In
order to receive financial aid, you must apply!
Many
students do not apply because they believe they may not qualify. Students do
not have to come from a low-income family to qualify, but they do have to meet
Federal eligibility requirements for need as determined by the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
"Eligibility" for need is determined by the difference between what
it costs to attend a particular college or school, and what you and your family
are expected to pay toward those costs.
Determine: Cost of College Attendance (tuition, fees, books
and supplies, room and board, transportation, personal expenses)
Subtract: Expected Family Contribution (EFC) (amount you and your
family are expected to pay -- determined by the FAFSA)
Equals: Your Federal Eligibility or Need (for financial aid:
loans, grants, etc.)
For example:
Cost of College Attendance - EFC
= Financial aid package
(UCSD)
$30,000
-
$3,000 = $27,000
Colleges
may offer students various types of financial aid (grants, scholarships, work
study and educational loans) based on a student's Federal eligibility. Colleges
may use different criteria for their scholarships and grants. Although
the cost of attendance is different at each college or institution, a student’s
expected family contribution stays the same.
The
amount and/or type of financial aid available to a student will vary depending
on the college. Do not wait until you have been accepted or
admitted to a college to apply for financial aid.
Read
instructions carefully, provide accurate information, and meet all appropriate
deadlines.
Note: Attend a FREE financial aid workshop offered by Cal-SOAP at
various high school locations (see Cash for College flyer for location,
date, and time) .
How to apply for financial aid
When
applying for financial aid, seniors and their parents need to follow these five
steps:
1. Request financial aid information and deadline dates from each
college of interest.
2. Visit: www.fafsa.ed.gov. Get a FSAID for student and parent.
This is the electronic signature needed for the application
3. Complete and submit the FAFSA 2018-2019 application
online by the deadline of March 2, 2018. (Private colleges also request
student to submit a CSS/PROFILE (https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/) along with FAFSA
4. Create and monitor your Cal Grant award status at www.WebGrants4Students.org
5. Get help with the FAFSA at a Cal-SOAP Cash for College
event (see flyer for location, date, and time)
