Cal Grant A assists with tuition and fees at public and independent colleges, and some occupational and career colleges. At the University of California and the California State University, the award covers up to full system-wide fees. Your coursework must be for at least two academic years.

There are two Cal Grant A awards: Entitlement and Competitive. There is also a Cal Grant A award for students transferring from a California Community College to a four-year college.

• Students who meet all the Cal Grant eligibility requirements, have at least a 3.0 grade point average, and apply by March 2 either of the year they graduate from high school or the following year are guaranteed a Cal Grant A. Students awarded an Entitlement Cal Grant A must confirm their high school graduation at www.webgrants4students.org before funds can be disbursed.
• The Cal Grant A Entitlement award provides for tuition and fees at the California State University and the University of California, as well as tuition support at participating independent colleges and universities and career colleges.
• For year 2012-13, a Cal Grant A pays $12,192 at the University of California, $5,970 at California State University, and $9,223 at non-public colleges.

• Students who are not eligible for a Cal Grant A or B Entitlement award may compete for a Cal Grant A or B Competitive award.
• Cal Grant Competitive awards are the same as a Cal Grant Entitlement awards, except that they are not guaranteed.
• Each year, 22,500 Cal Grant Competitive awards are available. Of these, 11,250 are for students who do not qualify for a Cal Grant Entitlement award, but who otherwise meet the Cal Grant requirements and apply by March 2.
• The remaining 11,250 awards are set aside for eligible California Community College students who meet the September 2 deadline.

If you receive a Cal Grant A but attend a California Community College first, your award will be reserved for up to three years until you transfer to a four-year college, if you continue to qualify. If you list a California Community College before a four-year California college on your FAFSA, it will be assumed the community college is your first choice. If you receive a Cal Grant A, it will be placed in reserve for your first year unless you transfer to a tuition or fee-charging college and activate your award. When you transfer, be sure to let your school know you have a reserve grant.

• California Community College students who meet all the Cal Grant eligibility requirements, have at least a 2.4 community college GPA, and meet the awards additional requirements (listed below) are guaranteed a Cal Grant to attend a four-year college.
• To qualify, students also must have graduated from a California high school after June 30, 2000, have been a California resident at the time they graduated and be under the age of 28 as of December 31 of the year in which they first receive an award.
• In addition, students can not have received a Cal Grant within a year of graduating from high school.

Cal Grant B

Cal Grant B provides a living allowance and tuition and fee assistance for low-income students. Awards for most first-year students are limited to an allowance for books and living expenses. When renewed or awarded beyond the freshman year, the award also helps pay for tuition and fees. The awards for tuition and fees are the same as those for Cal Grant A. For Cal Grant B, your coursework must be for at least one academic year.

There are two types of Cal Grant B awards: Entitlement and Competitive. There is also a Cal Grant B award for students transferring from a California Community College to a four-year college.

• Students who meet all the Cal Grant eligibility requirements, and have at least a 2.0 GPA and apply by March 2 of the year they graduate from high school or the following year are guaranteed a Cal Grant B. Students awarded an Entitlement Cal Grant B must confirm their high school graduation at www.webgrants4students.org before funds can be disbursed.
• The Cal Grant B Entitlement award provides up to $1,473 for books and living expenses for students in their first year of college.
• For the second and subsequent years, the award also provides for tuition and fees at the California State University and the University of California., as well as tuition support at participating independent colleges and universities and career colleges.

• Students who are not eligible for a Cal Grant A or B Entitlement award may compete for a Cal Grant A or B Competitive award.
• Cal Grant Competitive awards are the same as a Cal Grant Entitlement awards, except that they are not guaranteed.
• Each year, 22,500 Cal Grant Competitive awards are available. Of these, 11,250 are for students who do not qualify for a Cal Grant Entitlement award, but who otherwise meet the Cal Grant requirements and apply by March 2.
• The remaining 11,250 awards are set aside for eligible California Community College students who meet the September 2 deadline.

• California Community College students who meet all the Cal Grant eligibility requirements, have at least a 2.4 community college GPA, and meet the awards additional requirements (listed below) are guaranteed a Cal Grant to attend a four-year college.
• To qualify, students also must have graduated from a California high school after June 30, 2000, have been a California resident at the time they graduated and be under the age of 28 as of December 31 of the year in which they first receive an award.
• In addition, students can not have received a Cal Grant within a year of graduating from high school.

Cal Grant C

Cal Grant C awards assist with tuition and training costs for occupational, technical, and vocational programs. The award includes up to $547 for books, tools and equipment — and up to $2,462 more for tuition and fees if you’ll be attending a school other than a California Community College (community colleges don’t charge tuition and your fees will be waived as a Cal Grant recipient). Funding is available for up to two years, depending on the length of the program. To qualify, you must enroll in an occupational, technical, or vocational program that is at least four months long at a California Community College, an independent college, or a vocational/career school. Even though a GPA is not required to apply for a Cal Grant C, you are still encouraged to submit yours because it can only help your chances of receiving an award.

In order to determine an applicant’s eligibility for a Cal Grant C, additional information must be provided on the Cal Grant C Supplement form. Supplements are scored based on your work experience, educational history, vocational aptitude, and occupational goal (see Senate Bill 451 info below).

Only if you are potentially eligible for the award will you receive an e-mail or letter notification and access to complete the online Cal Grant C Supplement in WebGrants for Students. You will have 30 days from the date of notification to complete this form. If you are unable to complete the Cal Grant C Supplement online, a paper copy of the form is available at http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=80. The paper Supplement must be completed and submitted to the California Student Aid Commission by the deadline.

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

Priority Occupations Established Under Senate Bill 451

Senate Bill (SB) 451 requires the California Student Aid Commission (Commission) to give "priority" in granting Cal Grant C awards to students pursuing occupational or technical training in areas that meet two of the following three criteria: high employment need, high employment growth, and high wage.

Through extensive consultation with the Employment Development Department (EDD) and its subsidiary, Labor Market Information Data Library (LMID), the Director at the Center for Strategic Economic Research, and the Dean of the Industry Partnership Practices Unit at the Community College Chancellor’s Office, the Commission used the occupational data and projections to determine which occupations met the requirements set forth by SB 451.

Students who select a priority occupation on the Cal Grant C Supplement Form (in WebGrants for Students or on the paper form) will receive 35 additional points in the scoring criteria.