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Gavin Newsom grapple with a budget deficit now estimated at between \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/01/newsom-budget-california/\">$38 billion\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/02/california-budget-deficit-balloons/\">$73 billion\u003c/a>, depending on whom you ask.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Early signs suggest California’s upcoming budget, which legislators and the governor must finalize by late June, won’t be able to shoulder the new expenses. “Based on current revenue projections, those conditions are unlikely to be met in 2024–25,” wrote Lisa Qing, an analyst with the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, in an email last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Full expansion \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=9\">would cost $245 million\u003c/a>, on top of the \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=10\">$2.4 billion the state already spends on the Cal Grant\u003c/a> program. The financial aid juggernaut fully covers tuition at the University of California and California State University and provides cash awards to community college students of $1,650, though some \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students-dependents\">students with children get more\u003c/a>. Private college students receive partial tuition waivers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If implemented, \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=10\">much of the increased benefit\u003c/a> would go to lower-income community college students who aren’t eligible for the Cal Grant due to GPA restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some lawmakers are asking whether the state could partially expand the grant program in the hopes that more money will be available next year — no sure bet as projections show California will battle \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/01/california-budget-lao-review-newsom/#:~:text=Worse%2C%20both%20the%20governor%20and%20Legislative%20Analyst%E2%80%99s%20Office%20predict%20large%20deficits%20of%20about%20%2430%20billion%20annually%20through%202027%2D28.\">$30 billion deficits through 2028\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the UC system has asked lawmakers to delay changes to the Cal Grant until next year. An official cited the colossal problems caused by new \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/03/financial-aid/\">changes to the federal financial aid application\u003c/a>, known as FAFSA, that have upended the normal workflow of financial aid offices across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason is that the proposed Cal Grant changes would generally lower the income eligibility cutoff, ultimately making fewer UC students eligible for the grant over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Given that and the challenges that we’re facing this year with FAFSA, we would prefer that Cal Grant reform be enacted for ’25–’26,” said Shawn Brick, UC’s director of financial aid, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=630&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">at a March Assembly hearing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What full Cal Grant expansion would look like\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Right now, Cal Grant consists of eight programs, each with its own rules and award amounts that collectively benefit about 400,000 students. The law to revamp Cal Grant would collapse all those programs into just two: the Cal Grant 2 for community colleges and the Cal Grant 4 for four-year universities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The overhaul would expand eligibility to roughly 185,000 additional students \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=9\">but exclude 48,000 students currently eligible\u003c/a> — a net increase of 137,000 students. Those already getting the award would continue to receive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students would be \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=8\">newly eligible for several reasons\u003c/a>. If they’re community college students, they’ll no longer need to satisfy a minimum GPA of 2.0. This builds on a 2021 law that \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/2021-22/pdf/Enacted/BudgetSummary/HigherEducation.pdf#page=9\">allowed more than 100,000 community college students\u003c/a> to receive the Cal Grant for the first time. University students would be newly eligible because the rules \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=8\">would no longer limit the award\u003c/a> to students under 28.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"more higher ed coverage\" tag=\"higher-education\"]The new rules would also make students eligible for the Cal Grant even if they enroll directly into a university more than a year after finishing high school, removing the time-out-of-high school restriction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the overhaul would also lower the income ceiling, excluding about 48,000 students who are now eligible for it. For example, under current rules, the income ceiling for a family of four with a dependent student going to college is $131,000. It would drop to $76,000 under the Cal Grant overhaul, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=96&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">Qing said at a March legislative hearing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, university students \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=130&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">would no longer be eligible\u003c/a> for some cash awards, with the expectation that campus financial aid programs \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=159&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">pick up the slack\u003c/a>. At the same time, some university students who now only receive a $1,650 cash award as freshmen would instead be granted the tuition waiver, which is a higher value.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, under the new Cal Grant rules, an additional 45,000 lower-income students who are parents would be eligible for the award, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students-dependents\">students with dependent children \u003c/a>could receive an additional $6,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Most of the new awards would go to community college students\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The agency that oversees financial aid, the California Student Aid Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=10\">projects that by the end of the decade\u003c/a>, 120,000 more community college students will receive a Cal Grant annually under the overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a different story for UC students. Under existing rules, the number of UC students receiving a Cal Grant is projected to grow by 17,000 by 2030. But under the overhauled Cal Grant, only 5,500 more UC students would get the award by then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, students at UC, which has the highest tuition, would collectively receive more Cal Grant dollars than students elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat from Chula Vista, noted at a March hearing that UC is \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-13-final-agenda.pdf#page=6\">enrolling a smaller percentage of lower-income students\u003c/a> than in the past, which he thinks is the reason why the system is projected to see fewer of its students acquire a Cal Grant under the overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s identify more of our California students that are lower income to be able to attend our UC system,” \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=1632&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">Alvarez said\u003c/a>. “And therefore, I think Cal Grant can be a net benefit for the UC system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, who leads the Assembly’s budget subcommittee on education, wants to see the Cal Grant expanded in some capacity by July when the state’s 2024–25 budget begins. “We know it will happen, but we are in a budget situation where we need to think about how that is going to happen. But I believe it must start this year,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, state senators asked the Student Aid Commission to float some ideas for a \u003ca href=\"https://sbud.senate.ca.gov/sites/sbud.senate.ca.gov/files/March%207%202024_%20CA%20Student%20Aid%20Commission%20UC%20CSU%20CCC%20UC%20College%20of%20the%20Law%20SF%20State%20Library.pdf#page=8\">partial rollout that limits costs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One idea is to increase the size of the community college cash awards this year so they’re tied to inflation — one of the changes that would kick in under a full Cal Grant overhaul anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another option is to expand the number of students who are also parents receiving the cash award but lower the amount each student receives. An official with the commission, Jake Brymner, told lawmakers at a March hearing that doing so would mean 45,000 more students receive the cash award but that everyone \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=410&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">would get between $3,000 and $4,000\u003c/a> — less than the $6,000 students get now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brymner \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=305&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">also suggested\u003c/a> limiting the Cal Grant for community college students to those who meet the current 2.0 GPA rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finally, lawmakers could overhaul the Cal Grant but \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=452&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">lower the income ceilings even more\u003c/a> to limit costs, Brymner said. That idea is likely the least popular.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would hate to see a reduction to the income ceilings,” Noelia Gonzalez, Cal State’s director for financial aid programs, said \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=620&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">at the same hearing\u003c/a>. She said it would come at a particularly poor time for middle-class students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of the state’s budget deficit, Newsom favors nixing a planned one-time increase to the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/07/middle-class-scholarship-california/\">Middle Class Scholarship\u003c/a>, a relatively new financial aid program funded at around $630 million in 2022–23 and $860 million in 2023–24. Last year, lawmakers had promised to put \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=16\">an additional $60 million into the scholarship\u003c/a>. Instead, Newsom wants to cut it back to around $630 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=16\">would drop average awards\u003c/a> from above $2,500 to just below $2,000 for the roughly 300,000 UC and Cal State students receiving them.\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Two years ago, state legislators planned to offer the Cal Grant, which fully covers tuition at the University of California and California State University, to 137,000 additional students. But it's unclear if that will happen.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1713906384,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":32,"wordCount":1363},"headData":{"title":"Planned Cal Grant Expansion for Public College Students in Jeopardy Amid Growing State Deficit | KQED","description":"Two years ago, state legislators planned to offer the Cal Grant, which fully covers tuition at the University of California and California State University, to 137,000 additional students. But it's unclear if that will happen.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Planned Cal Grant Expansion for Public College Students in Jeopardy Amid Growing State Deficit","datePublished":"2024-04-23T21:00:44.000Z","dateModified":"2024-04-23T21:06:24.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"Mikhail Zinshteyn\u003cbr>CalMatters\u003c/br>","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11983823/planned-cal-grant-expansion-for-public-college-students-in-jeopardy-amid-growing-state-deficit","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When California’s budget surplus was in the tens of billions of dollars two years ago, legislators passed a law that would expand the state’s nationally renowned free-tuition and cash-aid program to an additional 137,000 college students by fall 2024 — \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/2022-23/pdf/Enacted/BudgetSummary/HigherEducation.pdf#page=10\">but only if the money was there\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whether the Cal Grant tuition program grows will play out in the next two months as state legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom grapple with a budget deficit now estimated at between \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/01/newsom-budget-california/\">$38 billion\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/02/california-budget-deficit-balloons/\">$73 billion\u003c/a>, depending on whom you ask.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Early signs suggest California’s upcoming budget, which legislators and the governor must finalize by late June, won’t be able to shoulder the new expenses. “Based on current revenue projections, those conditions are unlikely to be met in 2024–25,” wrote Lisa Qing, an analyst with the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, in an email last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Full expansion \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=9\">would cost $245 million\u003c/a>, on top of the \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=10\">$2.4 billion the state already spends on the Cal Grant\u003c/a> program. The financial aid juggernaut fully covers tuition at the University of California and California State University and provides cash awards to community college students of $1,650, though some \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students-dependents\">students with children get more\u003c/a>. Private college students receive partial tuition waivers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If implemented, \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=10\">much of the increased benefit\u003c/a> would go to lower-income community college students who aren’t eligible for the Cal Grant due to GPA restrictions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some lawmakers are asking whether the state could partially expand the grant program in the hopes that more money will be available next year — no sure bet as projections show California will battle \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2024/01/california-budget-lao-review-newsom/#:~:text=Worse%2C%20both%20the%20governor%20and%20Legislative%20Analyst%E2%80%99s%20Office%20predict%20large%20deficits%20of%20about%20%2430%20billion%20annually%20through%202027%2D28.\">$30 billion deficits through 2028\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the UC system has asked lawmakers to delay changes to the Cal Grant until next year. An official cited the colossal problems caused by new \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/03/financial-aid/\">changes to the federal financial aid application\u003c/a>, known as FAFSA, that have upended the normal workflow of financial aid offices across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another reason is that the proposed Cal Grant changes would generally lower the income eligibility cutoff, ultimately making fewer UC students eligible for the grant over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Given that and the challenges that we’re facing this year with FAFSA, we would prefer that Cal Grant reform be enacted for ’25–’26,” said Shawn Brick, UC’s director of financial aid, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=630&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">at a March Assembly hearing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What full Cal Grant expansion would look like\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Right now, Cal Grant consists of eight programs, each with its own rules and award amounts that collectively benefit about 400,000 students. The law to revamp Cal Grant would collapse all those programs into just two: the Cal Grant 2 for community colleges and the Cal Grant 4 for four-year universities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The overhaul would expand eligibility to roughly 185,000 additional students \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=9\">but exclude 48,000 students currently eligible\u003c/a> — a net increase of 137,000 students. Those already getting the award would continue to receive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students would be \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=8\">newly eligible for several reasons\u003c/a>. If they’re community college students, they’ll no longer need to satisfy a minimum GPA of 2.0. This builds on a 2021 law that \u003ca href=\"https://ebudget.ca.gov/2021-22/pdf/Enacted/BudgetSummary/HigherEducation.pdf#page=9\">allowed more than 100,000 community college students\u003c/a> to receive the Cal Grant for the first time. University students would be newly eligible because the rules \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=8\">would no longer limit the award\u003c/a> to students under 28.