<p>I was just admitted into a Cal State and on my financial aid information it says I qualified for Cal Grant A which the total amount would be $5,472, but it says not awarded. The one I'm being awarded is Cal Grant B but the amount is $1,473. If I have a lower income, why am I being awarded Cal Grant B? Is it better in the long-run? It also says the $1,473 would only cover books and supplies. How am I supposed to pay the tuition fee? Am I gonna have to pay for that myself the first year? I'm just really confused, sorry.</p>
<p>The tuition your first year will be covered by the university. In the long run, you’ll get more assistance than you would if you were awarded the Cal Grant A. This question comes up every year . . . it’s confusing as heck, and they do a lousy job of explaining it, but they really do try to give you the package that will be the most generous.</p>
<p>Okay, it looks like I misspoke - I was think of the UC’s, not the CSU’s.</p>
<p>Here’s how it works . . .</p>
<p>Cal Grant A = $5,472 x 4 years = $21,888
Cal Grant B = $1,473 (book stipend) x 4 years = $5,892; plus $5,472 x 3 years = $16,416 → Total = $22,308</p>
<p>So, the difference = $420. It’s not huge, but it’s a difference.</p>
<p>Now, back to your question: how do you pay your fees/tuition the first year? Well, if you qualify for Cal Grant B, you likely also qualify for a federal Pell grant, and you can apply that to your fees/tuition. What I don’t know is whether you might also be eligible for an addition financial aid grant from the CSU itself. To find that out, you should call the school’s financial aid office and ask. If not, you can also earn the money you’d need through work study or from a summer job, or, worst case scenario, you could get a small federal student loan to cover the balance. It it’s really a hardship, then you can request to be switched from Cal Grant B to Cal Grant A. They can make that change any time up until the funds have actually been disbursed.</p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>