Financial Aid - How to Pay for College

CLICK HERE FOR FINANCIAL AID PRESENTATION SLIDES (Oct 2025)

Financial Aid includes all the different sources of money that help you pay for college, excluding the amount your family actually pays. Financial aid, which can be “need-based” or “non-need based,” can be given to you from the government, the college you’re going to, or private sources:

  • GRANTS: This is completely FREE money for college that you don't have to repay and are typically based on financial need (per your FAFSA or the CSS Profile Form). They are given by the federal/state government as well as colleges.

  • SCHOLARSHIPS:  Also FREE money for college, and often based on things like having good grades, athletic, musical or other special talents, leadership, community service, a community you belong to, and financial need. They are given by local, state or national private organizations such as PTSAs, Afro-American Cultural & Historical Society, Chinese Service Club, Rotary Club, United Negro College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, etc.

  • WORK STUDY:  A government program that allows you to earn money during college by working. You get paid directly like any other job, so you can choose to use it to pay for tuition or any other expenses. Some jobs on campus will be only for work-study students.

  • LOANS:  This is BORROWED money that you have to pay back WITH INTEREST (this is really important to note!) You will have to pay all the loan money back in ADDITION to the interest, so be really careful of private loans with high interest rates.

For more details, read this Federal Student Aid document Do You Need Money for College or Career School? (studentaid.gov)

Here is a helpful Financial Aid Overview video for California seniors: 2024-25 Cash for College Pre-recorded Webinar by California Student Aid Commission

Calculate How Much Financial Aid You Might Get

Before you complete the FAFSA form, the Federal Student Aid Estimator can give you an early estimate of your Student Aid Index (SAI), a number that colleges use to determine how student aid you’d be eligible for. The equation is College’s Cost of Attendance (COA) - SAI = Financial Need.

But for a more exact amount that you’d be expected to pay, you should check the individual college’s Net Price Calculator. The College Board website has links to each school’s NPC.

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/get-started/net-price-calculator

UC Financial Aid Calculators - These calculators are quick and let you estimate the amounts and types of financial aid you MIGHT get from the different UCs. However, they may not be the exact amounts as a lot will depend on how much total funding they have to give that year and how many students need it.

Estimate your aid | UC Admissions (universityofcalifornia.edu)

Financial Aid Forms

As a 2025-26 high school senior applying to start college in the fall of 2026, you will be filling out the 2026–2027 FAFSA which comes out OCTOBER 1st, 2025.

Financial aid is first come, first served, so make sure you submit your FAFSA application as soon as you have your college list narrowed down. Before December 31st would be ideal.

If you are applying Early Decision/Early Action (November 1st deadline) to private universities, some may require the FAFSA sooner, so be sure to check their website.

Even if you don’t think you’re eligible for aid, it’s highly recommende to complete the FAFSA as some colleges require it to be considered for merit aid as well as some private scholarships. Even if you decide to attend a community college, you might be able to use the funds later for transferring to the CSU or UC.

STARTING YOUR FAFSA FORM

The 2026-2027 FAFSA application is now open! To get started:

1. Create an FSA ID (studentaid.gov account): Go to https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch to create your FSA ID. Then, ONE parent/guardian will need to create their own FSA (Federal Student Aid) ID#. These usernames/passwords are needed for starting and signing your FAFSA form. If you have trouble getting your FSA ID, here is the CSAC User Reference Guide.

2. Before starting, it’s a good idea to gather the info you need for you and your parent including

  • Tax Forms: Your and your parents’ federal income tax returns and W-2s from last year (if you are a 2025-26 high school senior, you’d need tax forms from 2024).

  • Financial Records: Info on cash, savings, checking accounts, and investments.

  • Social Security Numbers: Required for you and your parent(s).

3. Complete Your FAFSA - View this pdf FAFSA Presentation

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If you are Undocumented..

California Dream Act Application (CADAA) is for California undocumented students applying for financial aid (instead of the FAFSA).
Students who meet the following requirements are eligible to pay in-state tuition at CSUs, UCs, and California Community Colleges:

(1) Attended high school in California for three or more years,

(2) Graduated from a California high school, passed the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE), or earned a General Equivalency Diploma (GED),

(3) Enrolled in an accredited and qualified California college or university, and

(4) If applicable in the case of a person without lawful immigration status, the filing of an affidavit with the institution of higher education stating that the student has filed an application to legalize his or her immigration status, or will file an application as soon as he or she is eligible to do so.

California Dream Act FAQ's for Students and Parents.PDF

California Nonresident Tuition Exemption - California Student Aid Commission

Financial Aid and Undocumented Students (studentaid.gov)

March 2nd is the deadline for FINANCIAL AID from the state of California (Cal Grant & CADAA)!

CAL GRANT:

The Cal Grant is a grant (as in FREE money!) for California students specifically. The amount you get is based on your FAFSA or CADAA form (if you are undocumented), so you do NOT have to fill out any new application! Just be sure to complete the FAFSA or CADAA by the March 2nd deadline, and ensure your school submits your GPA to complete your application. After you’re done, you should create an account at WebGrants4Students (https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/) to check your Cal Grant status.

 

CSS PROFILE FORM:

The CSS Profile form is another form that some private colleges will ask you to fill out in addition to the FAFSA so they can get more personal info from you (like home equity and retirement savings), in addition to what you already entered on the FAFSA. These colleges use it to help determine how much to give you from their own school’s financial aid. Around 200 colleges use this form, so be sure to check each college’s website to see if it's required.
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