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"label":"more higher ed coverage ","tag":"higher-education"},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The new rules would also make students eligible for the Cal Grant even if they enroll directly into a university more than a year after finishing high school, removing the time-out-of-high school restriction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the overhaul would also lower the income ceiling, excluding about 48,000 students who are now eligible for it. For example, under current rules, the income ceiling for a family of four with a dependent student going to college is $131,000. It would drop to $76,000 under the Cal Grant overhaul, \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=96&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">Qing said at a March legislative hearing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, university students \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=130&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">would no longer be eligible\u003c/a> for some cash awards, with the expectation that campus financial aid programs \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=159&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">pick up the slack\u003c/a>. At the same time, some university students who now only receive a $1,650 cash award as freshmen would instead be granted the tuition waiver, which is a higher value.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, under the new Cal Grant rules, an additional 45,000 lower-income students who are parents would be eligible for the award, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students-dependents\">students with dependent children \u003c/a>could receive an additional $6,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Most of the new awards would go to community college students\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The agency that oversees financial aid, the California Student Aid Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=10\">projects that by the end of the decade\u003c/a>, 120,000 more community college students will receive a Cal Grant annually under the overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a different story for UC students. Under existing rules, the number of UC students receiving a Cal Grant is projected to grow by 17,000 by 2030. But under the overhauled Cal Grant, only 5,500 more UC students would get the award by then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, students at UC, which has the highest tuition, would collectively receive more Cal Grant dollars than students elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat from Chula Vista, noted at a March hearing that UC is \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-13-final-agenda.pdf#page=6\">enrolling a smaller percentage of lower-income students\u003c/a> than in the past, which he thinks is the reason why the system is projected to see fewer of its students acquire a Cal Grant under the overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let’s identify more of our California students that are lower income to be able to attend our UC system,” \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257710?t=1632&f=4bdaaf3f51f0652e230d2df807380a98\">Alvarez said\u003c/a>. “And therefore, I think Cal Grant can be a net benefit for the UC system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez, who leads the Assembly’s budget subcommittee on education, wants to see the Cal Grant expanded in some capacity by July when the state’s 2024–25 budget begins. “We know it will happen, but we are in a budget situation where we need to think about how that is going to happen. But I believe it must start this year,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month, state senators asked the Student Aid Commission to float some ideas for a \u003ca href=\"https://sbud.senate.ca.gov/sites/sbud.senate.ca.gov/files/March%207%202024_%20CA%20Student%20Aid%20Commission%20UC%20CSU%20CCC%20UC%20College%20of%20the%20Law%20SF%20State%20Library.pdf#page=8\">partial rollout that limits costs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One idea is to increase the size of the community college cash awards this year so they’re tied to inflation — one of the changes that would kick in under a full Cal Grant overhaul anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another option is to expand the number of students who are also parents receiving the cash award but lower the amount each student receives. An official with the commission, Jake Brymner, told lawmakers at a March hearing that doing so would mean 45,000 more students receive the cash award but that everyone \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=410&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">would get between $3,000 and $4,000\u003c/a> — less than the $6,000 students get now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brymner \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=305&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">also suggested\u003c/a> limiting the Cal Grant for community college students to those who meet the current 2.0 GPA rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finally, lawmakers could overhaul the Cal Grant but \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=452&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">lower the income ceilings even more\u003c/a> to limit costs, Brymner said. That idea is likely the least popular.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would hate to see a reduction to the income ceilings,” Noelia Gonzalez, Cal State’s director for financial aid programs, said \u003ca href=\"https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/hearings/257579?t=620&f=cf17d1310e8ea48f9120dabd65ef74b0\">at the same hearing\u003c/a>. She said it would come at a particularly poor time for middle-class students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of the state’s budget deficit, Newsom favors nixing a planned one-time increase to the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/07/middle-class-scholarship-california/\">Middle Class Scholarship\u003c/a>, a relatively new financial aid program funded at around $630 million in 2022–23 and $860 million in 2023–24. Last year, lawmakers had promised to put \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=16\">an additional $60 million into the scholarship\u003c/a>. Instead, Newsom wants to cut it back to around $630 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That \u003ca href=\"https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2024-03/sub-3-march-19-agenda-final.pdf#page=16\">would drop average awards\u003c/a> from above $2,500 to just below $2,000 for the roughly 300,000 UC and Cal State students receiving them.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11983823/planned-cal-grant-expansion-for-public-college-students-in-jeopardy-amid-growing-state-deficit","authors":["byline_news_11983823"],"categories":["news_8"],"tags":["news_18085","news_20013","news_31715","news_22697","news_4843","news_797"],"affiliates":["news_18481"],"featImg":"news_11968957","label":"news_18481"},"news_11981524":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11981524","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11981524","score":null,"sort":[1712008846000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"california-community-colleges-losing-millions-to-financial-aid-scams","title":"California Community Colleges Losing Millions to Financial Aid Scams","publishDate":1712008846,"format":"standard","headTitle":"California Community Colleges Losing Millions to Financial Aid Scams | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":18481,"site":"news"},"content":"\u003cp>They’re called “Pell runners” — after enrolling at a community college they apply for a federal Pell grant, collect as much as $7,400, then vanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since fall 2021, California’s community colleges have given more than $5 million to Pell runners, according to monthly reports they sent to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Colleges also report they’ve given nearly $1.5 million in state and local aid to these scammers.[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Valerie Lundy-Wagner, vice chancellor, community college system\"]‘If I saw, for example, that a college that only gets 1,000 applications in some time frame gets 5,000, you kind of know something is probably up.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chancellor’s office began requiring the state’s 116 community colleges to submit these reports three years ago after fraud cases surged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, the office said it suspected \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2021/09/california-community-colleges-financial-aid-scam/\">20% of college applicants were fraudulent\u003c/a>. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government loosened some restrictions around financial aid, making it easier for students to prove they were eligible, and provided special one-time grants to help keep them enrolled. Once these pandemic-era exceptions ended in 2023 and some classes returned to in-person instruction, college officials said they expected fraud to subside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It hasn’t. In January, the chancellor’s office suspected 25% of college applicants were fraudulent, said Paul Feist, a spokesperson for the office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is getting significantly worse,” said Todd Coston, an associate vice chancellor with the Kern Community College District. He said that last year, “something changed, and all of a sudden, everything spiked like crazy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Online classes that historically don’t fill up were suddenly overwhelmed with students — a sign that many of them might be fake — Coston said. Administrators at other large districts, including the Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, the Mt. San Antonio Community College District in Walnut, California and the Los Angeles Community College District, told CalMatters that fraudsters are evading each new cybersecurity strategy.[aside postID=\"news_11975534,news_11979072,mindshift_63075\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason for the reported increase in fraud is because the chancellor’s office and college administrators are getting better at detecting it, he said. Since 2022, the state has allocated more than \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4632#california-community-colleges:~:text=Cybersecurity%20Upgrades%20for,applying%20to%20CCC.\">$125 million for fraud detection\u003c/a>, cybersecurity and other changes in the online application process at community colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reports the colleges submitted don’t include how much fraud they prevented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rise in suspected fraud coincides with years of efforts, both at the state and local level, to increase access to community college. Schools are reducing fees — or making college free — while legislators have worked to simplify and expand financial aid. Those efforts accelerated during the pandemic when \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/08/california-community-colleges-2/\">community colleges saw record declines in enrollment.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not surprising, then, that “bad actors” would take advantage of the system’s good intentions, Feist said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Financial aid fraud is not new\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>College officials suspect most of the fake students are bots and often, they display tell-tale signs. In Sacramento, community colleges started seeing an influx of applications from Russia, China, and India during the start of the pandemic. Around the same time, administrators at Mt. San Antonio College saw students using Social Security numbers of retirees. Others had home addresses that were abandoned lots. Uncommon email domains, such as AOL.com, were another red flag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These scams aren’t new. The federal government has long required colleges to report instances of financial aid fraud. Every year, the federal government closes around \u003ca href=\"https://oig.ed.gov/about/strategic-performances-and-peer-reviews\">40 to 80 cases\u003c/a>, including a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/three-women-indicted-alleged-scheme-used-prison-inmates-identities-fraudulently-obtain\">conviction of three California women\u003c/a> who stole nearly a million dollars by collecting fraudulent student loans. California community colleges also said they’ve spotted fraudulent applications from people trying to get a .edu email address in order to receive student discounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the chancellor’s office began requiring community colleges to file monthly reports, it asked for the number of fake applications and the amount of money they gave to fraudsters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters submitted a public records request for the data, broken down by campus. After the request was initially rejected, CalMatters appealed and received an anonymized copy of all of the monthly reports, lacking individual campus details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reports show that between September 2021 and January 2024, the colleges received roughly 900,000 fraudulent college applications and gave fraudsters more than $5 million in federal aid, as well as nearly $1.5 million in state and local aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The numbers show that fraud represents less than 1% of the total amount of financial aid awarded to community college students in the same time period. It’s hard to tell how accurate the data is because compliance is spotty, with some months missing reports from as many as half the colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More fraud, in more places\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To understand how fraud is evolving, the chancellor’s office uses several sources of information and data, Feist said. One indicator is an atypical bump in applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I saw, for example, that a college that only gets 1,000 applications in some time frame gets 5,000, you kind of know something is probably up,” said Valerie Lundy-Wagner, a vice chancellor for the community college system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chancellor’s office provided CalMatters with anonymous application data for each month from September 2021 to January 2024. CalMatters analyzed the data using two different techniques to identify statistical outliers in the application data and asked the office to verify the methodology. The office repeatedly declined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11981539\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11981539\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a backpack walks by brick pillars that have the letters E,L, A, S.