This page will help you understand your financial aid award at Delta College, and how it is calculated. We’ll walk through each part of your offer and explain what it means in simple, easy-to-read language.
Key things to know
- Fall and Spring Only: Your award letter only shows Fall and Spring. Summer aid will be added after you register for summer classes.
- Is Your Residency or Program Wrong? You must contact Admissions & Records to get this fixed.
- CCPG is a Tuition Waiver: The California College Promise Grant (CCPG) pays your tuition. It is not real money and does not give you a refund.
- SAI Between 0 and -1500? You may qualify for EOPS — a support program for students with low income. Complete the application!
- Work Study = Job, Not Cash: If you're awarded Federal Work-Study, you must work to earn that money. It won’t show as a refund.
- Work Study Students: Apply for CalFresh! If you qualify for Work-Study, you may also qualify for
- CalFresh: a program that gives you money for groceries. Apply today.
How are student budgets established?
In order to promote equity and inclusion among our student populations, budgets have been established and are applied to all applicants. This means that all students with similar circumstances will receive the same allowance for registration fees, books, supplies, rent, food, transportation, and personal expenses, regardless of being a financial aid recipient or not. Exceptions may be made to the budget in cases where special needs can be shown and documented.
2025-2026 9-Month Student Budgets
| COA Component | CA Resident with Parents | CA Resident Off-Campus | Non-Resident With Parents | Non-Resident Off-Campus | International Students | VA - Chap. 33 With Parents | VA - Chap. 33 Off-Campus | Costs Payable to the School vs. Costs Paid to Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment Fee | $1,104 | $1,104 | $9,696 | $9,696 | $9,696 | $1,104 | $1,104 | School |
| Student Fee | $76 | $76 | $76 | $76 | $76 | $76 | $76 | School |
| Books and Supplies | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Others |
| Food | $9,315 | $9,315 | $9,315 | $9,315 | $9,315 | $9,315 | $9,315 | Others |
| Housing | $8,550 | $17,100 | $8,550 | $17,100 | $17,100 | Others | ||
| Transportation | $1,791 | $1,962 | $1,791 | $1,962 | $1,962 | $1,791 | $1,962 | Others |
| Personal/Misc | $4,059 | $4,968 | $4,059 | $4,968 | $4,968 | $4,059 | $4,968 | Others |
| International-Mandatory Medical Insurance | $1,000 | Others | ||||||
| Totals | $26,895 | $36,525 | $35,487 | $45,117 | $46,117 | $18,345 | $19,425 |
2025-2026 Summer Budget
| COA Component | CA Resident with Parents | CA Resident Off-Campus | Non-Resident Off-Campus | Non-Resident Off-Campus | International Students | VA - Chap. 33 With Parents | VA - Chap. 33 Off-Campus | Costs Payable to the School vs. Costs Paid to Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment Fee | $276 | $276 | $2,562 | $2,562 | $2,562 | $276 | $276 | School |
| Student Fee | $68 | $68 | $68 | $68 | $68 | $68 | $68 | School |
| Books and Supplies | $500 | $500 | $500 | $500 | $500 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Others |
| Food | $2,070 | $2,070 | $2,070 | $2,070 | $2,070 | $2,070 | $2,070 | Others |
| Housing | $1,900 | $3,800 | $1,900 | $3,800 | $3,800 | Others | ||
| Transportation | $400 | $436 | $400 | $436 | $436 | $400 | $436 | Others |
| Personal/Misc | $902 | $1,104 | $902 | $1,104 | $1,104 | $902 | $1,104 | Others |
| International - Mandatory Medical Insurance | Others | |||||||
| Totals | $6,116 | $8,254 | $8,402 | $10,540 | $10,540 | $5,716 | $5,954 |
2026-2027 9-Month Student Budget
| COA Component | Dependent With Parents | Independent Off-Campus | Costs Payable to the School vs. Costs Paid to Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment Fee | $1,104 | $1,104 | School |
| Student Fee | $76 | $76 | School |
| Books and Supplies | $3,000 | $3,000 | Others |
| Food | $9,720 | $9,720 | Others |
| Housing | $10,550 | $21,000 | Others |
| Transportation | $2,727 | $5,463 | Others |
| Personal/Misc | $4,059 | $4,968 | Others |
| Totals | $31,236 | $45,331 |
2026-2027 Summer Budget
| COA Component | Dependent With Parents | Independent Off-Campus | Costs Payable to the School vs. Costs Paid to Others |
| Enrollment Fee | $276 | $276 | School |
| Student Fee | $0 | $0 | School |
| Books and Supplies | $750 | $750 | Others |
| Food | $2,700 | $2,700 | Others |
| Housing | $2,915 | $5,830 | Others |
| Transportation | $759 | $1,518 | Others |
| Personal/Misc | $1,132 | $1,380 | Others |
| Totals | $8,532 | $12,454 |
Resident and Out-of-State Tuition
- Resident Enrollment Fee is $46 per unit.
- Out of State Enrollment Fee is $312 per unit, plus $46 per unit enrollment fee. Tuition for out of state students is higher. See fees/tuition information for the current semester on the Admissions and Records website.
Student Fees
Student fees are covered by financial aid.
