Financial Aid Grants

Once a file is complete, Cal Grant will be packaged as an estimated status and will be updated to accepted status once the disbursement date comes and students meet all eligibility criteria.

Cal Grant awards can only be released once the fiscal’s year budget has been passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. Cal Grant refund dates are pre-scheduled prior to the academic year starts.

Cal Grant is disbursed once per semester for Fall and Spring ONLY and after the institution’s census date for full length courses. Students must maintain enrollment in at least 6-plus Title IV units at the time Cal Grant funding is disbursed. To receive the maximum award, students must enroll full time.

The first Cal Grant disbursement will occur four weeks into the term and is based on the active enrollment status at the time of disbursement. After the first disbursement, the Cal Grant will be disbursed biweekly throughout the term as students become eligible for the funds.

For disbursement made after term completion, the award will be based on the number of units completed for the term including Fs and Is.

As a new Cal Grant A/B recipient, you may receive up to the equivalent of four years of full-time grant payments if you are a first-time college student. The duration of your eligibility may be adjusted based on the education level listed on your application.

Your education level is determined below:

• Freshman: A student who has earned 0 to 29.5 units;
• Sophomore: A student who has earned 30 units or more

Cal Grant C recipient can receive up to two years of full-time grant payments.

Refunds are applied directly toward your account balance and a credit balance will be transferred to BankMobile.

Cal Grant funding is limited to four academic years. In order to graduate in four years, you must complete 15 units or more per semester or the equivalent quarter units. Create a plan with your academic counselor to ensure you will graduate in four years.

Note: Cal Grant award amounts are disbursed based on the number of units you are actively attending at the time of the Institutional Census date

You must:

• Submit the FAFSA or CADAA application and your verified Cal Grant GPA by the deadline
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen or meet AB540 eligibility criteria
• Be a California resident for 1 year
• Attend a qualifying California college
• Not have a bachelor’s or professional degree
• Have financial need at the college of your choice
• Have family income and assets below the minimum levels
• Be enrolled or plan to enroll in a program leading to an undergraduate degree or certificate
• Be enrolled or plan to enroll at least half time
• Not owe a refund on any state or federal grant or be in default on a student loan
• Not be incarcerated
• Maintain the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards as established by the school. 

Recipients who do not meet the standards are ineligible for Cal Grant payment and will not use eligibility during the terms they are ineligible for payment.

• Complete and submit the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For a Cal Grant, the FAFSA must be completed and filed with the federal processor by March 2* of each year.
• File a verified grade point average (GPA) with the California Student Aid Commission by no later than March 2*.
• DACA/Undocumented students who meet AB540 requirements must complete the CA Dream Act Application by March 2 deadline. 

Once you submit your completed FAFSA/CADAA and high school/college GPA, CSAC will consider you for the appropriate Cal Grant award based on GPA, financial need and college of attendance.

*Missed the March 2 deadline? There is a secondary deadline for a new Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award is for students attending California Community College . Submit the GPA and FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application before the September 2 deadline to be considered for this specific Cal Grant.

GPA Submission

It is the student's responsibility to ensure GPA was submitted by the deadline. Students can check on the status by creating an account on www.csac.ca.gov "WebGrants for Students" to confirm GPA was received at least 2 weeks before the deadline.

Delta College submits GPA electrically at least 2 weeks before the deadline if you meet all of these requirements:

• You have provided a valid Social Security Numbers to Admissions and Records prior to the date the school submit the GPA verification (not required for undocumented students*); and
• You have completed at least 24 degree applicable/transferable credits at Delta College (considered for Entitlement and Competitive Cal Grants) or 16 degree applicable/transferable credits at Delta College but less than 24 credits (considered for Competitive Cal Grant B only); and
• You have completed at least one semester at Delta College within the past 5 years.

Note: GPA verification for student without SSN will be submitted separately if the student meets units requirements. DACA students who provided DACA SSN or any student who has submitted an invalid SSN must check in with the school to have GPA submitted manually before the deadlines.

If you do not have enough credits at Delta College, but have previously attended other colleges, you must confirm whether your prior school will file your GPA for you, or obtain a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form, get it certified by a school official at your prior college, and mail it yourself.

Seniors in high school or one year out of high school students should check with your high school for GPA submission.

Submitting all the required items does not mean you are guaranteed to receive a Cal Grant. Your eligibility will be determined by the California Student Aid Commission after the required items have received. Please visit California Student Aid Commission web page to learn more about the process and requirements at www.calgrants.org.

Students' files must be completed before their aid can be determined and packaged.

• If a file is selected for verification by the Department of Education (FAFSA)/CSAC (DACAA), the student will need to complete all assigned tasks on their Student Form account and their assigned case manager must verify all information and make any necessary corrections before completing the file.
• If a file is not selected but there is conflicting information, financial aid specialists will need to resolve any conflicting information by assigning additional tasks on the Student Form account.
• If a file is not selected and no conflicting information, the file will be flagged completed by default and will be packaged automatically.
• For Dream Act students, in addition to completing verification through their Student Forms account (if selected), the student must file an AB540 affidavit with Admissions and Records

If you meet all requirements, the award will be posted on your My Delta, under "Offer Letter."