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">East Los Angeles College campus in Monterey Park on March 14, 2024. \u003ccite>(Jules Hotz/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the analysis, more than 50 of the state’s 116 community colleges saw at least one unusual spike in the number of applications they received during that time frame. In the last year, colleges have seen more unusual spikes than at any point since 2021. Along with fraud, however, outliers could also reflect normal fluctuations in applications or the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/11/community-college-enrollment-4/\">overall increase in college enrollment last year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we’re hearing is that (fraud) is happening more widespread than people are letting on, but people just have their heads in the sand because it looks good to have your enrollment going up,” said Coston with the Kern Community College District. Many college administrators said improvements in artificial intelligence have made it easier for people to attempt fraud on a larger scale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet clamping down too hard on fraud can have unintended consequences. More than 20% of community college students in California don’t receive Pell grants they’re eligible for. Administrative hurdles — including the verification process — are one reason why, according to \u003ca href=\"https://education.ucdavis.edu/sites/main/files/ucdavis_wheelhouse_research_brief_vol3no3_online_1.pdf\">a 2018 study\u003c/a> by researchers at UC Davis. To help, the federal government is trying to simplify its financial aid application, but in some cases, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/02/federal-financial-aid/#:~:text=The%20current%20problem,administration%20and%20colleges.\">created more barriers for students during the rollout this year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve overcorrected at times, even in policy, and in how stringently we’re verifying students relative to the amount of fraud in the system,” said Jake Brymer, a deputy director with the California Student Aid Commission. As a result, he said, real low-income students get pushed out.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Kicking real students out of class\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sometimes, the fraud detection backfires on actual students, ousting people like Martin Romero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to graduate from East Los Angeles College, Romero, 20, must take American history, so last fall he enrolled in an online class where students can watch pre-recorded lectures on their own time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said it was all he had time for. Romero takes four classes at East Los Angeles College each semester and serves as its student body president. He also helps out at his family’s auto body shop, sometimes as much as 15 hours a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the first day of class last fall, he said the online portal, Canvas, wasn’t working on his computer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That day, the American history professor did a test through Canvas, asking students to respond to a prompt in order to prove they were not a bot. Romero didn’t answer, so the professor dropped him from the class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was freaking out,” he said and wrote to the professor as soon as he found out, begging to be reinstated. The professor told him the class was already full again, so letting him in would mean kicking someone else out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the college’s Academic Senate, the faculty group that governs academic matters, fake students are one of the top three issues, said its president, Leticia Barajas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re frustrated with the fact that some of these courses are getting filled really quickly,” she said. “We see it as an access issue for our students.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said there’s been an uptick in recent months, especially in certain kinds of online classes, that has forced professors to focus on hunting bots instead of teaching. Professors now are expected to test their students in the first weeks, asking them to submit answers to prompts, sign copies of the syllabus, or send other evidence to prove they are real.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Increasingly, she said, the bots are evading detection, especially with the help of AI. “They’re submitting assignments. It’s gibberish,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The endless, multi-million-dollar game of combating fraud\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Campus and state officials described fraud detection as a game of whack-a-mole. “When we get better at addressing one thing, something else pops up,” Lundy-Wagner said. “That’s sort of the nature of fraud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To fight fraud, she said, the chancellor’s office, the 73 independently governed districts, and their colleges all must work together, including those who oversee information technology, enrollment and financial aid. Part of the challenge is that the system is so “decentralized,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The largest reform underway is \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Digital-Innovation-and-Infrastructure/reimagine-apply\">a new version of CCCApply\u003c/a>, the state’s community college application portal, which will offer more cybersecurity, Feist said. He also said there are other “promising” short-term projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is a software tool known as ID.Me, launched in February. The contract with the software company, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/V0467-ID.me_Vendor-Agreement-Exp.-20241016-1.pdf\">costing more than $3.5 million\u003c/a>, gives it permission to check college applicants for identification, including video interviews in certain cases. Privacy experts have warned that the company’s video technology could be \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4542#:~:text=%E2%80%A6But%20ID.me,for%20tax%20filing.\">racially biased and error-prone.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To mitigate these privacy concerns and avoid creating enrollment barriers, applicants need to opt in to the new verification software.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first few days after its implementation, 29% of applicants opted in to ID.Me’s new vetting process. Some applicants started the verification process but never finished, Feist said, while others are ineligible because they’re under the age of 18. The rest chose not to verify their identity for other reasons, including many who are suspected bots.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We’re just trying to survive’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In Los Angeles, community colleges have already seen a drop in suspicious applications, said Nicole Albo-Lopez, a vice chancellor with the district. But she’s skeptical the problem is solved. “The lull we see, I don’t believe we’ll be able to sustain,” she said. “They’ll find another way to come in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her district is now concerned that bots are trying to steal data or intellectual property, not just financial aid. “Say I have 400 sections of English 101 online. There are 400 variations of readings, assignments, peer-to-peer questions that somebody can go in and scrape,” Albo-Lopez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Barajas said faculty at East Los Angeles College are so overwhelmed by bots they haven’t discussed the potential risk to their intellectual property: “We’re at such a level where we’re just trying to survive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, students like Romero, who are wrongly mistaken for bots, must develop their own survival skills. When the professor denied the request to re-enroll, he signed up for the same course in the one format that was still available — in-person. The class met every Monday and Wednesday at 7:10 a.m., and the professor deducted points for anyone who was late.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was torture,” he said, noting that he missed two classes and was late to around four. He finished the class with a B but said he would have had an A if he had gotten into the class he wanted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As student body president, he said he’s been outspoken about the issue. While he was able to fulfill his history requirement, he worries that other students may not be so lucky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Data reporter Erica Yee contributed to this reporting. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"California’s community colleges are reporting a rise in financial aid fraud. In January, suspected bots represented 1 in 4 college applicants. Schools have given away millions to these scams.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1712008989,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":50,"wordCount":2216},"headData":{"title":"California Community Colleges Losing Millions to Financial Aid Scams | KQED","description":"California’s community colleges are reporting a rise in financial aid fraud. In January, suspected bots represented 1 in 4 college applicants. Schools have given away millions to these scams.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"California Community Colleges Losing Millions to Financial Aid Scams","datePublished":"2024-04-01T22:00:46.000Z","dateModified":"2024-04-01T22:03:09.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"Adam Echelman","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11981524/california-community-colleges-losing-millions-to-financial-aid-scams","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>They’re called “Pell runners” — after enrolling at a community college they apply for a federal Pell grant, collect as much as $7,400, then vanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since fall 2021, California’s community colleges have given more than $5 million to Pell runners, according to monthly reports they sent to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Colleges also report they’ve given nearly $1.5 million in state and local aid to these scammers.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"‘If I saw, for example, that a college that only gets 1,000 applications in some time frame gets 5,000, you kind of know something is probably up.’","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"size":"medium","align":"right","citation":"Valerie Lundy-Wagner, vice chancellor, community college system","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chancellor’s office began requiring the state’s 116 community colleges to submit these reports three years ago after fraud cases surged.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, the office said it suspected \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2021/09/california-community-colleges-financial-aid-scam/\">20% of college applicants were fraudulent\u003c/a>. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government loosened some restrictions around financial aid, making it easier for students to prove they were eligible, and provided special one-time grants to help keep them enrolled. Once these pandemic-era exceptions ended in 2023 and some classes returned to in-person instruction, college officials said they expected fraud to subside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It hasn’t. In January, the chancellor’s office suspected 25% of college applicants were fraudulent, said Paul Feist, a spokesperson for the office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is getting significantly worse,” said Todd Coston, an associate vice chancellor with the Kern Community College District. He said that last year, “something changed, and all of a sudden, everything spiked like crazy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Online classes that historically don’t fill up were suddenly overwhelmed with students — a sign that many of them might be fake — Coston said. Administrators at other large districts, including the Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, the Mt. San Antonio Community College District in Walnut, California and the Los Angeles Community College District, told CalMatters that fraudsters are evading each new cybersecurity strategy.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11975534,news_11979072,mindshift_63075","label":"Related Stories "},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason for the reported increase in fraud is because the chancellor’s office and college administrators are getting better at detecting it, he said. Since 2022, the state has allocated more than \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4632#california-community-colleges:~:text=Cybersecurity%20Upgrades%20for,applying%20to%20CCC.\">$125 million for fraud detection\u003c/a>, cybersecurity and other changes in the online application process at community colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reports the colleges submitted don’t include how much fraud they prevented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rise in suspected fraud coincides with years of efforts, both at the state and local level, to increase access to community college. Schools are reducing fees — or making college free — while legislators have worked to simplify and expand financial aid. Those efforts accelerated during the pandemic when \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/08/california-community-colleges-2/\">community colleges saw record declines in enrollment.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not surprising, then, that “bad actors” would take advantage of the system’s good intentions, Feist said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Financial aid fraud is not new\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>College officials suspect most of the fake students are bots and often, they display tell-tale signs. In Sacramento, community colleges started seeing an influx of applications from Russia, China, and India during the start of the pandemic. Around the same time, administrators at Mt. San Antonio College saw students using Social Security numbers of retirees. Others had home addresses that were abandoned lots. Uncommon email domains, such as AOL.com, were another red flag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These scams aren’t new. The federal government has long required colleges to report instances of financial aid fraud. Every year, the federal government closes around \u003ca href=\"https://oig.ed.gov/about/strategic-performances-and-peer-reviews\">40 to 80 cases\u003c/a>, including a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/three-women-indicted-alleged-scheme-used-prison-inmates-identities-fraudulently-obtain\">conviction of three California women\u003c/a> who stole nearly a million dollars by collecting fraudulent student loans. California community colleges also said they’ve spotted fraudulent applications from people trying to get a .edu email address in order to receive student discounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the chancellor’s office began requiring community colleges to file monthly reports, it asked for the number of fake applications and the amount of money they gave to fraudsters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters submitted a public records request for the data, broken down by campus. After the request was initially rejected, CalMatters appealed and received an anonymized copy of all of the monthly reports, lacking individual campus details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reports show that between September 2021 and January 2024, the colleges received roughly 900,000 fraudulent college applications and gave fraudsters more than $5 million in federal aid, as well as nearly $1.5 million in state and local aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The numbers show that fraud represents less than 1% of the total amount of financial aid awarded to community college students in the same time period. It’s hard to tell how accurate the data is because compliance is spotty, with some months missing reports from as many as half the colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More fraud, in more places\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To understand how fraud is evolving, the chancellor’s office uses several sources of information and data, Feist said. One indicator is an atypical bump in applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If I saw, for example, that a college that only gets 1,000 applications in some time frame gets 5,000, you kind of know something is probably up,” said Valerie Lundy-Wagner, a vice chancellor for the community college system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chancellor’s office provided CalMatters with anonymous application data for each month from September 2021 to January 2024. CalMatters analyzed the data using two different techniques to identify statistical outliers in the application data and asked the office to verify the methodology. The office repeatedly declined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11981539\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11981539\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a backpack walks by brick pillars that have the letters E,L, A, S.