Middle Class Scholarship

The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) provides a scholarship to eligible undergraduate and credential students with family income up to $184,000 and a maximum annual household asset amount of $184,000. The 2020-21 Middle Class Scholarships will be awarded in October.

CSU, Chico students must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be a California resident
• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or have AB 540 student status
• Meet income and need based requirements
• Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units
• Limited to first undergraduate and teaching credential programs
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Not be in default on a student loan
• Must not be incarcerated.

Complete a 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)(opens in new window) online or the California Dream Act Application.(opens in new window) Use the California Dream Act Application only if you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN) or if you have a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) number.  

Awards

• For the 2020-21 award year, students whose families have income and assets up to $184,000 per year may be eligible for a scholarship of no less than 10 percent and no more than 40% of the mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at the University of California and the California State University. 

• Middle Class Scholarships are not set amounts and may vary by student.  The award eligibility is determined after you are awarded any federal Pell Grant, Cal Grant, State University Grant, Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits, Veterans fee payments, institutional need-based grants, institutional scholarships, and/or fee waivers for which you are eligible. The MCS is based on the state tuition fee amount and is contingent upon the number of students eligible for the MCS statewide and the funding allocated by the State Budget.

• If you are selected to receive a MCS, you will be notified by the California Student Aid Commission.

For additional information about this scholarship access the California Student Aid Commission’s website(opens in new window) or contact the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) at 888-224-7268.

WebGrants 4 Students(opens in new window)(WGS) is your portal for the Middle Class Scholarship award. The California Student Aid Commission contacts students via email so it is critical that you keep this information current on your WGS account.