A Cal Grant award is money for college which students will not need to repay. 

To qualify, students must meet specific eligibility and financial requirements, as well as any GPA requirements. Eligibility is based on the student's FAFSA responses, their verified Cal Grant GPA, their residency, and whether they're a recent high school graduate or not. 

There are three types of Cal Grants: 

• Cal Grant A: Cal Grant A award is not available at California Community College (CCC). If you receive Cal Grant A but decide to attend CCC, your award will be held up in reserve for up to two years until you transfer to a four-year institution or attend private colleges. Exception: see Students with Dependent Children.
• Cal Grant B: up to $1648 for an access award (living allowance) ONLY to help pay for books, supplies, and other college costs at CCC. The awards are available at CCC as well as UC, CSU and private colleges. The award is higher if you receive it at UC/CSU/Private college (Access Award and Tuition/Fee Assistance starting second year). It is recommended that you save some of your eligibility for use at UC/CSU. You must enroll in a program that requires at least 24 semester credits or more.
• Cal Grant C: up to $1094 for students enroll in an approved Occupational/Technical Program at least 4 months in length to be used to pay for books, supplies, equipment, and other college costs. 

NOTE: Students with dependent children under the age of 18: Cal Grant students who provide more than 50% or more financial support to a dependent child who is less than 18 years old by July 1, 2022 for the 2022-23 award year may be eligible for an access award of up to $6000 for Cal Grant A/B and up to $4000 for Cal Grant C at UC, CSU, and CCC. More information about Cal Grant amounts can be found at csac.ca.gov/post/what-are-cal-grant-award-amounts

After you apply, you can track the status of your Cal Grant application online by using WebGrants for Students. Log on to set up your personal, confidential account.

If you met the Cal Grant application requirements and qualify for a Cal Grant, you’ll receive an award letter, also known as the California Aid Report, or CAR. If you qualify for a Cal Grant Entitlement award and your application was received on time and needs no corrections, you should receive a CAR by the end of March or early April. If you have not heard from the Commission by April 30, please call toll free 888.224.7268 or email studentsupport@csac.ca.gov to check your application.

If you’re applying for a Cal Grant Competitive award (you aren’t a high school senior and you didn’t graduate from high school the previous year or you plan to attend a California Community College and missed the March 2 deadline), you should receive a CAR by the end of May. If you have not heard from the Commission by mid-June, please call toll free 888.224.7268 or email studentsupport@csac.ca.gov to check on the status of your application.

If you’re applying to renew your Cal Grant, you should receive your notification for renewal by mid-July. If you are a renewal Cal Grant student and you have not heard from the Commission by August 1, please call toll free 888.224.7268 or e-mail studentsupport@csac.ca.gov.

Grant C award offers will be made by the end of June.

A Federal Pell Grant is provided by the U.S. Department of Education to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree yet. (In rare cases, students enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certificate program may also qualify for a Pell Grant.) 

Unlike loans, a Pell Grant does not have to be repaid except under certain circumstances. Your eligibility and the amount you'll receive is based on: Your financial need The calculated cost of attendance Your current course load (whether you're going to school full-time or part-time) 

The amount of the award varies every academic year and you cannot receive a Federal Pell Grant award from more than one school at a time. 

A student can receive Federal Pell Grant for no more than six award years (also known as 600%).

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are awarded to undergraduate students in exceptional need of financial aid. Funds for the grant are extremely limited and will only be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis. Pell Grant recipients also take priority.

Senate Bill 840, the 2018 Budget Act education trailer bill, was signed by the Governor on June 15, 2018, and included language initiating a new grant program for Community College students, the Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG). The program consolidated the Full Time Student Success Grant (FTSSG) and the Community College Completion Grant (CCCG). The new SSCG program came with $131 million to augment students receiving a Cal Grant B or C who are enrolled in at least 12 units per term.

The Legislature and Governor sought to simplify and streamline the administration of the program to better serve the needs and interests of full-time students completing their education goals. When implementing the amended provisions, colleges are reminded to honor the intent of this legislation. Amendments include:

• No requirement to monitor a complicated multi-year student education plan
• No specific rules for additional required coursework
• Allows for change of majors and prerequisites
• Simplifies progress made by aligning new program with federal SAP

The intent of the Student Success Completion Grant program (SSCG) is to support student persistence, retention and success by providing full-time and greater than full-time students additional assistance to help them complete their programs timely and to offset the total cost of attending community college. 

1. First we pay all eligible Fall and Spring term students that are actively attending courses in alignment with the same enrollment status determined for Cal Grant eligibility. This means the amount disbursed to a student is based on courses actively attending at the time of institutional census.
2. If a student is attending 12-plus units per semester term, they receive half the award year-based amount of the SSCG or the quarter equivalent (see tables above).
3. After awarding all eligible students during Fall and Spring, a community college may grant additional summer awards to students who take a sufficient number of units during the summer term to bring their total number of academic units to 24 units or more for the academic year.
4. After awarding all eligible students for the Summer term, a community college may grant additional awards to students who take a sufficient number of units of 30 units or more for the academic year

To be eligible to receive SSCG, students must:

• Be enrolled at least full-time
• Receive a Cal Grant B or C award
• Be in compliance with the federal SAP policy
• Be a California resident or exempt from paying nonresident tuition

Academic - Sustain a GPA of 2.0 or higher

If your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 for two consecutive primary terms (fall/spring semesters, or fall/winter/spring quarters), you may lose your eligibility.