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/031424_ELAC_JH_CM_02-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">East Los Angeles College campus in Monterey Park on March 14, 2024. \u003ccite>(Jules Hotz/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to the analysis, more than 50 of the state’s 116 community colleges saw at least one unusual spike in the number of applications they received during that time frame. In the last year, colleges have seen more unusual spikes than at any point since 2021. Along with fraud, however, outliers could also reflect normal fluctuations in applications or the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/11/community-college-enrollment-4/\">overall increase in college enrollment last year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we’re hearing is that (fraud) is happening more widespread than people are letting on, but people just have their heads in the sand because it looks good to have your enrollment going up,” said Coston with the Kern Community College District. Many college administrators said improvements in artificial intelligence have made it easier for people to attempt fraud on a larger scale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet clamping down too hard on fraud can have unintended consequences. More than 20% of community college students in California don’t receive Pell grants they’re eligible for. Administrative hurdles — including the verification process — are one reason why, according to \u003ca href=\"https://education.ucdavis.edu/sites/main/files/ucdavis_wheelhouse_research_brief_vol3no3_online_1.pdf\">a 2018 study\u003c/a> by researchers at UC Davis. To help, the federal government is trying to simplify its financial aid application, but in some cases, it’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/02/federal-financial-aid/#:~:text=The%20current%20problem,administration%20and%20colleges.\">created more barriers for students during the rollout this year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve overcorrected at times, even in policy, and in how stringently we’re verifying students relative to the amount of fraud in the system,” said Jake Brymer, a deputy director with the California Student Aid Commission. As a result, he said, real low-income students get pushed out.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Kicking real students out of class\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Sometimes, the fraud detection backfires on actual students, ousting people like Martin Romero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to graduate from East Los Angeles College, Romero, 20, must take American history, so last fall he enrolled in an online class where students can watch pre-recorded lectures on their own time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said it was all he had time for. Romero takes four classes at East Los Angeles College each semester and serves as its student body president. He also helps out at his family’s auto body shop, sometimes as much as 15 hours a week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the first day of class last fall, he said the online portal, Canvas, wasn’t working on his computer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That day, the American history professor did a test through Canvas, asking students to respond to a prompt in order to prove they were not a bot. Romero didn’t answer, so the professor dropped him from the class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was freaking out,” he said and wrote to the professor as soon as he found out, begging to be reinstated. The professor told him the class was already full again, so letting him in would mean kicking someone else out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the college’s Academic Senate, the faculty group that governs academic matters, fake students are one of the top three issues, said its president, Leticia Barajas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re frustrated with the fact that some of these courses are getting filled really quickly,” she said. “We see it as an access issue for our students.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said there’s been an uptick in recent months, especially in certain kinds of online classes, that has forced professors to focus on hunting bots instead of teaching. Professors now are expected to test their students in the first weeks, asking them to submit answers to prompts, sign copies of the syllabus, or send other evidence to prove they are real.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Increasingly, she said, the bots are evading detection, especially with the help of AI. “They’re submitting assignments. It’s gibberish,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The endless, multi-million-dollar game of combating fraud\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Campus and state officials described fraud detection as a game of whack-a-mole. “When we get better at addressing one thing, something else pops up,” Lundy-Wagner said. “That’s sort of the nature of fraud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To fight fraud, she said, the chancellor’s office, the 73 independently governed districts, and their colleges all must work together, including those who oversee information technology, enrollment and financial aid. Part of the challenge is that the system is so “decentralized,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The largest reform underway is \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office/Divisions/Digital-Innovation-and-Infrastructure/reimagine-apply\">a new version of CCCApply\u003c/a>, the state’s community college application portal, which will offer more cybersecurity, Feist said. He also said there are other “promising” short-term projects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is a software tool known as ID.Me, launched in February. The contract with the software company, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/V0467-ID.me_Vendor-Agreement-Exp.-20241016-1.pdf\">costing more than $3.5 million\u003c/a>, gives it permission to check college applicants for identification, including video interviews in certain cases. Privacy experts have warned that the company’s video technology could be \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4542#:~:text=%E2%80%A6But%20ID.me,for%20tax%20filing.\">racially biased and error-prone.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To mitigate these privacy concerns and avoid creating enrollment barriers, applicants need to opt in to the new verification software.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first few days after its implementation, 29% of applicants opted in to ID.Me’s new vetting process. Some applicants started the verification process but never finished, Feist said, while others are ineligible because they’re under the age of 18. The rest chose not to verify their identity for other reasons, including many who are suspected bots.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We’re just trying to survive’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In Los Angeles, community colleges have already seen a drop in suspicious applications, said Nicole Albo-Lopez, a vice chancellor with the district. But she’s skeptical the problem is solved. “The lull we see, I don’t believe we’ll be able to sustain,” she said. “They’ll find another way to come in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her district is now concerned that bots are trying to steal data or intellectual property, not just financial aid. “Say I have 400 sections of English 101 online. There are 400 variations of readings, assignments, peer-to-peer questions that somebody can go in and scrape,” Albo-Lopez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Barajas said faculty at East Los Angeles College are so overwhelmed by bots they haven’t discussed the potential risk to their intellectual property: “We’re at such a level where we’re just trying to survive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, students like Romero, who are wrongly mistaken for bots, must develop their own survival skills. When the professor denied the request to re-enroll, he signed up for the same course in the one format that was still available — in-person. The class met every Monday and Wednesday at 7:10 a.m., and the professor deducted points for anyone who was late.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was torture,” he said, noting that he missed two classes and was late to around four. He finished the class with a B but said he would have had an A if he had gotten into the class he wanted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As student body president, he said he’s been outspoken about the issue. While he was able to fulfill his history requirement, he worries that other students may not be so lucky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Data reporter Erica Yee contributed to this reporting. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11981524/california-community-colleges-losing-millions-to-financial-aid-scams","authors":["byline_news_11981524"],"categories":["news_8"],"tags":["news_25365","news_22697","news_23052"],"affiliates":["news_18481"],"featImg":"news_11981538","label":"news_18481"},"news_11957693":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11957693","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11957693","score":null,"sort":[1711496733000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines","title":"FAFSA 2024: The New Deadline for California Students and More","publishDate":1711496733,"format":"image","headTitle":"FAFSA 2024: The New Deadline for California Students and More | KQED","labelTerm":{"site":"news"},"content":"\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 11\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the best of times, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA —\u003c/a> can be a dreaded process for students across the country hoping to go to college. But this year, it got even more complicated when it was meant to become simpler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education, which manages the FAFSA, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">launched a revamped version of the form on Dec. 30, 2023,\u003c/a> that aimed to streamline the infamously lengthy and detailed application. However, the federal agency has reported several complications in this year’s FASFSA rollout, leading to delays and much stress for students and their families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to these delays, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">a bill on March 25 extending the deadline \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">for California students to file their FAFSA to May 2, 2024, in order to be eligible for state financial aid\u003c/a>. This means that students who are aiming to go to a four-year university in California can submit their applications by May 2 and still be eligible for financial aid. This also includes the CalGrant and the Middle Class Scholarship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This extension by the state will come as a relief for many students amid a fraught nationwide rollout of the new FAFSA. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">Federal officials only began sending out students’ FAFSA data to colleges on March 10\u003c/a>, months later than in years past. This delay — caused by a glitch in the form that wasn’t taking into account the economic inflation of recent years — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">has given schools less time to calculate students’ financial packages\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, students from mixed-status families — where a student has a Social Security number, but their parent doesn’t — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">could only complete their FAFSA until March 12 due to an entirely separate technical issue with the form\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news? Despite the multiple technical issues the new FAFSA has seen during its launch, some of the changes in the revamped form \u003cem>have\u003c/em> made the process of filling out the form easier for students. Keep reading to learn more about the new FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#deadline\">\u003cstrong>Important deadlines and due dates for FAFSA in 2024\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#measure\">\u003cstrong>How will FAFSA now measure a student’s financial need?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#undocumented\">\u003cstrong>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know about FAFSA and financial aid\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">\u003cstrong>What to know if you’re also applying to private colleges\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#taxes\">\u003cstrong>My parents don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Rest assured that there \u003ci>are \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-student-opportunity-and-access-program-cal-soap\">resources\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://cash4college.csac.ca.gov/RCO/RegionalCoordinatingOrganizations\">organizations\u003c/a> available to help you with FAFSA — including the upcoming Cash for College Webinars organized by the California Student Aid Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">scheduled throughout March and April\u003c/a>. These are free and available to any student completing the FAFSA or the Dream Act application. The Commission also hosts \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cash-college-train-trainer-program\">Train the Trainer workshops\u003c/a> to teach community partners also to host financial aid workshops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions\">We also have a guide to talking to your family about FAFSA — \u003c/a>especially if they’re not usually comfortable talking about their finances with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>There’s a new FAFSA timeline for 2024\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"deadline\">\u003c/a>In December 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act with the goal of making it easier for students to claim available financial aid and tackle the application’s infamous length and detailed, confusing tax questions — \u003ca href=\"https://mailchi.mp/658643bea675/california-student-aid-commission-public-affairs-newsletter-13577271\">complications that have historically left billions of dollars of aid unclaimed. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the Department of Education promised that the revamped FAFSA would launch sometime in December. And it did — but on Dec. 30. Because the form became available much later than normal, a lot of the steps in the financial aid process have been pushed back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11927018/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid\">students applying for financial aid for the next academic year could start on their FAFSA around October,\u003c/a> then apply for regular admission for most schools around December, and finally receive acceptance letters in March and April. Along with their acceptance letters, many schools also send out additional documents with information on annual costs and how much financial aid a student is eligible for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#tellus\">Tell us: What else do you need information about right now?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>This year, FAFSA came out when many students were rushing to get their college applications in before the deadline. And in January, the Department of Education confirmed that it needed to fix \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63005/exclusive-the-education-department-says-it-will-fix-its-1-8-billion-fafsa-mistake\">a major mistake in how FAFSA calculated a student’s financial need\u003c/a>. The time needed to fix this glitch pushed back the date for the Department of Education to start sending students’ FAFSA data to colleges. This usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63075/a-new-fafsa-setback-means-many-college-financial-aid-offers-wont-come-until-april\">takes place at the end of January,\u003c/a> but this year, federal officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">started transferring student information until mid-March\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you receive an acceptance letter that doesn’t include information on financial aid you qualify for, don’t panic. Email the school’s financial aid office and ask their timeline for sending out this information. They may be sending that letter out later than in previous years. Additionally, you can ask the college if they plan to push back the deadline for when they expect students to decide on whether to enroll in the school. For example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11975534/california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them\">schools in the University of California and California State University systems have now pushed back this deadline to May 15\u003c/a>.