FAFSA vs CSAC grants for California students - Do I need both applications?

Yes, California has state-specific grants administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). The main one is the Cal Grant program. You need to submit BOTH the FAFSA AND the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) if you're undocumented, plus make sure your GPA verification form gets submitted to CSAC by March 2nd. The Cal Grants can provide thousands in aid depending on your financial need and what college you attend.

nah bro its simple. fafsa if ur a citizen, CADAA if ur not. both go to csac for calgrants. ur school sends ur gpa automatically usually

To clarify what others have said: If you're a US citizen or eligible non-citizen, you only need to complete the FAFSA - not the CADAA. The CADAA is specifically for undocumented students who can't file FAFSA. For the GPA verification, most high schools electronically submit student GPAs directly to CSAC, but it's worth checking with your registrar to confirm. You can also create an account on the CSAC WebGrants portal (mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov) to monitor if your GPA was received. Cal Grants include types A, B, and C with different eligibility requirements, and there's also the Middle Class Scholarship for families making under $217,000. The March 2nd priority deadline is crucial for all of these programs.

I HATE how confusing they make all this!!! 😡 My daughter missed out on a Cal Grant last year because nobody told us about the GPA verification thing and her school apparently "forgot" to send it. By the time we figured it out the deadline was passed. Make SURE your school sent your GPA to CSAC!!!

When I applied for financial aid in California I had to use Claimyr.com to get through to CSAC because their phone lines were always busy or disconnecting me. It's a service that holds your place in the queue and calls you when an agent is available. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. CSAC confirmed my GPA was missing and told me exactly what forms my counselor needed to submit before the deadline. Saved me from missing out on $5500 in Cal Grant money.

does anyone know if youre still eligible for cal grants if you already got a pell grant? i got pell on my fafsa and wondering if thats the same thing as the cal grants or if i can get both?

Actually it's not as complicated as it might seem. For most California students, the process flows like this: 1. Submit your FAFSA before March 2nd (priority deadline) 2. Make sure your school submits your GPA verification to CSAC (also by March 2nd) 3. Create a WebGrants account at mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov to monitor your status 4. Check if you've been awarded Cal Grants once notifications go out Besides Cal Grants, there's also the Chafee Grant (for former foster youth), the Middle Class Scholarship, and various institutional grants. Each college also has their own supplemental forms for school-specific aid, so check with each school you apply to. The CADAA is ONLY for undocumented students who cannot file a FAFSA due to citizenship status.

One more important thing - the Cal Grant amounts vary significantly depending on which school you attend. For example, Cal Grant A covers full tuition and fees at UC schools (up to $13,146), but much less at CSU schools (up to $5,742), and even less at community colleges. Private colleges have different amounts too. So your financial aid package will look very different depending on where you decide to go.

Just wanted to add that if you're applying to private colleges in California, you might also want to look into the Cal Grant B option. While Cal Grant A covers tuition/fees, Cal Grant B gives you a living allowance ($1,648) plus tuition coverage after your first year. For students with very low family income, Cal Grant B can actually provide more total aid over four years than Cal Grant A, especially at expensive private schools. The system automatically determines which grant type gives you the most money, but it's worth understanding the difference when planning your college budget!

Just to add one more perspective as someone who went through this process recently - don't panic if you see conflicting information online about deadlines! The March 2nd deadline is the PRIORITY deadline for Cal Grants, meaning you get first consideration for funding. But CSAC does accept applications after March 2nd on a funds-available basis until September 2nd. Obviously you want to hit that March deadline, but if something goes wrong with your GPA verification or FAFSA, you're not completely out of luck. I had issues with my school's GPA submission and still got awarded a Cal Grant B in late April. The key is to keep following up and don't give up!