Mustang Fee = $10
The Mustang Pass is your official campus ID card. By paying the $10.00 Student Activity each fall and spring semester you are eligible to receive a Mustang Pass or new validation sticker. With your Mustang Pass, you get instant access to free campus events, promotional giveaways, services and discounts at the bookstore and cafeteria.
Student Representation Fee = $2
Provides support for students or representatives who state positions and viewpoints before the city, county, and district governments, and before offices and agencies of the state and the federal government. A student may, for religious, political, financial, or moral reasons, decline to pay the $2 fee.
Health Service Fee = $26
This fee provides our Delta students access to Health Services, prevention services, health education, disabled student support, mental health, and telehealth to provide the same health services to our online Delta students.
VA Students Receiving BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing)
- Per federal regulations, students receiving BAH through their Chapter 33 military benefit have their cost for housing excluded from their Cost of Attendance budget, since this expense is being paid for from a third-party source.
Additional Cost of Attendance Components
These fees may be added to the Student Budget if required for the student's course of study. These fees are automatically assessed to a student's COA during their last semester here at Delta College. This is determined by the date the student petitions for graduation. These are the following programs with fees:
- Application Fee = $50 for international students ONLY
- Course Audit Fee = $15 for each course audited by a student
- Federal Student Loan Fee = $98, applied to federal loan borrowers
- Nursing = $500 licensure and certification fee
- Early Childhood Education = $90 licensure and certification fee
- POST = supplies and gear
Dependent/Child Care & Student with Dependents Expenses
- May be added to the Student Budget upon submission of appropriate written documentation to the Financial Aid Office, and if those expenses exceed the are greater than what has been accounted for in the existing COA.
Increased Medical and/or Disabled Student Expenses
- These items may be added to a Student Budget for services and equipment, NOT covered by assisting agencies and/or existing Insurance coverage, upon submission of appropriate written documentation to the Financial Aid Office.
Transportation Costs
- May be adjusted for those out-of-state students who need to travel home during holiday breaks.
Understanding Your Award Notice
Each award letter is broken down into sections. Here’s what each one means — and which policy it follows:
| Section Title | What It Means | Related Financial Aid Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated School Costs | Tuition and fees charged by Delta | Cost of Attendance (COA) Policy |
| Grants & Scholarships | Free money you don’t have to pay back | Packaging Policy |
| Student Loans | Money you borrow and must repay later | Loan Default Management Plan |
| Federal Work Study | Part-time job where you earn money while going to school | Federal Work-Study (FWS) Policy |
| Estimated Remaining Costs | What your aid doesn’t cover | Packaging Policy |
| Cost of Attendance (COA) | The full estimate of college costs (housing, food, supplies, etc.) | COA Policy |
| Student Aid Index (SAI) | A number from your FAFSA that helps decide how much aid you can get | Student Eligibility Policy |
| Unmet Need | The leftover cost after subtracting your financial aid | Packaging Policy |
What you need to do!
We know this is a lot of information! In the end, to get your funds, here's what you need to know and do:
- All your financial aid funds are first applied to your current Delta College charges (like tuition and fees). If there’s money left, it may be used to cover prior-year balances within federal limits.
- Any remaining funds will be sent to BankMobile, our refund partner. They’ll notify you when your refund is ready.
- Check MyDelta regularly to track your award.
- Click “Edit” to accept or reject each award before funds are disbursed.
- Pell Grants are paid in two parts each term.
- Other aid is paid in one single disbursement per term.
Financial Aid Glossary
Need some help understanding financial aid lingo? We've got you covered!
- Award Notification – A letter that shows how much financial aid you’re getting.
- Admissions & Records – Office that handles your student info, including program and residency status.
- CCPG (California College Promise Grant) – Waives your tuition if you're eligible. This is not cash and will not be refunded.
- CalFresh – A California program that gives qualifying students money for food.
- COA (Cost of Attendance) – The estimated cost to attend San Joaquin Delta College for one academic year (usually 9 months). It includes both direct costs (like tuition and student fees you pay to the college) and indirect costs (like books, supplies, housing, food, transportation, and personal expenses). Delta College builds these budgets based on guidelines from the California Student Aid Commission, state data, and local cost-of-living averages. Costs vary based on whether you live with parents, off campus, or are an out-of-state or international student. Summer costs are calculated separately and only included once you enroll in summer classes.
- The COA is not an actual bill — it’s a planning tool used to figure out how much financial aid you can receive.
- Disbursement – When financial aid is paid out to your student account or as a refund.
- EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) – A support program for students with low income that offers extra money and help.
- FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – The form you fill out to apply for federal and state financial aid.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) – A job that lets you earn money while you're in school. You must work to get the money. - Grant – Free money for school that you don’t pay back.
- Loan – Money you borrow that you must pay back with interest.
- MyDelta – Your student portal where you check financial aid, classes, messages, and more.
- Program of Study – Your major or certificate program. Must be correct for you to get financial aid.
- Residency – Your California residency status. It affects your tuition and aid. Mistakes must be corrected by Admissions & Records.
- SAI (Student Aid Index) – A number from your FAFSA that shows your family’s ability to help with college costs.
- SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) – The grades and pace you must keep to stay eligible for aid.
- Scholarship – Free money for school that you earn by applying.
- Tuition & Fees – What the school charges you directly to attend classes.
- Unmet Need – What’s left to pay after subtracting all your aid from your total college costs.
- Verification – A process where you may be asked to prove the info on your FAFSA is correct.