What Is a Cal Grant? Types, Amounts, and How to Apply

A Cal Grant is money from the state of California that helps pay for college or vocational training and never has to be repaid. The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) runs the program and offers three types of awards — Cal Grant A, B, and C — with tuition coverage reaching $15,588 per year at a University of California campus for the 2026–27 school year.¹ Whether you qualify depends on your GPA, your family’s income and assets, and where you plan to enroll. Both U.S. citizens and students who qualify under AB 540, including undocumented and DACA students, can apply.

The Three Types of Cal Grants

Cal Grant A pays tuition and mandatory fees at four-year universities. It is the award most students think of when they hear “Cal Grant.” If you start at a community college, the Cal Grant A payment is small because community college fees are already low, but the award waits for you and pays out fully once you transfer to a UC or CSU. Cal Grant A requires at least a 3.0 high school GPA, or a 2.4 college GPA if you apply as a current college student.²

Cal Grant B is for students from low-income families and works differently in a way that catches people off guard. In your first year, you receive only a living-expense “access award” of $1,648. No tuition coverage yet. Starting in year two, you get the same tuition payment Cal Grant A would have provided, plus the access award on top.³ The GPA minimum is 2.0.

Cal Grant C is for vocational, occupational, and technical training programs that last at least four months.⁴ It covers tools, equipment, and books in addition to tuition. If you are pursuing a four-year degree, this one is not for you.

How Much the Awards Pay

The dollar amount depends on which grant you receive and the type of school you attend. All figures below are for 2026–27 and depend on final state budget approval.¹

Cal Grant A annual tuition and fee amounts:

University of California: $15,588
California State University: $6,838
Private non-profit college: $9,358
For-profit, WASC-accredited: $8,056
For-profit, non-WASC: $4,000

Cal Grant B pays a $1,648 access award in the first year regardless of school. In later years, you get that $1,648 plus the full Cal Grant A tuition amount for your institution type.

Cal Grant C pays $1,094 at community colleges for tuition, fees, and training costs. At other eligible programs it pays $2,462 for tuition and fees plus $547 for books and supplies.

Who Qualifies

Residency and Legal Status

You must be a California resident or qualify for the nonresident tuition exemption known as AB 540.⁵ AB 540 lets undocumented students, DACA recipients, and certain other noncitizens qualify by completing three or more years at a combination of California high schools, adult schools, or community colleges and earning a diploma or equivalent.⁶ Students with U visas or Temporary Protected Status can also apply through the California Dream Act Application.

GPA

Cal Grant A requires at least a 3.0 high school GPA or a 2.4 college GPA. Cal Grant B requires at least a 2.0. Cal Grant C has no specific minimum, but your grades factor into competitive scoring.²

Income and Assets

CSAC sets income and asset limits each year. Cal Grant A and C allow higher income than Cal Grant B, which is reserved for lower-income households. For 2026–27, the income ceilings for dependent students (or independent students with dependents) are:⁷

Family of four: $144,700 (Cal Grant A/C) or $76,100 (Cal Grant B)
Family of five: $155,000 (A/C) or $85,100 (B)
Family of six or more: $167,200 (A/C) or $91,900 (B)

Independent students without dependents have a lower threshold of $53,000 for any Cal Grant. Asset ceilings are $111,900 for dependent students and $53,300 for independent students. Your primary home and retirement accounts do not count.

Enrollment

You must enroll at least half-time, generally six or more semester units, at a qualifying California institution.⁸ For the standard high school entitlement, you must be a current senior or have graduated the previous year.⁹ Community college transfer students have until age 28.

Entitlement vs. Competitive Awards

This distinction decides whether your money is guaranteed. If you apply as a high school senior or recent graduate and meet the GPA, income, and asset rules, you get an entitlement award — the state has no cap on these, so you are guaranteed to receive it. Community college transfers who qualify also get an entitlement.

Competitive Cal Grants work differently. The state issues only 13,000 per year, and only applicants who did not receive an entitlement are considered.¹⁰ CSAC scores applicants on GPA, family income, household size, and parent education, then awards the top 13,000. Competitive awards are available only at UC, CSU, or eligible private colleges, not at community colleges. The deadline is the same March 2 priority date.

How to Apply

You file one financial aid application. U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who qualify under AB 540 use the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) instead.¹¹ For 2026–27, both applications pull from your 2024 federal tax return.¹² Have W-2s, bank statements, records of untaxed income, and your Social Security number or ITIN ready before you start.

Your GPA has to reach CSAC separately. California law requires public and charter high schools to upload GPAs electronically for seniors who do not opt out, so most high school applicants do not have to do anything extra.¹³ Check with your registrar to confirm. If your school did not submit it, or you graduated earlier, you file the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form (G-4) yourself by the same deadline. Many community colleges also submit GPAs electronically, but the rules vary by campus, so contact your financial aid office early.

The priority deadline for both the financial aid application and the GPA verification is March 2, 2026. Community college students have an extended deadline of September 2, 2026. Missing the deadline is one of the most common reasons students lose Cal Grant money, and state law rarely allows exceptions.¹⁴

Extra Money for Foster Youth and Student Parents

Current and former foster youth get real added flexibility. The Cal Grant B lifetime cap can extend from four years to as many as eight for foster youth, and they can apply for the high school entitlement at a community college up to age 26.¹⁵ Foster youth who receive Cal Grant A or B also qualify for an added access award of up to $6,000 per year, and Cal Grant C recipients can get up to $4,000 extra.¹

Students raising a child under 18 and providing more than half the child’s support qualify for the same supplemental amounts through the Students with Dependent Children access award: up to $6,000 for Cal Grant A or B and up to $4,000 for Cal Grant C at a UC, CSU, community college, or private non-profit.

Keeping Your Cal Grant Year to Year

A Cal Grant is not a one-time payment. Most recipients get up to four years of funding, with remaining eligibility set by your education level when you first received payment. Start as a freshman and you get four full years; start as a sophomore and you get three.¹⁶ To renew, you file a new FAFSA or CADAA by the Cal Grant deadline each year and keep meeting the income and asset rules.¹⁷ If you need to skip a term, place a hold through CSAC’s WebGrants 4 Students portal before the term starts so you do not lose future eligibility.¹⁸

If you have questions about your application or an award decision, CSAC’s student support line is 1-888-224-7268.

1
California Student Aid Commission. 2026-27 Cal Grant Comparison G-30
2
California Student Aid Commission. What Is a Cal Grant Award?
3
California Student Aid Commission. Why Am I Only Getting the Cal Grant B Even Though I Qualify for Cal Grant?
4
California Legislative Information. California Code EDC 69439 – Cal Grant C Program
5
California Student Aid Commission. The California Dream Act Application CADAA and Eligibility
6
California Student Aid Commission. 10 Things You Need to Know About the California Dream Act Application
7
California Student Aid Commission. 2026-27 Cal Grant Income and Asset Ceilings
8
California Legislative Information. California Education Code EDC 69432.7
9
California Student Aid Commission. Cal Grant High School Entitlement Award
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California Student Aid Commission. Cal Grant Competitive Awards
11
California Student Aid Commission. How to Apply for Financial Aid
12
Federal Student Aid. Why Tax Info
13
California Student Aid Commission. Cal Grant GPA Verification Form 2026-27
14
California Student Aid Commission. Cal Grant Appeals G-18 Form
15
California Student Aid Commission. 2025-26 Cal Grant Handbook
16
California Student Aid Commission. Award Eligibility Cycles and Renewals
17
California Student Aid Commission. How Do I Renew My Cal Grant?
18
California Student Aid Commission. WebGrants 4 Students WG4S