<p>Hello! On the cal grant website it says I have been awarded a cal grant for around 15,000 dollars at two UC campuses. What does this mean? Is that the total financial aid I will receive from those two campuses? And does this mean I have been admitted to the campuses for which the award is posted? Thanks!</p>
<p>Since the maximum Cal Grant award is $12,192, I’m not sure where you’re getting that figure of $15k . . . ???</p>
<p>And, no, it does not mean you’re admitted. The California Student Aid Commission, which administers the Cal Grants, has nothing to do with the universities themselves. It just means that you’ve met the eligibility requirements for a Cal Grant, and will get one if you’re admitted.</p>
<p>As for additional aid, depending on your family income, you might also be eligible for a federal Pell grant. And, regardless of income, you would be eligible for federal student loans.</p>
<p>If you’re admitted to a UC, and the total cost of fees and tuition exceeds the combined value of your Cal Grant and any Pell grant for which you’re eligible, then you would also be eligible for an additional small grant from the school itself, to make up the difference. This would cover fees and tuition only. You’re on your own to cover books, room and board, and any other expenses you might have. You can use your federal student loan to help cover those additional expenses, but it wouldn’t completely cover the cost of room and board, so you and your family would still have to pay something.</p>
<p>Did your award notice indicate that you might also be qualified for the Cal Grant B? If you are, let me know, and I can explain the difference.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help! You’re right, I was looking at it through the UC Davis website so I had the wrong number. It is the max amount of 12,192, as you said. I’m pretty sure there was nothing about Cal Grant B. However, I used 2012 numbers to fill out the fafsa. If I go in and update it, my family AGI will be very, very slightly, like around $1000, over last year’s eligibility ceiling for the Cal grant A. So I’m not sure what happens then?</p>
<p>Okay, first, you have to use accurate figures . . . so you need to update the FAFSA using your family’s 2013 income. (Accepting the grant if you’re not actually qualified for it would be fraud. You don’t want to go there . . .)</p>
<p>Second, if all you’re looking at is a $1k discrepancy, you’re probably fine. Here are the income/asset ceilings for [url=<a href=“http://www.csac.ca.gov/facts/2013-14_income_ceilings_new_apps_renewing_recips.pdf]2013-14[/url”>http://www.csac.ca.gov/facts/2013-14_income_ceilings_new_apps_renewing_recips.pdf]2013-14[/url</a>], and here are the ceilings for [url=<a href=“http://www.csac.ca.gov/facts/2014-15_income_ceilings_new_apps_renewing_recips.pdf]2014-15[/url”>http://www.csac.ca.gov/facts/2014-15_income_ceilings_new_apps_renewing_recips.pdf]2014-15[/url</a>]. There’s about a $4k increase in the Cal Grant A income ceilings.</p>
<p>And if your income is that high, you wouldn’t qualify for Cal Grant B, so we don’t even need to talk about it! :)</p>
<p>Ok thanks again! If I dont qualify for cal grant A, I read something about Cal Grant A competitive awards, is that something I could qualify for? I couldn’t find information on income for the competitive awards. Thanks!</p>
<p>Aha - found it! Here’s the [url=<a href=“http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=918]explanation[/url”>http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=918]explanation[/url</a>] for the Cal Grant competitive awards. They’re for nontraditional students (students who didn’t just graduate from high school) so I don’t think you’d qualify. Also, it appears that the income guidelines are the same as for the regular grants.</p>
<p>You need to find out what your parents’ income was for last year!</p>