For additional information on program requirements, refer to the specific financial aid programs below:
As a first-year student, your enrollment fees may be covered for up to two school years if you meet the following requirements:
Once you submit your completed FAFSA/DAA and high school GPA you will be considered for the appropriate Cal Grant award based on GPA, financial need and college of attendance.
The Student Success Completion Grant #1 is awarded to students who receive a Cal Grant B or C award. You must be in full-time (12+) units to be eligible for the Student Success Completion Grant 1. The grant will be disbursed along with the Cal Grant.
The Student Success Completion Grant #2 is awarded to students who receive a Cal Grant B or C award. You must be in full-time (15+) units to be eligible for the Student Success Completion Grant 2. The grant will be disbursed along with the Cal Grant.
Students who are not eligible for the Cal Grant Entitlement Awards may be eligible for a Competitive Award:
This is a competitive award and limited to 25,750 awards each academic year. Students who are awarded a competitive award must claim their awards electronically using WebGrants for Students. Students are selected for this award based on information from their FAFSA and their GPA. These awards are not currently available to Dream Applicants.Students are scored based on information provided on their FAFSA and their GPA. Scoring components include: GPA, parent education level, access equalizer, student or parent household status, family income and household size.12,875 competitive awards are offered to students who meet the March 2 filing deadline. 12,875 competitive awards are offered to students who are enrolled at a California Community College for the fall term and have a GPA reported by the September 2 filing deadline.
Not a US Citizen or Permanent resident? Want to apply for financial aid, but cannot apply for federal aid due to your immigration status? Have you attended a California High School for three full years and graduated from a California High School or received your GED or passed the high school equivalency exam in California? You may be eligible for state financial aid under the California Dream Act. Read on!
Did you graduate in 2022 but were not awarded a Cal Grant? Complete a 2022-2023 Dream Act Application and check with your high school to verify your GPA was submitted. Both should be submitted by March 2nd to be considered for your high school entitlement Cal Grant.
Complete a 2022-2023 Dream Act Application for a Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver and for a Cal Grant Entitlement Award. For more information, read on and visit www.caldreamact.org.
Until the passage of the Dream Act, students who are not US Citizens or Permanent Residents were not eligible for federal, state or college funded financial aid. Under this law, students who qualify under AB 540 criteria may now be eligible for certain types of financial aid. The CA Dream Act Application (CADA) is used to determine a student's eligibility for need-based financial aid. For detailed information on the California Dream Act, please visit http://csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp. Additional information is also available in UC Santa Barbara's California Dream Application Tutorial.
The Dream Act is really two laws that were passed in 2011 and allow AB 540 students to apply for and receive several types of financial aid, including:
Check with your college financial aid, scholarship, EOPS/CARE and CalWORKs offices to see what is available.
The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is a comprehensive program that actively assists students pursuing academic and vocational goals that require additional financial and academic assistance. Below are a list of services provided to eligible students.
The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) is a partnership between Madera College and Fresno County Employment & Temporary Assistance (E&TA). Fresno County Department of Social Services provide services to people on cash aid who qualify for the program. Eligibility is determined by Fresno County E&TA. CalWORKs participants attend an orientation conducted by the CalWORKs staff. Students will receive information about the requirements and expectations. At that time, an appointment is scheduled with a CalWORKs counselor. The counselor will assist the student with registering for school, determining a class schedule, and providing support and guidance through the academic experience. Students are required to meet with the CalWORKs counselor at least once every semester to maintain eligibility.
