Cal Grant
There are two Cal Grants awarded at SJSU - Cal Grant A & Cal Grant B for Entitlement and Competitive awards. Both grants do not need to be repaid. Funding for Cal Grant A and B awards is available for up to four years for students pursuing a bachelor's degree, and may be extended an additional year for teaching credential or other mandatory five-year programs. In the awarding process, Cal Grants supercede the State University Grant (SUG), therefore recipients of the Cal Grant cannot be awarded the SUG as both grants assist with tuition fees. Eligibility is based on GPA and financial need. The eligibility criteria is established by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
To be considered for a Cal Grant award, students must fill out both a 2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a Cal Grant GPA Verification form by March 2. FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Current Cal Grant recipients are not required to submit the GPA Verification form; your Cal Grant award will automatically be renewed for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013, if you still have remaining eligibility and meet income, assets, and unmet need requirements. If you are not a Cal Grant student, you must have either a 2011-2012 FAFSA or a 2012-2013 FAFSA on file for SJSU to submit your GPA to CSAC. Students must also have completed at least 24 units towards their GPA by the end of Spring 2011, Fall 2010 or Spring 2010. Students who have completed less than 24 units by Spring 2011, must request their previous school (high school or college) to complete the GPA for them.
CSAC Office recently issued a tuition proration policy, which took effect for the Fall 2011 - Spring 2012 award year. The Cal Grant proration policy requires institutions to disburse the Cal Grant A and B tuition fee awards according to the enrollment status at the time of census. The updated Cal Grant disbursement schedule is referenced below:
| Enrollment Status | Amount Per Semester |
|---|---|
| Full-Time (12+units) | $2,736.00 |
| Three-Quarter Time (9-11 units) | $2,052.00 |
| Half-Time (6-8 units) | $1,368.00 |
| Less than Half-Time (1-5 units) | Ineligible for payment |
If you have specific questions regarding the Cal Grant programs, please contact the CSAC at 1-888-224-7268, Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:50 PM. You can also visit the Commission’s website at http://www.csac.ca.gov. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office at (408) 283-7500, visit the office or email at fao@sjsu.edu
Cal Grant A
At the California State University, the Cal Grant A assists with tuition fees. This state grant is for undergraduate students who are California residents. Cal Grant A cannot exceed the current tuition fees.
Cal Grant B
Cal grant B provides a living allowance and tuition fee assistance. Awards for most first-year students are limited to an allowance of up to $1,551 for books and living expenses. When renewed or awarded beyond the freshman year, the award also helps pay for tuition fees. The awards for tuition fees are the same as those for Cal Grant A. Cal Grant B pays only an allowance amount for the first year awards, and allowance and tuition fees for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year recipients.
There are two Cal Grant B awards: Entitlement and Competitive. Every graduating high school senior who has at least a 2.0 GPA, meets the financial and eligibility requirements and applies on time will receive a Cal Grant B Entitlement award. Other eligible students who have at least a 2.0 GPA may apply for a Cal Grant B Competitive award. Selection is based on a composite score that takes into consideration your family's income, parents' educational level, GPA, time out of high school and other factors, such as whether you come from a single-parent household or are a former foster youth.
