Cal Grant A Competitive Award

Award Amount
Application deadline
Awarded By:

California Student Aid Commission

Number of Awards & Eligibility: This is a competitive award and limited to 41,000 awards each academic year.
In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:
  1. This award is for U.S. students.
  2. Must be a resident of California.
  3. Must plan to attend an eligible college or university in the state of California.
  4. Must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher at time of application.
  5. Must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
  6. Must meet the family income and asset requirements as determined by the state commission.
  7. Must plan to enroll on a part-time basis or greater.
  8. Must be a high school senior at time of application.

In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

Description: This award is for U.S. undergraduate students who are residents of California and are planning to or currently attending an eligible college or university in the state of California. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and must meet certain family income and asset requirements as set by the state of California.

Application requirements for the Cal Grant A Competitive Award are:

  • FAFSA
  • Verified Grade Point Average form
Additional Information: The Cal Grant is a state grant program, administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), which assist low and middle-income students with tuition/fee costs. 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 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. Students must demonstrate financial need and meet the income and asset ceilings established by the state Commission. Financial need is determined using the following formula: Cost of attendance minus Expected Family Contribution minus Veteran's benefits (if applicable). The student's calculated need amount must be equal to or greater than the established maximum award amount plus $1,500. For additional information about the income and asset ceilings, students should visit the CSAC website or contact his/her college financial aid office. Scholarship eligibility and actual Cal Grant award amount will be determined by the college or university. In addition to meeting the program requirements, student must also: have registered with the U.S. Selective Service, if required to do so; not owe a refund on any state or federal grant; not be in default on any student loan; and not have yet earned a bachelor's or professional degree.

Award Amount: varies  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $41,000.

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Saturday, March 2

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Saturday, March 2

Additional information about this award is available from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) website. To apply, students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, at high school guidance offices, and at college financial aid offices. The FAFSA must be completed and filed with the federal processor by March 2 of each the award year. In addition to a complete application, each participating college or university may require students to submit additional forms or supplemental information before scholarship eligibility can be determined. Students should contact his/her institution for additional details. Students must also file a verified grade point average (GPA) with the California Student Aid Commission by no later than March 2. Some high schools and colleges automatically file the students’ verified GPAs with the Commission. Some do not. Students must confirm whether his/her school will file the GPA form, or obtain a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form, get it certified by a school official and submit it to the Commission.
About California Student Aid Commission:
Contact Information: Steve Caldwell, Student Support Services Branch
Address: P.O. Box 419027 Rancho Cordova, California 95741-9027

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