California College Promise Grant (CCPG)

To qualify, you must meet two requirements:

Residency or Status
You must be one of the following:

• A California resident (verified by Admissions & Records)
• Eligible for AB 540 or AB 1899 tuition exemption
• Hold a T or U visa
• Determined to be a homeless youth by the Financial Aid Office

Income, Financial Need, or Special Category
You may qualify in one of these ways:

• Your 2023 income (or your parents’ if you are a dependent) is at or below the income limits for your family size (see chart below).
• You complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) and still show financial need.
• You (or your parents, if dependent) receive monthly benefits from:
  • TANF/CalWORKs
  • SSI/SSP
  • General Assistance

Special Categories (if none of the above apply)

You may also qualify if you are:

• A Medal of Honor recipient (or dependent)
• A dependent of a victim of 9/11
• Certified by the California Department of Veterans Affairs or National Guard
• A dependent of law enforcement or fire suppression personnel killed in the line of duty
• Someone who was wrongly convicted of a crime and later cleared (documentation required)
• A dependent/spouse/partner of a first responder, nurse, or physician who died of COVID-19 during California’s state of emergency

Based on 2023 income year

To qualify for the California College Promise Grant, your family’s 2023 income must be at or below the amounts listed below, based on family size:

Important Notes

• Income ceilings are updated each academic year.
• Even if your income is above these limits, you may still qualify for financial aid by completing the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
• Eligibility is re-determined each year, so students should apply annually.

Fall 2025, Spring 2026, or Summer 2026

To be considered for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG):

1. First, complete the 2025–2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
2. If you are not eligible to complete either application, apply for the CCPG online through CCCApply.org.
3. As a final option, a CCPG paper application is available.

Eligibility is re-determined each academic year. Applications may be submitted online or in person.

Academic Standing

Once you've qualified for the California College Promise Grant, it's important to ensure that you are meeting the academic and progress standards in order to avoid losing the fee waiver.

Academic - Sustain a GPA of 2.0 or higher

If your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 for two consecutive primary terms (fall/spring semesters), you may lose your fee waiver eligibility.

Progress - Complete more than 50% of your coursework

If the cumulative number of courses you successfully complete is not more than 50% in two consecutive primary terms (fall/spring semesters), you may lose your fee waiver eligibility.

Combination of Academic and Progress Standards

Any combination of two consecutive terms of cumulative GPA below 2.0 and/or your course completion is not a minimum of 50% may result in the loss of your fee waiver eligibility.

How will I know if I lose the California College Promise Grant?

You'll be notified within 30 days of the end of each term if you are being placed on either Academic (GPA) and/or Progress (Course Completion) probation. Your notification will include the information that a second term of probation will result in loss of your fee waiver eligibility. After the second consecutive term of probation, you may lose your fee waiver eligibility at your next registration opportunity.

Can I regain eligibility?

If you lose eligibility for the California College Promise Grant, there are a few ways that you can have it reinstated:

• Improve your GPA or Course Completion measures to meet the academic and progress standards
• Successful appeal regarding extenuating circumstances (coming soon)
• Not attending your school district for two consecutive primary terms

The appeals process for extenuating circumstances includes:

• Verified accidents, illness, or other circumstances beyond your control
• Changes in economic situation
• Evidence of inability to obtain essential support services
• Special consideration factors for CalWORKs, EOPS, DSPS, FYE, and veteran students
• Disability accommodations not received in a timely manner

Please note that foster youth and former foster youth (age 24 years and younger) are not subject to loss of California College Promise Grant under these regulations.