dependent children
  • Formerly incarcerated students
  • Undocumented students
  • Students meeting the requirements of Assembly Bill 540
  • Students who are veterans

Please Note: Cal Poly Humboldt recognizes that there are additional underrepresented backgrounds which are not included in this list. This specific criteria has been put in place by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) and is in keeping with PROP 209 regulation.

Prioritization

Priority will be given to eligible students who are first generation college students, current/former foster youth, and students who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Further priority will be given to eligible students majoring in STEM disciplines.

How to Apply

If you are interested in having your eligibility reviewed for LAEP, please complete the Student Interest Form. This review may take up to 2 weeks to complete. Once complete, an email notification will be sent to you. We encourage you to review the Handshake portal to review LAEP and other job opportunities.

Priority filing deadline for CA State Grants is March 2nd!

State Grants are available for California residents only ‚– or those who meet the AB540 eligibility criteria; eligibility for these grants is determined by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).   Your residency status is determined by the Office of Admissions at the time of your application, or you may submit the AB540 affidavit once you've been admitted to Cal Poly Humboldt.  By filing the FAFSA or Dream Application by the priority deadline of March 2, eligible students may be considered for a state grant.   

CSAC contacts students via email regarding their eligibility and awards; WebGrants 4 Students (WGS) is your portal for California State Grants.  It is critical that you keep your email information current on your WGS account. 

Grants are released according to the number of units you are enrolled in each semester. At our Freeze Date (the last day to add/drop), financial aid grants are adjusted for enrollment that is less than full time. 

Cal Grant A and B ‚– Tuition Grants 

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) awards Cal Grants to qualified California residents who meet minimum GPA requirements and demonstrate financial eligibility as determined by the appropriate financial aid application. 

There are two types of Cal Grants awarded at Cal Poly Humboldt ‚– Cal Grant A (Entitlement Awards) and Cal Grant B (Competitive Awards). The eligibility criteria for the Cal Grants are established by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Both grants provide assistance with the Systemwide State Tuition Fee and are available for up to eight semesters for students pursuing a bachelor's degree.  

A Cal Grant award may be reduced, or cancelled, in the event you are receiving another award or waiver that is specifically designated to pay the tuition fee.‚ÄØ Students who are awarded a State University Grant, and are later deemed eligible for the Cal Grant will be awarded the Cal Grant and have their State University Grant cancelled. As both grants pay the State Tuition Fee, a student is typically only eligible to receive one or the other. 

The Cal Grant B also provides a living allowance Cal Grant Access Grant of up to $1,648 for books and living expenses. 

Program Eligibility

Eligible students may receive up to a maximum of four years of full-time grant payments. The actual number of years of eligibility will depend on the student's class level at the time an award is initially received. 

WebGrants for students

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) selects undergraduate California residents for the Cal Grant A or Cal Grant B programs.

WebGrants for Students is CSAC's secure website where you can monitor the processing of your Cal Grant application and award information.

Renewing your Cal Grant

Once you are a Cal Grant recipient, it is renewable each year depending on your continued eligibility. You may receive a Cal Grant up to 8 semesters, whereas the availability of State University Grant (SUG) varies each year.

To renew your Cal Grant: Complete your FAFSA each year and maintain good academic standing with the university.

Note: A GPA Verification form is not required to renew your Cal Grant.

Transfer Students

For students who plan to transfer directly from a California Community College to a 4-Year University that offers a bachelor degree in the academic year that they are applying for the award. Deadline is March 2 and applicants must submit a FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application and have a minimum GPA of 2.4.

Who is considered for a Transfer Entitlement Award

  • Students who plan to transfer directly from a CA Community College to a 4-year University that offers a bachelor degree in the award year. There cannot be a gap in enrollment between attendance at the California Community college and the 4-Year University.
  • Students who are under the age of 28 by December 31 of the award year.
  • Students who meet the general Cal Grant eligibility requirements.
  • Students who graduated from a CA high school after June 30, 2000 and were California residents (or if you applied through the Dream Act application, living in California) at the time of high school graduation.

OR

  • Students that did not graduate from high school, but were a California resident on their 18th birthday (if you applied through the Dream Act application, living in California) on their 18th birthday.

How to Apply

Once you submit your completed FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application and CA Community College GPA you will be considered for the appropriate Cal Grant award based on GPA, financial need and college of attendance.

The California Chafee Grant for Foster Youth gives free money to current or former foster youth to use for college. If you are or were in foster care between the ages of 16 and 18 as a dependent or ward of the court and have financial need, you may qualify for up to $5,000 a year for college assistance. You do not have to pay this money back. You may also be able to use your grant to help pay for child care, transportation and rent while you're in school. This grant is administered through the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). First-time applicants must submit a Financial Aid Application and a California Chafee Grant Application.

California's Middle Class Scholarship is a program that provides undergraduate and credential students, whose family income and assets are up to $191,000, a tuition discount to attend a California State University (CSU) campus. MCS scholarships are not set amounts and may vary by student and institution. The award amount is determined after you are awarded any federal, state, and institutional need-based grants for which you are eligible. The final award amount will be based on the number of students eligible for the MCS statewide and the funding allocated by the State Budget. If you are selected to receive a MCS, you will be notified directly by CSAC and although you may be notified well in advance that you are eligible to receive these funds, our office still needs to verify your eligibility and the awarding of these funds may not be immediate. 

The Golden State Teacher Grant Program (GSTG) encourages students to consider earning a teaching credential and teach in a high-need field, at a priority school, in California for four years, within five years after completing a teacher preparation program. The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) will award $20,000 Golden State Teacher Grants to over 4,400 eligible students across California, that are enrolled in a Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) approved teacher preparation program on or after January 1, 2020. Applicants must agree to all terms and conditions of the GSTG program or be required to repay the grant,  more information regarding the Golden State Teacher Grant please visit https://www.csac.ca.gov/golden-state-teacher-grant-program

To apply for a Golden State Teacher Grant, visit:  https://gstg.csac.ca.gov/ 

All applicants who meet the program eligibility criteria requirements will be sent a Letter of Acceptance and a Teaching Agreement

For more information contact the
Golden State teacher Grant Program at:
goldenstateteachers@csac.ca.gov
www.csac.ca.gov/goldenstateteachers
1.888.224.7268