eligibility for cal grant

Paying for College
1

<p>Hello im new here so sorry in advance for any mistakes. </p>

<p>Well anyways i am a current community college student, and i am planning on transferring to a nearby csu whether it be Sac State, Chico, etc... </p>

<p>My question is about the cal grant or actually any grant that deals with need based on a low family income. </p>

<p>My father currently makes well over the max income for this grant. I plan on moving out and supporting myself in the fall of 2011. Can i still get this grant, or does my fathers income eliminate my chances even if i am living alone? </p>

<p>I am pretty sure i meet all of the other qualifications. Thank you in advance</p>

2

<p>Eligibility for Cal Grant is determined by submitting the FAFSA to one or more California Colleges before March 2nd. You list your age on your College Confidential profile as “20.” If that is your age you will fill out the FAFSA using your parents’ information and your own. Therefore, you will not qualify for Cal Grant.</p>

3

<p>When you complete FAFSA there is a series of questions that determines whether you are a dependent and must report your parent’s income and assets or independent where parent info is not required. To be independent you must be 24 or older or meet one of the other independence criteria on FAFSA (be married, be a veteran etc). Living alone and being self supporting is not one of the criteria for determining independence so you will not be considered independent for financial aid purposes and will have to report your parent’s income.</p>

4

<p>hmm well that’s disappointing. My mother on the other hand is quite below the poverty line, is it possible to live with her for the next year and somehow get by that way. </p>

<p>Thank you for the reply btw</p>

5

<p>For the 2011-2012 FAFSA (which is the one you will fill out for the school year starting Fall 2011) you will use 2010 information. The parent you will list on the 2011-2012 FAFSA is the one with whom you lived more than 50% of the time in 2010. If you have been living with your father up until this point, you have already lived with him more than 50% of 2010 and so he is the parent you list on the 2011-2012 FAFSA.</p>

<p>If you moved in with your mother for more than 50% of next year (2011), she would be the parent you list for your 2012-2013 FAFSA. (If you head starts to spin at this point don’t worry - it happens to all of us as we absorb all this stuff :slight_smile: )</p>

6

<p>Yes it is very confusing haha. Just one more question, how do they determine who you are living with? Is it by who i am a dependent for as far tax returns go? or is it just whom you claim to live with on the fafsa? </p>

<p>It is nice to finally have some answers though</p>

7

<p>^ Are you asking if you can “get away” with lying to the Federal government on your FAFSA?</p>

<p>If so, you will have to wait for answers from someone else. My advice is to fill out your FAFSA accurately and honestly.</p>

8

<p>No im wondering if i can still get financial help from my father while living with my mother</p>

9

<p>Yes, you can still get financial help from your father regardless of where you live. There is a question on the FAFSA asking about income or support from other sources - you would list the assistance from your father there.</p>

<p>Some schools will want further information if it is clear from your reported income on the FAFSA that your family could not support itself on that amount. They will ask for a budget that shows exactly how you cover expenses with the income you report. If your expenses exceed the reported income, they will want to know from where or from whom the extra money came.</p>