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Green & Gold Guarantee
Dream Big. Worry Less.
The Green & Gold Guarantee covers tuition and mandatory campus fees so you can focus on your future. This isn’t just another financial aid program. It’s our commitment to making a degree at Cal Poly Humboldt affordable and accessible.
Think of it as your financial safety net. If you qualify, any gap between your financial aid and the cost of tuition and mandatory campus fees is automatically covered by the University—giving you peace of mind so you can focus on your education.
The Guarantee provides full tuition and fee support for up to four years for first-year students and two years for transfer students with continuous full-time enrollment.
Who’s Eligible?
You qualify if you:
- Are a new first-year or transfer student starting in Fall 2025
- Are a California resident or qualify for in-state tuition
- Complete the FAFSA or CADAA by March 3, 2025
- Accept your admission and pay the deposit by May 1, 2025
- Have a Student Aid Index of 9000 or less. FAFSA filers must be Pell eligible. (Check your FAFSA or CADAA summary email to confirm SAI)
- Enroll full-time (12 units or more per semester)
You must also maintain a 2.0 GPA and renew your financial aid application each year by the priority deadline to stay covered.
Who’s Not Eligible?
The Green & Gold Guarantee doesn’t apply to:
- Continuing Cal Poly Humboldt students who entered prior to Fall 2025
- Graduate or credential students
- Non-California residents
- Students in Extended Education programs
If you take a gap semester or transfer to another school, the guarantee ends and won’t be extended if you return later.
How Does It Work?
Once you meet the eligibility requirements, the Green & Gold Guarantee kicks in automatically. No extra paperwork is needed! Tuition and fees are posted to your student account when you register, and your costs will be covered the week before classes begin in August. If federal and state aid doesn’t cover the full amount, Humboldt steps in with institutional funds to pay the balance.
Best of all? These are gift funds—no repayment required when you graduate. It’s our way of investing in your future, so you can focus on what matters most: your education.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Green & Gold Guarantee will be assessed based on the information on the financial aid application and the admissions application.
Review the FAFSA of CADAA Submission Summary for your SAI status. FAFSA filers will also be given an estimated Pell grant on the submission summary if eligible. Additional Green & Gold Guarantee eligibility criteria includes: accepting admission offer and pay deposit by May 1st, being a California resident, and being a first-time, first-year student or newly transfer student for the fall 2025 term.
No. It is a guarantee that your tuition and fees will be covered by various forms of aid.
Tuition and mandatory campus fees
No. It covers tuition and mandatory campus fees only.
We will ensure that your tuition and fees are covered, with the waiver and other aid together.
No. It is for California residents only.
No. The Green & Gold Guarantee is for new first-time, first-year students and newly admitted students only. Speak to the Financial Aid Office about your aid package and what it will cover.
No. The Green & Gold Guarantee is for new first-time, first-year students and newly admitted students only. Speak to the Financial Aid Office about your aid package and what it will cover.
No. The Green & Gold Guarantee is for new first-time, first-year students and newly admitted students only.Speak to the Financial Aid Office about your aid package and what it will cover.
It depends on the program. Ask the Financial Aid Office.
As long as you continue to meet the criteria, including meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress, the Green & Gold Guarantee is renewable for up to four years for those who started at Cal Poly Humboldt as first year, first time students, and up to two years for those who started as transfer students.
For the most part, scholarships will not be applied to tuition and fees, so you can use your scholarships to pay for housing or other educational expenses. The exception would be if a scholarship is specifically designated to pay for tuition/fees (this is fairly rare).
No. But your aid may already cover tuition and fees. Speak to the Financial Aid Office about your aid package and what it will cover.
No, as these students do not pay state tuition. Speak to the Financial Aid Office about your aid package and what it will cover.