Progress - Complete more than 50% of your coursework

If the cumulative number of units you complete is not more than 50% in two consecutive primary terms (fall/spring semesters, or fall/winter/spring quarters), you may lose your eligibility.

Combination of Academic and Progress Standards

Any combination of two consecutive terms of cumulative GPA below 2.0, and/or cumulative unit completion of not more than 50% may result in loss of California College Promise Grant eligibility.

How will I know?

You'll be notified within 30 days of the end of each term if you are being placed on either Academic (GPA) and/or Progress (Course Completion) probation. Your notification will include the information that a second term of probation will result in loss of fee waiver eligibility. After the second consecutive term of probation, you may lose eligibility for the fee waiver at your next registration opportunity.

How to regain eligibility?

If you lose eligibility for the California College Promise Grant, there are a few ways that you can have it reinstated:

• Improve your GPA or course completion measures to meet the academic and progress standards
• Successful appeal regarding extenuating circumstances
• Not attending your school district for two consecutive primary terms (fall/spring semesters, or fall/winter/spring quarters)

The appeals process for extenuating circumstances includes:

• Verified accidents, illness or other circumstances beyond your control
• Changes in economic situation
• Evidence of inability to obtain essential support services
• Special consideration factors for CalWORKs, EOPS, AAC and veteran students
• Disability accommodations not received in a timely manner

Download the Loss of Enrollment Priority and/or California College Promise Grant (BOGW Fee Waiver) Appeal

Please note that foster youth and former foster youth (age 24 years and younger) are not subject to loss of the California College Promise Grant (BOG Fee Waiver) under these regulations. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the financial aid office or the admissions and records office.

2024-2025 California College Promise Grant Income Standards

Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Summer 2025

The following table is a sample of student fees for the 2024-2025 award year that a California College Promise Grant Method B or Method C or Method D fee waiver recipient enrolled Full-Time (12.0 units) may have for a fall or spring term.  

View the current annual cost of attendance.

Cost of Attendance

*Students receiving a Method A Fee Waiver will have the Student Health, Student Center, Student Representative and Parking Permit fees waived. Method A students must pay a $15 Student Support Fee at the time of registration.

Method A

You, or your parents if applicable, must be currently receiving benefits from CalWORKs, TANF, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/SSP, or General Relief. Bring verification of your benefits, dated within the last 60 days, to the Financial Aid Office.

Method B

You, or your parents if applicable, must meet the following income standards for the school year. Your income must be equal to or less than the amount indicated based upon your family household size, as indicated in the table below.  In addition, students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) less than or equal to zero meet the financial eligibility for Method "B".

Method C

You must have already applied for and been determined to have at least $1104 of financial need by filing a FAFSA or the California Dream Application. No California College Promise (BOGW) application is required for a Method "C".

Method D

At the time of enrollment, you must be a homeless youth as defined in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and you must be under 25 years of age. 

• Be a California resident, or have an AB540 status as determined by the Admissions Office and
• Meet the annual qualifying income standards for one of the methods below.
   

How do I Apply?

Complete the application and submit it to the Financial Aid Office.

We will let you know if you qualify for an automatic California College Promise Grant on your Award Notification. Even if you do NOT qualify using the simple method, you should file a FAFSA. Many students do not qualify for a Method A or Method B or Method D, but will qualify for a Method C California College Promise Grant (BOGW) and additional financial aid funds by completing the FAFSA. If you are an undocumented student, you can complete the California Dream Act Application instead of the FAFSA. The Dream Application will gather information about your family's income and assets and will issue you and your college information that will help determine eligibility for the California College Promise Grant.

The California College Promise Grant (CCPG), formerly known as the Board of Governors Enrollment Fee Waiver (BOGW), waives enrollment fees for qualified students for the entire school year. Students may receive a waiver for any number of units, with no minimum. You may qualify if you have some financial need, receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (AFDC/TANF), Supplemental Security Income/SSP or General Assistance and those who meet certain income standards.

The CCPG ONLY waives ENROLLMENT FEES ($46 per unit). You are responsible to pay any fees not covered by your award at the time of registration to avoid being dropped for non-payment.

The CCPG is awarded through Financial Aid. 

Enrollment Fees

The California College Promise Grant ONLY waives ENROLLMENT FEES ($46 per unit). You are responsible to pay any fees not covered by your award at the time of registration to avoid being dropped for non-payment.

Parking

The California College Promise Grant reduces the cost of the PARKING PERMIT down to a maximum of $30.00 per term for Method B or Method C or Method D eligible students. The cost of the PARKING PERMIT is waived for Method A students.