Eligibility Requirements
There are two main application options that we encourage undergraduate students to complete. Depending on your eligibility, see below, you should complete either one of these application options: 1. A FAFSA and a Cal Grant GPA Verification form; or, 2. A California Dream Act Application and a Cal Grant GPA Verification form.
This is a diagram which shows the types of aid you may qualify for based on the application(s) submitted. Make sure you identify which applications you qualify for based on the criteria detailed below.
FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)
In order to file a FAFSA application
, you must:
-
Be a high school graduate or equivalent
-
Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
-
Have a valid Social Security Number (SSN)
-
Be registered with Selective Service
, if you are male between ages 18-26
CA DREAM ACT (CDA) APPLICATION
In order to file a CA Dream Act Application
, you:
-
Must be an AB540 student
-
CA High School graduate or equivalent
-
Attended CA High School for minimum of 3 years
-
If attended less than 3 years, MUST have earned 3 years worth of credit AND
-
Attended a CA elementary and secondary school for a total of 3 years
-
-
Enrolled at a public CA college
-
File an affidavit with college certifying that they have or will file to legalize immigration status, if student does not currently have lawful immigration status (At CSUF this is done with Admissions and Records
by submitting the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption Request Form and the CSU Residency Questionaire
).
-
-
Do not have a valid SSN or have a temporary SSN issued through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
-
Be registered with Selective Service
, if you are male between ages 18-26
CAL GRANT
In order to be considered for a Cal Grant award
, you:
-
Must file either a FAFSA application
or CA Dream Act application
by the priority filing date -
Be a California Resident or have AB540 status
-
File a GPA Verification form
completed by your high school or college if you’ve earned 24 units -
Meet the income/asset ceilings defined by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC)
annually