[aside postID=\"news_11979367\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg\"]Students in California will also have more time to apply for state aid. If you are a high school senior or a transfer student planning to go to a four-year institution — like a school in the University of California or Cal State system — you now have until May 2 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">apply for the Cal Grant\u003c/a>. You must complete the FAFSA before that date to qualify for a Cal Grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Previously, the deadline to file the FAFSA to be eligible for the Cal Grant and other state aid was April 2. But\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\"> legislators have now approved a bill that pushes back this date\u003c/a>. “This new law will give California students more time to complete the FAFSA and gain access to the financial resources they need to begin their college careers in earnest,” said State Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, who introduced the legislation extending the deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you plan to enroll in a California community college, there’s more good news: The deadline to apply for community college-specific state aid is now set for much later in 2024. Make sure your FAFSA is completed by Sept. 2 to qualify for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-community-college-entitlement-award\">Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>In 2024, your FAFSA application isn’t as long\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The FAFSA and financial aid process can be very overwhelming, very complex,” said Michael Lemus, the outreach and marketing manager at the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The original FAFSA application was over 100 questions. Now, as of this year, it is going to be fewer than 50 questions, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s always been super, super long,” Lemus said of the application. “I’m someone that filled it out myself when I was in high school and in college, and I just remember it being a stressful period of time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FAFSA’s infamous length, Lemus said, can be a deterrent — “especially for folks that their families might not be as comfortable with filling out these applications or just aware of all the terminology.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So some of the changes that are being looked at are making those questions easier to understand and lessening the questions,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA will be connected to data from the Internal Revenue Service to automatically populate that tax information in the forms, Lemus said. “So it’ll save a lot of time, and it’ll just actually populate from the information that the family’s able to provide instead of a lot of the manual entry that a lot of folks are used to,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">Some questions being taken out include inquiries on drug convictions\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"measure\">\u003c/a>FAFSA now has new ways to measure eligibility for student aid\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There is a new metric to determine how much a student can qualify for aid, said Shelveen Ratnam, a spokesperson for the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that was generated by the FAFSA and is “a metric to understand the relative amount that the formula estimates a student can contribute,” Ratnam told KQED in an email. “The SAI will help inform how much federal aid, and in some instances other institutional aid, for which a student might qualify.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11968584\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg\"]Expected Family Contribution was \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">something of a misleading name\u003c/a>, Ratnam said because it did not truly reflect the cost someone would be paying for college by including factors like student loan interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ratnam said that the EFC also factored in how many other college students were in a family — which could negatively impact someone’s eligibility for financial aid. The new Student Aid Index does not do this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SAI also has a larger range, meaning students with \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46909\">larger financial needs have more chances for more aid\u003c/a> (PDF).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With the SAI, applicants can receive an SAI below $0, with the lowest being negative $1500, which would help make it easier for financial aid counselors to determine a student’s financial need,” Ratnam said. “With the previous EFC, the lowest an applicant would receive would be $0.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The equation for determining \u003ca href=\"https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">financial need is calculated by subtracting your SAI from your cost of attendance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More applicants now qualify for grants through FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Federal Pell Grant \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">will also be expanded to more students\u003c/a>, linking eligibility to family size and federal poverty level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can use \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/202425DRAFTSAIGuideSupplementEligibilityforMaxorMinPellGrantResource.pdf\">this website (link to PDF) to look up your situation and income to gauge how much aid you can get\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SAI \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">kicks in here, too\u003c/a>, as students who don’t qualify for Pell Grants based on income \u003ci>may\u003c/i> qualify based on SAI. Another change: “Additionally, incarcerated students will regain the ability to receive a Pell Grant,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“FAFSA simplification and the new SAI expands eligibility for Pell Grants to more students and increases the numbers of students that will qualify for a maximum Pell Grant,” Ratnam said. “Students with two parents whose adjusted gross income is less [than] or equal to 175% of the poverty line and 225% of the poverty line for a single-parent household now qualify for the maximum Pell Grant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Plus: A new option for students interested in attending HBCUs\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California does not have historically Black colleges or universities, meaning students would have to give up state-based financial aid if they want to go to one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Gov. Gavin Newsom last year \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab1400_signed_press_release_100223.pdf\">signed into law AB 1400\u003c/a>, which allows for a one-time $5,000 grant to California Community College students transferring to an HBCU.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968640\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968640\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A group of young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year, FAFSA is opening in December. \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"undocumented\">\u003c/a>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m a citizen, but my parents are undocumented and don’t have a Social Security number?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 12, the Department of Education announced it had finally fixed the technical issue that for months prevented mixed-status families — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">where the student has a Social Security number but their parent does not\u003c/a> — from completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This glitch blocked mixed-status families from completing the form for months, despite the Department of Education confirming with KQED in 2023 that these families would be able to complete the new FAFSA without a problem. Now that the is resolved, undocumented parents can make an FSA ID and fill out the parent’s portion of the form without needing to input a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to give mixed-status families more time to complete the FAFSA, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature pushed back the deadline for California students to file FAFSA and be eligible for state aid, like the Cal Grant. The new deadline to complete the FAFSA and be eligible for these aid programs is now May 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>It’s April and the FAFSA form still does not let me proceed without my parent’s Social Security number. What can I do?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s okay to feel anxious, but remember: You still have time \u003cem>and\u003c/em> options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On April 9, the state’s Student Aid Commission announced that the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) — which has usually been reserved only for California students who don’t have a Social Security themselves — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">will be available to students from mixed-status families who are still facing issues completing FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This does not mean that mixed-status families seeking state aid are now required to complete CADAA \u003cem>on top of\u003c/em> FAFSA. Rather, CADAA is a back-up option for students who are still blocked from completing FAFSA because one of their parents or guardians does not have a Social Security number, despite the recent fixes from the Department of Education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We encourage [first-time students of mixed-status families] to first attempt to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they are unable to do so, students should then complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) well before the May 2 deadline and later complete the FAFSA as soon as that becomes feasible,” García said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m undocumented? Can I still apply for FAFSA?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you, as the student, are undocumented and do not have a Social Security number, unfortunately, you cannot complete the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, in this situation, there are still ways to look for financial aid for college, even if you are undocumented. \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553\">Undocumented students in California can complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA\u003c/a>) in order to be eligible for \u003ci>state\u003c/i> grants and loans for college (keep reading for more information on this application). You can also complete the CADAA if you have a valid or expired DACA, a U Visa or Temporary Protected Status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented students can also apply to dozens of private colleges and universities and also apply for the scholarships and grants these schools offer. Make sure to check with each school you are interested in to see if they offer aid to undocumented students and what their process is like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Changes to know about the California Dream Act \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CADAA — which provides aid for undocumented students — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/renewingthedream\">will also be streamlined\u003c/a> in the future to mirror the FAFSA, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/better-fafsa-better-cadaa\">the Better California Dream Act Application\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are the ones, here at the California Student Commission, that administer the California Dream Act application,” Lemus said. “So we actually are the ones that can go ahead and change it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the arrival of the Better FAFSA application, the California Student Commission is now also looking at how to similarly streamline and simplify the California Dream Act for 2023, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As every year goes by, we’re listening for feedback, and so we’re constantly wanting to make updates as they come up,” Lemus said. “But what we’re looking at is also waiting on the updates to see what the FAFSA is going to look like, to see how we can streamline the California Dream Act.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, there may be something of a waiting game for hopeful California Dream Act applicants to find out exactly how that process will work. \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1540/id/2828767\">Newsom has recently signed AB 1540\u003c/a> into law, which takes out an extra step for undocumented students to secure their aid by making the Dream Act application the only form they need to fill out (as opposed to submitting an affidavit to their college to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab_1540_signed_press_release_100923.pdf\">verify their residency and be given a nonresident tuition exemption.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind, however, that \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/financial-aid-and-undocumented-students.pdf\">undocumented students\u003c/a> — including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients — are only currently eligible for \u003cem>state\u003c/em> student aid, not federal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968638\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968638\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg\" alt=\"A young person in a grey hoodie stands smiling and looking at someone whose back is to the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA will be shorter and streamlined this year. \u003ccite>(William Fortunato/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"private\">\u003c/a>If you’re also applying to private schools, don’t forget to complete the CSS Profile\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/\">CSS Profile\u003c/a> is a separate application operated by the CollegeBoard and used by private colleges and universities to determine how much financial aid they will give to students, in addition to FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul Dieken, head of financial aid at Pomona College, a private liberal arts school in Southern California, said that his team looks at both FAFSA and the CSS Profile to get a more complete picture of what a student’s financial situation is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation like the CSS Profile,” he said. Many private schools, including Pomona, provide financial aid packages that include additional funds from donors or grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The CSS Profile is really looking for financial resources that a family has access to,” Dieken said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to home ownership as an example. “A family that owns a home, they’re economically stronger than a family that doesn’t own a home,” he said. “But FAFSA doesn’t collect that. That’s something that we only get through the CSS Profile data.”[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Paul Dieken, Director of Financial Aid at Pomona College\"]‘The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation.’