<p>I have cal grant A but I want to change it so I get cal grant B. They have had my grant on hold for 3 years and this fall I intend on using it. Anyone know how to change your cal grant award? I remember someone saying Cal grant B is better than A. I'm a community college student transferring to a 4 year Cal state university. Also how long do you get cal grants? Someone told me you only get it for the first 2 years which sucks!!!</p>
<p>when u complete the cal grant it automatically accounts for Cal Grant B and C it all depends on ur grades if u got above 3.0 then ur set</p>
<p>Some cal grants are given to people with lower incomes. So getting all the grants may be tough for a middle income family. The amount of money you get should be determined by your efc (expected family contribution)</p>
<p>CCfresh, what do you mean by "when you complete your cal grant"? How long is completing my cal grant?</p>
<p>Jeanir, thanks for commenting but you answered absolutely nothing...</p>
<p>You might want to verify this with someone else, but I think you can only get one Cal grant at a time. One of them (A or B, I forgot) is awarded based on merit, the other on financial need. There's are others for students at CCs, in vocational programs, and teaching credentials programs... There are Entitlement Awards and Competitive Awards for A and B; if you are below the income cieling or you have a high enough gpa, you automatically recieve the applicable grant, if you don't, you may be eligible for one the A or B awards that they set aside for students who don't quite meet the requirments.</p>
<p>In other words, I don't think you can get two Cal Grants in the same year, you just get the one you most qualify for.</p>
<p>There isn't anywhere on the website that says how many you are eligible for specifically, and it's very, very vague.</p>
<p>For example, they say that you can receive "up to $8,300", but that's the maximum award of one of the grants. Cal Grant B is for low-income students, and it's a rather small award (about $1500?) that wouldn't be good to stand on its own, but would be nice to stack onto Cal Grant A.</p>
<p>There are also Cal Grant A & B Competitive awards (those are GPA dependent and not guaranteed), the Cal Grant C for vocational school students and Cal Grant T for post-grad teaching credential programs (with an agreement to teach in an underserved CA district for one year for every $3k (or so) of award, up to four years).</p>
<p>However, I received only the Cal Grant A (the full UC/CSU award of $5,864) last year. I also received a Pell Grant (for $1600), so I was indeed "low income." I think the maximum award for Pell Grant, however, is $4000 (and then there's the FSEOG), so I imagine that to qualify for Cal Grant B requires a pretty low income (we're talking substantially less than $35,000, no assets). </p>
<p>In other words, to answer your question: Cal Grant B is not "better than" Cal Grant A. If they've been holding it for you (?), you ought to be entitled to it, but if they <em>have</em> been holding it for you, you need to contact the California Student Aid Commission/Cal Grant number (see the calgrants.org website) in order to release the funds. I tend to think, however, that had you been entitled to it, it would've automatically been credited to your Cal Grant award.</p>
<p>Why would you want cal grant B when you get more money from A? you don't even need a gpa of 3.0 or higher for B, but you do for A.</p>
<p>That's what makes me think that the Cal Grants "stack," even though nowhere on the website says so specifically. You <em>wouldn't</em> want Cal Grant B unless it was the only Cal Grant you were eligible for or the Cal Grants stack.</p>
<p>It seems I may have been a bit ambiguous in my question. I want to change my Cal Grant A to B. Yes u do get more money from Cal Grant A BUT Cal B gives $1500 AND they cover your tuition fees which by far exceeds Cal A. Basically Cal B benefits you more. I'm attending a CSU so.....</p>
<p>Cal A = $2300
Cal B = $1500 award plus up to $2300 fee assistance.</p>
<p>Cal B > Cal A</p>
<p>I heard you can change your A award to B, anyone know how?</p>
<p>Cal Grants do not stack. You can only have 1 calgrant at a time and after you choose, it's basically set in stone. After researching a bit myself, Cal Grant B is supposed to give more money b/c it covers tuition plus living expenses and such.</p>
<p>I know they don't stack, I said I want to CHANGE from A to B. So how do I CHANGE from A to B???</p>
<p>CalGrant A is for tuition
CalGrant B is for living expenses for your first year. Afterwords you get living costs and tuition (A+B) for the 3 remaining years.</p>
<p>There are also stricter requirements for CalGrant B.</p>
<p>The commission automatically chooses which grant will be more beneficial (more money) in the long run. Usually if you're going to a private college, CalGrant A gives you more money because the first year of CalGrant A exceeds 3 years of CalGrant B's living costs (with 3 years of CalGrant A being equal on both plans).</p>
<p>For me, I'm going to Cal which means CalGrant B is better. I'll only get $1500 the first year, but after those 3 years, I'll get the $1500 + $5684.</p>
<p>CalGrant A - Public School
Year 1,2,3,4: $5684
Total: 22736</p>
<p>CalGrant B - Public School
Year 1: $1551
Year 2,3,4: $1551 + $5684
Total: $23256</p>
<p>CalGrant A - Private School
Year 1,2,3,4: $8322
Total: $33288</p>
<p>CalGrant B - Private School
Year 1: $1551
Year 2,3,4: $1551 + $8322
Total: $31170</p>
<p>These are only using the max figures.</p>
<p>So CalGrants do NOT stack. But the nature of CalGrant B makes it look like it is stackable. CalGrant B covers tuition and living costs but the FIRST year is living costs ONLY.</p>
<p>Now to answer your question: You should have received a form when you were approved for a CalGrant. At the bottom of the form is a place to change CalGrants. It requires your signature and your college's financial aid counselor's signature.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, you have to be qualified for CalGrant B. Just because you are qualified for CalGrant A doesn't mean you can get B.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>CalGrant A - Public School (CSU)
Year 1,2,3,4: $2334
Total: $9336</p>
<p>CalGrant B - Public School (CSU)
Year 1: $1551
Year 2,3,4: $1551 + $2334
Total: $13206</p>
<p>Since you're transfering, I'm assuming you have 2 years left. The CalGrant B max of $1551 only applies for freshman year.</p>
<p>Year 3,4: $1551 + $2334
Total: $7770</p>
<p>If you were qualified for CalGrant B, you would have been given it in the first place. So I'm thinking you weren't qualified.</p>
<p>I am not sure about the holding situation though.</p>
<p>Income Ceilings(maximum) for dependent students:
CalGrant A and C:
$62500 for a family of two
$64000 for a family of three
$69600 for a family of four
$74500 for a family of five
$80400 for a family of six or more</p>
<p>CalGrant B
$29200 for a family of two
$32900 for a family of three
$36600 for a family of four
$40900 for a family of five
$44200 for a family of six or more</p>
<p>CalGrant A,B,C income ceiling for independent students without dependents:
$25500 if single
$29200 if married</p>
<p>Cal Grant A,B, C Asset ceilings (independent students assets and parent assets for dependent students):
$53800 with dependents other than a spouse
$25600 without dependents other than a spouse</p>
<p>There's a 4 year limit unless you are in a mandatory 5 year program.</p>
<p>All this information is on the back of your California Aid Report.</p>
<p>Thanks DarkPyr0, you did help. I threw away that letter 3 years ago... I guess the Cal Grants don't matter much anymore since I'm receiving the State University Grant. SDSU, the school of my choice told me if I don't have a cal grant I'll get the SUG which is basically the same thing as a cal grant. If I do have a cal grant they'll replace the SUG with the cal grant. Doesn't make any sense to me, oh well, less money for college yeh. I thought I was going to get the cal and SUG, but I can only have one, sucks. Cal grant hasn't notified my school yet but I know what I'm getting. I already received my award letter and I'm receiving the SUG which is the exact same amount as the cal A.</p>