disqualification from Cal Grant?

Paying for College
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I got disqualified from Cal Grant (A+B+C). I'm transferring this semester from a CC to UCB. I'm an independent student (26), and my EFC is 0. I received the grant the last 3 years (took only 275/600% available) in my CC, so I'm not sure what have changed. The only major issue I can think of is not graduating from CA high school. I'm a permanent resident for the last 5 years, attended CC for the last 4 years and never lived in any state except for CA.</p>

<p>Am I screwed? Are they going to make me to pay 100% tuition (~$13K)?
Reading over the disqualification sheet, it says that one should graduate from CA high school OR transfer from a CC/have an equivalent GED by or later than June 2000. IGETC = GED equivalent?</p>

<p>I will call anyway Monday, but I'm just super confused right now with my options.
Thanks.</p>

2

<p>There’s just no way anyone here will know, too many unknowns. Hopefully it is something that can be cleared up. If you do find you are dq’d, talk to the university finanacial aid office to see if there are other resources to meet you need.</p>

3

<p>You may be confusing CalGrant with another grant program you may have received such as Pell, because CalGrant does NOT have “600%” eligibility. Eligible students must requalify every year and there is a maximum of 4 years of eligibility. The grant is a set amount, not a sliding scale and eligibility is stated in remaining years (a transfer might see “2” as their remaining eligibility) rather than percentages. CalGrant A and C are NOT distributed to community college students. CalGrant B may in some cases be used at a cc, however the following eligibilities must be met for CalGrant A, B or C:</p>

<p>

</a></p>

<p>The exception for those with a GED applies to those who lived in California, but who opted for a GED rather than a diploma from a California high school, not to those who arrived in California after the time when they would have graduated (in other words, those from other states do NOT become eligible for CalGrant by getting a GED rather than a diploma). It sounds from your post that you arrived in California as an adult or after high school graduation - is that correct? If so, you are not eligible for CalGrant.</p>

<p>NOTE: UCB offers other aid (Pell, Stafford loans, work/study, UC grants, etc.) in addition to CalGrant. Wait to see your award letter before making assumptions.</p>

4

<p>

You may still qualify for Pell Grants from Federal.</p>

5

<p>@alamemom‌
Yes you’re right, I was confusing between Pell grant and Cal grant. So I’m eligible for Pell grant but not for Cal Grant.
I already received my FA from UCB, but I’m confused now.
I came after I graduated HS from a different country, that’s correct. My question is if I would be eligible for UC Blue & Gold Program even if I’m not eligible for Cal Grants?
This is what it says on my account under FA @ UCB’s website (before I was disqualified from Cal Grant, and currently it shows the same thing):</p>

<p>Books and Supplies
$1,230.00
Tuition and Fees
$12,878.00
Health Insurance*
$2,190.00
Living Expenses
$17,966.00
Total UC Berkeley Costs
$34,264.00</p>

<p>My Gift Aid
$26,314.00</p>

<p>My Net Cost
$7,950.00
Students Share $7,950.00
Total Resources to Meet My UC Berkeley Costs $34,264.00
Student Contribution $0.00
Expected Family Contribution $0.00</p>

<p>Then when I navigate to a different tab it says:
Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship $20,184.00 Confirmed
Federal Pell Grant Financial Aid and Scholarships $5,730.00 Confirmed
Federal SEOG Grant Financial Aid and Scholarships $400.00 Confirmed
Total Gift Aid $26,314.00 </p>

<p>So, I’m not sure what’s happening here…</p>

6

<p>You have an excellent aid package - $26,314 in gift aid that does not have to be paid back. Your share is $7,950 - that can come from your earnings. If you are unable to earn that amount you can take Stafford loans for up to $12,500 <a href=“https://studentaid.ed.gov/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized#how-much”>https://studentaid.ed.gov/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized#how-much&lt;/a&gt; , however I advise you to cut costs as much as possible and work part time - you may be able to avoid loans completely.</p>

<p>Again, this is an excellent aid package - as good as I have seen. Congrats!</p>

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<p>And by the way, the Blue and Gold Plan covers tuition/systemwide fees - your gift aid significantly exceeds the $12,878 in tuition/systemwide fees, in fact you received more than DOUBLE the Blue and Gold Plan. You have an excellent package.</p>