[/pullquote]If private schools are also on your list, you can go ahead and start the CSS Profile now. You’ll need a few more documents than what FAFSA asks for, including your parents’ W-2, bank statements from the past few months and records of properties or assets your family owns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure to give your family enough time to find the documents you’ll need to complete the CSS Profile. If there are questions you just can’t answer — for example, your parents are separated, and you are unable to contact one of them because of safety reasons — contact the financial aid staff of the schools you’re applying to so they can give you specific instructions on what to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"taxes\">\u003c/a>Q. My parents work but don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, let’s do a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>W-2 form\u003c/b> is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>1040 form\u003c/b> is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much that worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask your parents to share information from last year’s documents. But let’s say you ask your parents and they don’t have this information. It could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for GrubHub, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the state government sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits. You can ask for this instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see your parents’ taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Talk to your parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this. There are many community organizations that offer free tax filing services year-round. \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">In the Bay Area, United Way can connect you to online and in-person tax help\u003c/a> — and your parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of your family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents may be working at a job where they just won’t receive a W-2 or 1099 at all. Perhaps they work as a housecleaner, a nanny, a landscaper, a farmworker or another job where they haven’t signed a formal paper contract and are getting paid in cash. If this is your family’s situation, don’t panic. There are solutions. But you’ll have to act quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosanna Ferro, chief of education at Oakland-based nonprofit College Track, recommends you first ask your parents, “How have you gotten paid in the past year or two?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro, whose organization works to help first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college, said that the point of this question is twofold: How often do your parents get paid, and how much do they get paid? The piece of information you need is what’s called “proof of income,” which can help you calculate how much your parents got paid per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, let’s say your dad cleans houses and charges $100 per house. Based on the information he shares, you estimate that he can usually clean 10 houses a week. That approximates that he’s earning roughly $4,000 a month. Multiply that by 12 months, and you get an estimated $48,000 per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may have to get crafty to help your parents organize this information, Ferro said. “Whether it’s creating an Excel sheet, a Google folder or scanning something — taking a picture, a receipt or anything that shows income in any kind of way and storing it in a way that’s going to be accessible to you,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Helping your parents create a digital record of their earnings will also help you in the future when you have to fill out FAFSA again every year you’re in college. This will be especially important if you go to a school far away from home and no longer have easy access to physical receipts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you’re doing this, remember to contact a financial aid officer from any of the schools you’re applying to, who can advise your family on how to best input this information into FAFSA. They may ask you to share additional documents, like a letter from an employer or potentially filing a 1040 form with the data you’ve gathered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All in all, we ask for information that you can put in as accurately as possible,” said Sonia Jethani, the director of the financial aid office at California State University, East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968635\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968635\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg\" alt=\"Three young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">How can you work with your family to accurately complete your FAFSA? \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>What else should I know about FAFSA in 2024?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission’s Michael Lemus said students can use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Commission\u003c/a> as a resource for financial aid questions. Their website will soon have a Better FAFSA tool kit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lemus advised people to start early and for seniors in the fall to stay in close contact with their high school counselor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s interesting this year because the FAFSA is delayed,” he said. “But what I would recommend is just making sure that they start getting more comfortable with the financial aid process,” which could include familiarizing yourself with the types of aid available — to be ready and primed when FAFSA applications finally open in December. “While the application itself is changing, the types of aid, for the most part, are remaining the same,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Try not to stress,” Lemus said, even though these changes can feel overwhelming and contain a lot of unknowns. He added that teachers and educators will also be trained on the new changes, providing another point of contact and resources for applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you come across something that you just can’t find an answer to? “Just know that [at] the California [Student] Commission, we are very much aware of these, and we have it on our radar,” Lemus said. “So if they want to start off with us, to ask questions, they definitely can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/contact-us\">Get in contact with the California Student Commission\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A version of this story originally published on Feb. 15, and includes reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner and CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tellus\">\u003c/a>Tell us: What else do you need information about?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers\">clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11936674/how-to-prepare-for-this-weeks-atmospheric-river-storm-sandbags-emergency-kits-and-more\">how to cope with intense winter weather\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11821950/how-to-safely-attend-a-protest-in-the-bay-area\">how to exercise your right to protest safely\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[hearken id=\"10483\" src=\"https://modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/embed/10483.js\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA — is open for 2024–25, but there have been several complications already. Here's what to know about due dates, extensions and more.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1712860452,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":true,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":91,"wordCount":4421},"headData":{"title":"FAFSA 2024: The New Deadline for California Students and More | KQED","description":"The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA — is open for 2024–25, but there have been several complications already. Here's what to know about due dates, extensions and more.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"FAFSA 2024: The New Deadline for California Students and More","datePublished":"2024-03-26T23:45:33.000Z","dateModified":"2024-04-11T18:34:12.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"sticky":false,"excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 11\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the best of times, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA —\u003c/a> can be a dreaded process for students across the country hoping to go to college. But this year, it got even more complicated when it was meant to become simpler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education, which manages the FAFSA, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">launched a revamped version of the form on Dec. 30, 2023,\u003c/a> that aimed to streamline the infamously lengthy and detailed application. However, the federal agency has reported several complications in this year’s FASFSA rollout, leading to delays and much stress for students and their families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to these delays, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">a bill on March 25 extending the deadline \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">for California students to file their FAFSA to May 2, 2024, in order to be eligible for state financial aid\u003c/a>. This means that students who are aiming to go to a four-year university in California can submit their applications by May 2 and still be eligible for financial aid. This also includes the CalGrant and the Middle Class Scholarship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This extension by the state will come as a relief for many students amid a fraught nationwide rollout of the new FAFSA. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">Federal officials only began sending out students’ FAFSA data to colleges on March 10\u003c/a>, months later than in years past. This delay — caused by a glitch in the form that wasn’t taking into account the economic inflation of recent years — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">has given schools less time to calculate students’ financial packages\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, students from mixed-status families — where a student has a Social Security number, but their parent doesn’t — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">could only complete their FAFSA until March 12 due to an entirely separate technical issue with the form\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news? Despite the multiple technical issues the new FAFSA has seen during its launch, some of the changes in the revamped form \u003cem>have\u003c/em> made the process of filling out the form easier for students. Keep reading to learn more about the new FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#deadline\">\u003cstrong>Important deadlines and due dates for FAFSA in 2024\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#measure\">\u003cstrong>How will FAFSA now measure a student’s financial need?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#undocumented\">\u003cstrong>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know about FAFSA and financial aid\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">\u003cstrong>What to know if you’re also applying to private colleges\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#taxes\">\u003cstrong>My parents don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Rest assured that there \u003ci>are \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-student-opportunity-and-access-program-cal-soap\">resources\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://cash4college.csac.ca.gov/RCO/RegionalCoordinatingOrganizations\">organizations\u003c/a> available to help you with FAFSA — including the upcoming Cash for College Webinars organized by the California Student Aid Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">scheduled throughout March and April\u003c/a>. These are free and available to any student completing the FAFSA or the Dream Act application. The Commission also hosts \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cash-college-train-trainer-program\">Train the Trainer workshops\u003c/a> to teach community partners also to host financial aid workshops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions\">We also have a guide to talking to your family about FAFSA — \u003c/a>especially if they’re not usually comfortable talking about their finances with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>There’s a new FAFSA timeline for 2024\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"deadline\">\u003c/a>In December 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act with the goal of making it easier for students to claim available financial aid and tackle the application’s infamous length and detailed, confusing tax questions — \u003ca href=\"https://mailchi.mp/658643bea675/california-student-aid-commission-public-affairs-newsletter-13577271\">complications that have historically left billions of dollars of aid unclaimed. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the Department of Education promised that the revamped FAFSA would launch sometime in December. And it did — but on Dec. 30. Because the form became available much later than normal, a lot of the steps in the financial aid process have been pushed back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11927018/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid\">students applying for financial aid for the next academic year could start on their FAFSA around October,\u003c/a> then apply for regular admission for most schools around December, and finally receive acceptance letters in March and April. Along with their acceptance letters, many schools also send out additional documents with information on annual costs and how much financial aid a student is eligible for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#tellus\">Tell us: What else do you need information about right now?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>This year, FAFSA came out when many students were rushing to get their college applications in before the deadline. And in January, the Department of Education confirmed that it needed to fix \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63005/exclusive-the-education-department-says-it-will-fix-its-1-8-billion-fafsa-mistake\">a major mistake in how FAFSA calculated a student’s financial need\u003c/a>. The time needed to fix this glitch pushed back the date for the Department of Education to start sending students’ FAFSA data to colleges. This usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63075/a-new-fafsa-setback-means-many-college-financial-aid-offers-wont-come-until-april\">takes place at the end of January,\u003c/a> but this year, federal officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">started transferring student information until mid-March\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you receive an acceptance letter that doesn’t include information on financial aid you qualify for, don’t panic. Email the school’s financial aid office and ask their timeline for sending out this information. They may be sending that letter out later than in previous years. Additionally, you can ask the college if they plan to push back the deadline for when they expect students to decide on whether to enroll in the school. For example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11975534/california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them\">schools in the University of California and California State University systems have now pushed back this deadline to May 15\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11979367","hero":"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Students in California will also have more time to apply for state aid. If you are a high school senior or a transfer student planning to go to a four-year institution — like a school in the University of California or Cal State system — you now have until May 2 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">apply for the Cal Grant\u003c/a>. You must complete the FAFSA before that date to qualify for a Cal Grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Previously, the deadline to file the FAFSA to be eligible for the Cal Grant and other state aid was April 2. But\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\"> legislators have now approved a bill that pushes back this date\u003c/a>. “This new law will give California students more time to complete the FAFSA and gain access to the financial resources they need to begin their college careers in earnest,” said State Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, who introduced the legislation extending the deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you plan to enroll in a California community college, there’s more good news: The deadline to apply for community college-specific state aid is now set for much later in 2024. Make sure your FAFSA is completed by Sept. 2 to qualify for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-community-college-entitlement-award\">Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>In 2024, your FAFSA application isn’t as long\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The FAFSA and financial aid process can be very overwhelming, very complex,” said Michael Lemus, the outreach and marketing manager at the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The original FAFSA application was over 100 questions. Now, as of this year, it is going to be fewer than 50 questions, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s always been super, super long,” Lemus said of the application. “I’m someone that filled it out myself when I was in high school and in college, and I just remember it being a stressful period of time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FAFSA’s infamous length, Lemus said, can be a deterrent — “especially for folks that their families might not be as comfortable with filling out these applications or just aware of all the terminology.