Financial Aid
It is strongly recommended that all TL families complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act!
Some financial aid basics:
Loans: money provided by colleges, businesses, banks, or individuals, that must be repaid, including interest.
Subsidized versus unsubsidized loans: Subsidized loans are based on financial need (the amount of the loan cannot exceed your financial need), and there is no interest charged until after you graduate from college. Unsubsidized loans are not based on financial need, and charge you interest from the moment you take them on.
Grants: money provided by colleges, businesses, or individuals, that does not need to be repaid.
Pell Grants: federal government aid that is based upon family income, up to a maximum of $6,195 per year
FSEOG (Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants): college aid, up to $4,000 depending on a student's need. Applying early increases your chances of receiving aid!
Scholarships: money provided by colleges or businesses, that does not need to be repaid. Scholarships can be based on academic, arts, athletic, leadership, race, sex, nationality, LGBTQIA+, religion, what you plan to study in college, or other considerations. Note: never pay money to fill out a scholarship application!
Work-study: a job provided to you by your college - such as in Admissions, the bookstore, the cafeteria/dining services, or the library - where the money you earn goes towards your tuition: generally 10-15 hours per week.
Need-based aid, versus merit-based aid: need-based aid is dependent on the family's financial circumstances. Merit-based aid can be awarded based on talent in academics, the arts, athletics, and so forth, regardless of the family's financial need.
Net price: the net price of a college is what the family will pay, after subtracting grants and scholarships.
Net Price Calculator: colleges offer their own calculators so that families can estimate about how much that college might cost them to attend. This link allows you to access them from one website!
EFC/Expected Family Contribution: the amount the family will be expected to pay from parent income & assets; and student income & savings. Also influenced by family size; age of oldest parent; number of children currently attending college. Other considerations include health-related expense; loss of property; or death in family.
Some costs during your college years include: tuition per course; room/housing; board/food; books; supplies (laptop, phone, phone/internet bill, paper, pens & pencils, room decor); personal expenses (clothes, concerts, museums, or other arts/athletic performances, membership fees for college clubs); parking; travel costs (arrival in August/September; holiday/December break; winter/February break; spring/March/April break; departure in May/June); healthcare.
Also, be sure to check the college's 4-year and 6-year graduation rates, to help you plan. For example, a less-expensive college that takes you 6 years to graduate, might cost you more than one that will cost more per year, but has a higher percentage of its students graduating within 4 years.
Financial Aid PowerPoint English | Spanish
Studentaid.ed.gov FINANCIAL AID OVERVIEW
FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) Qualifies students who are US citizens for aid from the federal government. Seniors can start filling out the FAFSA in October: due March 2nd. Only fill out the FAFSA or Dream Act: not both!
California Dream Act Permits undocumented students/Dreamers to receive financial assistance for college! Seniors can start filling out the Dream Act in October: due March 2nd. Only fill out the FAFSA or Dream Act, not both!
Cal Grant Free money that does not have to be repaid. Cal Grant "A" is available for students who have at least a 3.0 GPA, and covers tuition and fees for up to 4 years at eligible California colleges. Cal Grant "B" is available for students who have at least a 2.0 GPA, and covers tuition and fees for years 2-4 at eligible California colleges. Family income ceilings apply. GPA Verification Form will be uploaded by TLHS.
CSS Profile The College Board's financial aid form to fill out for aid from over 400 private & out-of-state schools, and some scholarships. Available October 1. Fill out in addition to FAFSA.
NACAC Application fee waiver for many private/out-of-state schools
Chafee Grant for foster youth: If you are or were in foster care for at least one day, between the ages of 16 and 18 as a dependent or ward of the court and have financial need, you may qualify for up to $5,000 a year for career and technical training or college. You don’t have to pay this money back. You may also be able to use your grant to help pay for child care, transportation and rent while you’re in school. You can use your Chafee Grant at any eligible California college or university or career or technical school, as well as schools in other states.
Middle Class Scholarship: provides students with family incomes and assets up to $177,000 a scholarship to attend a UC or CSU.
Promise Grant: the California Promise Grant waives tuition at any community college in California. Fill out a FAFSA, or apply here. There is no deadline, and there is no limit to the number of college credits it applies for.
Scholarship Information (also, see separate Scholarship link, at above left)
Naviance: log in to your Naviance account for more scholarship opportunities
Cappex scholarship search
College Board scholarship search
fastweb scholarship search
Finaid scholarship search
College Treasure merit-based scholarships
Merit Aid merit-based scholarships
10,000 Degrees Scholarships local scholarships for 1st gen / low income students - Deadline: March 2
Terra Linda Scholarship Foundation TL scholarships for seniors: applications available in February
SRJC Doyle Scholarship for seniors applying to Santa Rosa Junior College
Resources for First-Generation-to-College Students and Families
10,000 Degrees local resource for low-income and 1st-generation-to-college students.
California Dream Act (AB 130) allows students who meet AB 540 criteria to apply for and receive non-state funded scholarships for public colleges and universities.
MALDEF information about scholarships and immigration for Latinx students
AB 540 provision for immigrants to access lower in-state tuition at California colleges
Immigrants Rising Educators for Fair Consideration