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<p>Yes they have given you the entire meets need package deal for 0 EFC that UC is so generous with. All students must contribute some student share and it can be up to about 9k. You got a bit less at 7,950. That is usually taken care of by summer work, low hours p/t job during school year and Federal Direct Loan. They awarded you a Pell Grant, so I don’t know what it is you think you aren’t getting.</p>

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<p>You would never get that huge UC grant and a cal grant, so you arent missing anything. if you got the cal grant, then about 13k of that univ grant would go bye bye.</p>

<p>If you are trying to avoid the loans or work-study, that isnt happening unless you/your family pay. The loans w/s are for YOU to pay for a chunk of YOUR living costs…which YOU should pay for.</p>

10

<p>OP, You actual COA may be lower.
You could rent, borrow, or buy used textbooks

You may not need the medical insurance if you’re covered under your parents’ insurance.

Also I don’t think you need spend that much on room & board:

</p>

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<p>@mom2collegekids just to clarify, I wasn’t looking for a free ride. I’m more concerned that I won’t get any aid. I got the idea right now that Cal grants and UC grants are two different things, and if one gets Cal grants, it just becomes part of the UC grant (with the same initial amount).</p>

<p>@4kidsdad the insurance is free, and if I decline it, the $2000 go to a waste. </p>

12

<p>

Health Insurance is a charge expense. The school only charge you for health insurance if you or your family don’t have insurance. If you decline it, the school should not reduce its aid to you.</p>

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<p>

So back to your initial question, no you’re not; in fact, the aid from the school is a great package:

With Federal loans and summer employment, your school costs are covered.</p>

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<p><<<
I’m more concerned that I won’t get any aid. I got the idea right now that Cal grants and UC grants are two different things, and if one gets Cal grants, it just becomes part of the UC grant (with the same initial amount).
<<<</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>why are you concerned that you wont get any aid? You have been given a pkg with very generous aid…so why worry that you wont get aid??? You got aid.</p>

<p>yes, cal grants and UC are different. However, if you dont qualify for Cal Grants, and your school has decided to make up for that loss with a UC grant, what is your beef???</p>

<p>No, a cal grant does not become “part of the UC grant”. however, all grants can be part of the B&G promise (which is not a grant).</p>

<p><<<
@4kidsdad the insurance is free, and if I decline it, the $2000 go to a waste.
<<<</p>

<p>how is it free? is there a line-item in your aid pkg that says, $2k insurance grant (or something like that)? if so, then declining would mean the money goes away.</p>

15

<p>From the OP’s post,

they are indicating that they now understand that UC grants and CalGrants can cover the same things and that they are indeed receiving the grant aid they were hoping for. The question in the opening post appears to have been answered to the OP’s satisfaction and they do not appear to be concerned about getting no aid at this point. In other words, the OP does not appear to have any “beef” at all at this point.</p>

<p>As far as insurance, the OP is correct - in their case, the insurance is “free,” and if they decline it the insurance grant goes away (or, “to waste”). The UCs are currently providing a health insurance grant to students who demonstrate financial need (per the FAFSA) and who do not have private insurance so that those students may purchase health insurance through the UC. The cost of the insurance is added to the COA (at the UC at this time - this is a change from the past). If a student can provide proof that they have private insurance and declines the UC insurance, the COA is reduced and the insurance grant is removed from their aid package.</p>

<p>At the UC, if the student does not have private insurance they can NOT decline the insurance - it is required unless they provide proof of private insurance.</p>

<p>This is different at the UC than at many other colleges and universities - at USC, for example, the insurance is not added to the COA and no grant is provided. It becomes a real savings to demonstrate that a student has private insurance so that charge is removed. As USC competes heavily for many UC students, I would not be surprised to see USC’s policy change to match the UC in the next year or two - or at least I hope it does :)</p>

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<p>

Wow, UCs must have a lot money to take care low income students’ health insurance. I wonder why the OP complains

</p>

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<p>It is part of Covered California. <a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/why-uc-participating-covered-california”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/why-uc-participating-covered-california&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>^^yes - that is how the insurance is working for high need students at UC (and USC requires very good coverage to waive the university insurance)</p>

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<p>^^And we are complaining that cost of education keep going up - the money to cover low income students must come from some where.</p>

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<p>In the opening post, the OP was worried that because they had been disqualified from CaGrant, they would not receive aid and at that time they did not understand their aid package. The OP has indicated that they now understand and they no longer worry that they are “screwed.” Like many navigating the financial aid maze, they were confused.</p>

<p>^Yes, the money is coming from Covered California, for which low-income Californians are eligible for anyway.</p>