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So some of the changes that are being looked at are making those questions easier to understand and lessening the questions,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA will be connected to data from the Internal Revenue Service to automatically populate that tax information in the forms, Lemus said. “So it’ll save a lot of time, and it’ll just actually populate from the information that the family’s able to provide instead of a lot of the manual entry that a lot of folks are used to,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">Some questions being taken out include inquiries on drug convictions\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"measure\">\u003c/a>FAFSA now has new ways to measure eligibility for student aid\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There is a new metric to determine how much a student can qualify for aid, said Shelveen Ratnam, a spokesperson for the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that was generated by the FAFSA and is “a metric to understand the relative amount that the formula estimates a student can contribute,” Ratnam told KQED in an email. “The SAI will help inform how much federal aid, and in some instances other institutional aid, for which a student might qualify.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11968584","hero":"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Expected Family Contribution was \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">something of a misleading name\u003c/a>, Ratnam said because it did not truly reflect the cost someone would be paying for college by including factors like student loan interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ratnam said that the EFC also factored in how many other college students were in a family — which could negatively impact someone’s eligibility for financial aid. The new Student Aid Index does not do this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SAI also has a larger range, meaning students with \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46909\">larger financial needs have more chances for more aid\u003c/a> (PDF).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With the SAI, applicants can receive an SAI below $0, with the lowest being negative $1500, which would help make it easier for financial aid counselors to determine a student’s financial need,” Ratnam said. “With the previous EFC, the lowest an applicant would receive would be $0.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The equation for determining \u003ca href=\"https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">financial need is calculated by subtracting your SAI from your cost of attendance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More applicants now qualify for grants through FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Federal Pell Grant \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">will also be expanded to more students\u003c/a>, linking eligibility to family size and federal poverty level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can use \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/202425DRAFTSAIGuideSupplementEligibilityforMaxorMinPellGrantResource.pdf\">this website (link to PDF) to look up your situation and income to gauge how much aid you can get\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SAI \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">kicks in here, too\u003c/a>, as students who don’t qualify for Pell Grants based on income \u003ci>may\u003c/i> qualify based on SAI. Another change: “Additionally, incarcerated students will regain the ability to receive a Pell Grant,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“FAFSA simplification and the new SAI expands eligibility for Pell Grants to more students and increases the numbers of students that will qualify for a maximum Pell Grant,” Ratnam said. “Students with two parents whose adjusted gross income is less [than] or equal to 175% of the poverty line and 225% of the poverty line for a single-parent household now qualify for the maximum Pell Grant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Plus: A new option for students interested in attending HBCUs\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California does not have historically Black colleges or universities, meaning students would have to give up state-based financial aid if they want to go to one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Gov. Gavin Newsom last year \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab1400_signed_press_release_100223.pdf\">signed into law AB 1400\u003c/a>, which allows for a one-time $5,000 grant to California Community College students transferring to an HBCU.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968640\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968640\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A group of young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year, FAFSA is opening in December. \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"undocumented\">\u003c/a>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m a citizen, but my parents are undocumented and don’t have a Social Security number?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 12, the Department of Education announced it had finally fixed the technical issue that for months prevented mixed-status families — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">where the student has a Social Security number but their parent does not\u003c/a> — from completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This glitch blocked mixed-status families from completing the form for months, despite the Department of Education confirming with KQED in 2023 that these families would be able to complete the new FAFSA without a problem. Now that the is resolved, undocumented parents can make an FSA ID and fill out the parent’s portion of the form without needing to input a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to give mixed-status families more time to complete the FAFSA, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature pushed back the deadline for California students to file FAFSA and be eligible for state aid, like the Cal Grant. The new deadline to complete the FAFSA and be eligible for these aid programs is now May 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>It’s April and the FAFSA form still does not let me proceed without my parent’s Social Security number. What can I do?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s okay to feel anxious, but remember: You still have time \u003cem>and\u003c/em> options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On April 9, the state’s Student Aid Commission announced that the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) — which has usually been reserved only for California students who don’t have a Social Security themselves — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">will be available to students from mixed-status families who are still facing issues completing FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This does not mean that mixed-status families seeking state aid are now required to complete CADAA \u003cem>on top of\u003c/em> FAFSA. Rather, CADAA is a back-up option for students who are still blocked from completing FAFSA because one of their parents or guardians does not have a Social Security number, despite the recent fixes from the Department of Education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We encourage [first-time students of mixed-status families] to first attempt to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they are unable to do so, students should then complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) well before the May 2 deadline and later complete the FAFSA as soon as that becomes feasible,” García said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m undocumented? Can I still apply for FAFSA?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you, as the student, are undocumented and do not have a Social Security number, unfortunately, you cannot complete the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, in this situation, there are still ways to look for financial aid for college, even if you are undocumented. \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553\">Undocumented students in California can complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA\u003c/a>) in order to be eligible for \u003ci>state\u003c/i> grants and loans for college (keep reading for more information on this application). You can also complete the CADAA if you have a valid or expired DACA, a U Visa or Temporary Protected Status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented students can also apply to dozens of private colleges and universities and also apply for the scholarships and grants these schools offer. Make sure to check with each school you are interested in to see if they offer aid to undocumented students and what their process is like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Changes to know about the California Dream Act \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CADAA — which provides aid for undocumented students — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/renewingthedream\">will also be streamlined\u003c/a> in the future to mirror the FAFSA, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/better-fafsa-better-cadaa\">the Better California Dream Act Application\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are the ones, here at the California Student Commission, that administer the California Dream Act application,” Lemus said. “So we actually are the ones that can go ahead and change it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the arrival of the Better FAFSA application, the California Student Commission is now also looking at how to similarly streamline and simplify the California Dream Act for 2023, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As every year goes by, we’re listening for feedback, and so we’re constantly wanting to make updates as they come up,” Lemus said. “But what we’re looking at is also waiting on the updates to see what the FAFSA is going to look like, to see how we can streamline the California Dream Act.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, there may be something of a waiting game for hopeful California Dream Act applicants to find out exactly how that process will work. \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1540/id/2828767\">Newsom has recently signed AB 1540\u003c/a> into law, which takes out an extra step for undocumented students to secure their aid by making the Dream Act application the only form they need to fill out (as opposed to submitting an affidavit to their college to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab_1540_signed_press_release_100923.pdf\">verify their residency and be given a nonresident tuition exemption.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind, however, that \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/financial-aid-and-undocumented-students.pdf\">undocumented students\u003c/a> — including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients — are only currently eligible for \u003cem>state\u003c/em> student aid, not federal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968638\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968638\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg\" alt=\"A young person in a grey hoodie stands smiling and looking at someone whose back is to the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA will be shorter and streamlined this year. \u003ccite>(William Fortunato/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"private\">\u003c/a>If you’re also applying to private schools, don’t forget to complete the CSS Profile\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/\">CSS Profile\u003c/a> is a separate application operated by the CollegeBoard and used by private colleges and universities to determine how much financial aid they will give to students, in addition to FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul Dieken, head of financial aid at Pomona College, a private liberal arts school in Southern California, said that his team looks at both FAFSA and the CSS Profile to get a more complete picture of what a student’s financial situation is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation like the CSS Profile,” he said. Many private schools, including Pomona, provide financial aid packages that include additional funds from donors or grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The CSS Profile is really looking for financial resources that a family has access to,” Dieken said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to home ownership as an example. “A family that owns a home, they’re economically stronger than a family that doesn’t own a home,” he said. “But FAFSA doesn’t collect that. That’s something that we only get through the CSS Profile data.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"‘The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation.’","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"align":"right","size":"medium","citation":"Paul Dieken, Director of Financial Aid at Pomona College","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If private schools are also on your list, you can go ahead and start the CSS Profile now. You’ll need a few more documents than what FAFSA asks for, including your parents’ W-2, bank statements from the past few months and records of properties or assets your family owns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure to give your family enough time to find the documents you’ll need to complete the CSS Profile. If there are questions you just can’t answer — for example, your parents are separated, and you are unable to contact one of them because of safety reasons — contact the financial aid staff of the schools you’re applying to so they can give you specific instructions on what to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"taxes\">\u003c/a>Q. My parents work but don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, let’s do a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>W-2 form\u003c/b> is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>1040 form\u003c/b> is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much that worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask your parents to share information from last year’s documents. But let’s say you ask your parents and they don’t have this information. It could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for GrubHub, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the state government sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits. You can ask for this instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see your parents’ taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Talk to your parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this. There are many community organizations that offer free tax filing services year-round. \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">In the Bay Area, United Way can connect you to online and in-person tax help\u003c/a> — and your parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of your family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents may be working at a job where they just won’t receive a W-2 or 1099 at all. Perhaps they work as a housecleaner, a nanny, a landscaper, a farmworker or another job where they haven’t signed a formal paper contract and are getting paid in cash. If this is your family’s situation, don’t panic. There are solutions. But you’ll have to act quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosanna Ferro, chief of education at Oakland-based nonprofit College Track, recommends you first ask your parents, “How have you gotten paid in the past year or two?