Cal Grants

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) awards Cal Grants to qualified California residents who meet minimum GPA requirements and demonstrate financial eligibility as determined by the FAFSA. Authorization to disburse Cal Grants is dependent on the governor signing the state budget and payment being sent by CSAC to CSU, Chico.

New Students
Continuing Students
Information Changes
Types of Cal Grants

New Students Application Process

High school seniors:

1. Apply for Cal Grants by filing a FAFSA between January 1 and March 2 of your senior year.
2. GPA verification - March 2 is also the GPA verification deadline for new Cal Grant applicants. Students, who are new to CSU, Chico and have fewer than 24 college units, must contact their previous school (high school or former college) to have GPA verification sent to CSAC (see below).
3. Confirmation of high school graduation required. Cal Grant Entitlement participants must confirm their high school graduation before being awarded. Students may use WebGrants for Students (WGS) to do this (see below).

Continuing Students

For CSU, Chico, continuing students and transfers with 24 units or more, GPA verifications are sent automatically. Cal Grants will be renewed routinely each year for students who meet the basic requirements and who maintain financial aid eligibility, based on their FAFSA information. A FAFSA renewal must be filed for each year.

Information Changes, Including for New Transfers:

CSAC requires notification of the following changes:

• Name
• Social security number
• Address
• School
• Leave of absence

Use the WebGrants for Students CSAC Web site

Most changes can be made online:

You can monitor and manage your Cal Grant 24/7 by using WebGrants for Students. School changes, address changes, and leave of absence requests can all be made online at WebGrants. To confirm graduation status, access the High School Graduation screen which is accessible from the Web Grants menu.

Paper form required for the following:

Name and Social Security number changes must be made on a Grant Record Change Form (PDF), which may be downloaded and returned to CSAC.

Types of Cal Grants

Cal Grant A

Cal Grant A is awarded to undergraduates with verified GPA eligibility whose family income and assets fall within the ceilings established by CSAC. At public colleges such as CSU, Chico, Cal Grant A provides assistance with the state university fee and is available for up to eight semesters for a bachelor’s degree. Cal Grant A may be extended for an additional year for students pursuing a teaching credential or who are in a designated five-year program.

Cal Grant B

Cal Grant B provides low-income students with assistance with the state university fee and is available for up to eight semesters for a bachelor's degree. Cal Grant B may be extended for an additional year for students pursuing a teaching credential or who are in a designated five-year program. Cal Grant B also provides a living allowance of up to $1473 for books and living expenses.

Additional Information

To learn more about the Cal Grant Program, visit the CSAC web site.

CSAC Contact Information 888-224-7268, option 2 http://www.csac.ca.gov

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