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro, whose organization works to help first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college, said that the point of this question is twofold: How often do your parents get paid, and how much do they get paid? The piece of information you need is what’s called “proof of income,” which can help you calculate how much your parents got paid per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, let’s say your dad cleans houses and charges $100 per house. Based on the information he shares, you estimate that he can usually clean 10 houses a week. That approximates that he’s earning roughly $4,000 a month. Multiply that by 12 months, and you get an estimated $48,000 per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may have to get crafty to help your parents organize this information, Ferro said. “Whether it’s creating an Excel sheet, a Google folder or scanning something — taking a picture, a receipt or anything that shows income in any kind of way and storing it in a way that’s going to be accessible to you,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Helping your parents create a digital record of their earnings will also help you in the future when you have to fill out FAFSA again every year you’re in college. This will be especially important if you go to a school far away from home and no longer have easy access to physical receipts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you’re doing this, remember to contact a financial aid officer from any of the schools you’re applying to, who can advise your family on how to best input this information into FAFSA. They may ask you to share additional documents, like a letter from an employer or potentially filing a 1040 form with the data you’ve gathered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All in all, we ask for information that you can put in as accurately as possible,” said Sonia Jethani, the director of the financial aid office at California State University, East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968635\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968635\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg\" alt=\"Three young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">How can you work with your family to accurately complete your FAFSA? \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>What else should I know about FAFSA in 2024?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission’s Michael Lemus said students can use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Commission\u003c/a> as a resource for financial aid questions. Their website will soon have a Better FAFSA tool kit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lemus advised people to start early and for seniors in the fall to stay in close contact with their high school counselor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s interesting this year because the FAFSA is delayed,” he said. “But what I would recommend is just making sure that they start getting more comfortable with the financial aid process,” which could include familiarizing yourself with the types of aid available — to be ready and primed when FAFSA applications finally open in December. “While the application itself is changing, the types of aid, for the most part, are remaining the same,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Try not to stress,” Lemus said, even though these changes can feel overwhelming and contain a lot of unknowns. He added that teachers and educators will also be trained on the new changes, providing another point of contact and resources for applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you come across something that you just can’t find an answer to? “Just know that [at] the California [Student] Commission, we are very much aware of these, and we have it on our radar,” Lemus said. “So if they want to start off with us, to ask questions, they definitely can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/contact-us\">Get in contact with the California Student Commission\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A version of this story originally published on Feb. 15, and includes reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner and CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tellus\">\u003c/a>Tell us: What else do you need information about?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers\">clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11936674/how-to-prepare-for-this-weeks-atmospheric-river-storm-sandbags-emergency-kits-and-more\">how to cope with intense winter weather\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11821950/how-to-safely-attend-a-protest-in-the-bay-area\">how to exercise your right to protest safely\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"hearken","attributes":{"named":{"id":"10483","src":"https://modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/embed/10483.js","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines","authors":["11867","11708"],"categories":["news_8"],"tags":["news_32707","news_32997","news_31715","news_28296","news_22697","news_32996"],"featImg":"news_11968639","label":"news"},"news_11979072":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11979072","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11979072","score":null,"sort":[1710270025000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info","title":"Months Into Botched FAFSA Revamp, Some Colleges Finally Receiving Students' Financial Aid Info","publishDate":1710270025,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Months Into Botched FAFSA Revamp, Some Colleges Finally Receiving Students’ Financial Aid Info | KQED","labelTerm":{"site":"news"},"content":"\u003cp>After months of delays and technical hiccups, some colleges and universities have started to receive federal data they need to put together \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-education-faf16cf14fb69a20e373d3ada1b63dca\">financial aid offers for incoming students\u003c/a>, the Biden administration said Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Education Department said it sent a first batch of student records to a few dozen universities on Sunday and is making final updates before expanding to more universities.[aside postID=\"news_11957693,news_11968584,news_11975534\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delay has cut into the time schools usually have to assemble financial aid packages before the typical May 1 deadline for students to commit to a university. Many colleges have extended enrollment deadlines as they wait on the federal government, leaving families across the nation wondering how much financial help they will get with college tuition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-b8ee034d2198bf287c1bd909fc318477?utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid overhaul\u003c/a> delayed the form’s usual rollout from October to late December. The department then soft-launched the new version to address lingering bugs in the system, but many families reported difficulties accessing the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Congress ordered the update in 2020 to simplify the notoriously complex form and expand federal student aid to more low-income students. The new application reduces the number of questions from 108 to fewer than 50, using a new and more generous formula to determine eligibility for federal student aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delays have had cascading impacts across higher education. FAFSA information is used to award state and federal education grants, and schools use it to assemble financial aid packages for prospective students. In the meantime, families often have only a murky idea of how much they would need to pay, which can be a dealbreaker when choosing colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates fear the holdup will deter some students, especially those who were already on the fence, from pursuing higher education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Repeated delays have become a blemish for the Biden administration, which has blamed Congress for rejecting requests for more money to overhaul information systems and update the decades-old application process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republicans in Congress said the Government Accountability Office has launched an investigation into the administration’s handling of the overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every year, about 17 million students submit the FAFSA as part of their applications for financial aid. So far, 5.5 million students have been able to fill out the new FAFSA form, according to the department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department updated its formula to account for inflation, increasing the amount of aid students are eligible to receive. However, the initial release didn’t include the updated inflation tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a letter to the department in February, over 100 Democratic lawmakers pressed for answers on how the department planned to minimize the impact the delays have had on families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any delays in financial aid processing will most impact the students that need aid most, including many students of color, students from mixed-status families, students from rural backgrounds, students experiencing homelessness or in foster care, first-generation students, and students from underserved communities,” they wrote. “For institutions to support students’ ability to make informed decisions about their future, they need clear guidance and resources from the Department immediately on any and all next steps.”\u003c/p>\n\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"The delay has cut into the time schools usually have to assemble financial aid packages before the typical May 1 deadline for students to commit to a university.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1710270009,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":15,"wordCount":530},"headData":{"title":"Months Into Botched FAFSA Revamp, Some Colleges Finally Receiving Students' Financial Aid Info | KQED","description":"The delay has cut into the time schools usually have to assemble financial aid packages before the typical May 1 deadline for students to commit to a university.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Months Into Botched FAFSA Revamp, Some Colleges Finally Receiving Students' Financial Aid Info","datePublished":"2024-03-12T19:00:25.000Z","dateModified":"2024-03-12T19:00:09.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"Annie Ma and Collin Binkley\u003cbr>Associated Press\u003c/br>","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After months of delays and technical hiccups, some colleges and universities have started to receive federal data they need to put together \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-education-faf16cf14fb69a20e373d3ada1b63dca\">financial aid offers for incoming students\u003c/a>, the Biden administration said Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Education Department said it sent a first batch of student records to a few dozen universities on Sunday and is making final updates before expanding to more universities.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11957693,news_11968584,news_11975534","label":"Related Stories "},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delay has cut into the time schools usually have to assemble financial aid packages before the typical May 1 deadline for students to commit to a university. Many colleges have extended enrollment deadlines as they wait on the federal government, leaving families across the nation wondering how much financial help they will get with college tuition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/fafsa-financial-aid-college-b8ee034d2198bf287c1bd909fc318477?utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid overhaul\u003c/a> delayed the form’s usual rollout from October to late December. The department then soft-launched the new version to address lingering bugs in the system, but many families reported difficulties accessing the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Congress ordered the update in 2020 to simplify the notoriously complex form and expand federal student aid to more low-income students. The new application reduces the number of questions from 108 to fewer than 50, using a new and more generous formula to determine eligibility for federal student aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delays have had cascading impacts across higher education. FAFSA information is used to award state and federal education grants, and schools use it to assemble financial aid packages for prospective students. In the meantime, families often have only a murky idea of how much they would need to pay, which can be a dealbreaker when choosing colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates fear the holdup will deter some students, especially those who were already on the fence, from pursuing higher education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Repeated delays have become a blemish for the Biden administration, which has blamed Congress for rejecting requests for more money to overhaul information systems and update the decades-old application process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republicans in Congress said the Government Accountability Office has launched an investigation into the administration’s handling of the overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every year, about 17 million students submit the FAFSA as part of their applications for financial aid. So far, 5.5 million students have been able to fill out the new FAFSA form, according to the department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department updated its formula to account for inflation, increasing the amount of aid students are eligible to receive. However, the initial release didn’t include the updated inflation tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a letter to the department in February, over 100 Democratic lawmakers pressed for answers on how the department planned to minimize the impact the delays have had on families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any delays in financial aid processing will most impact the students that need aid most, including many students of color, students from mixed-status families, students from rural backgrounds, students experiencing homelessness or in foster care, first-generation students, and students from underserved communities,” they wrote. “For institutions to support students’ ability to make informed decisions about their future, they need clear guidance and resources from the Department immediately on any and all next steps.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info","authors":["byline_news_11979072"],"categories":["news_18540","news_8"],"tags":["news_32239","news_31715","news_22697"],"featImg":"news_11979076","label":"news"},"news_11975534":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11975534","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11975534","score":null,"sort":[1707768023000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them","title":"California Students Panic After New Financial Aid Application Blocks Them","publishDate":1707768023,"format":"standard","headTitle":"California Students Panic After New Financial Aid Application Blocks Them | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>A technical glitch is blocking students who are U.S. citizens — but whose parents aren’t — from completing their federal financial aid applications, and the problem is causing panic in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For many of these college applicants, it’s a crisis not only preventing them from applying for federal grants and loans but also from applying for free tuition at the University of California and California State University or partial tuition waivers at private colleges in the state. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Ashley Estrada, high school senior, Diego Rivera Learning Complex in south Los Angeles\"]‘I don’t know who to call. Because I already talked to all the adults around me and everyone’s just telling me to wait, and they don’t have an answer for me.’[/pullquote]The deadline for that state aid is April 2 for new students, a date set by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB117#:~:text=SEC.%2022.,financial%20aid%20programs\">California law\u003c/a> that only the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom can change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It makes me feel worried,” said Ashley Estrada, a high school senior at Diego Rivera Learning Complex in south Los Angeles. Estrada is a citizen, while both her parents are undocumented. She has a high GPA and aspires to attend UC Berkeley, UCLA, Dartmouth or another elite campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know who to call,” said Estrada, whose parents earn little money. “Because I already talked to all the adults around me and everyone’s just telling me to wait, and they don’t have an answer for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has attended financial aid workshops but cannot complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA. She called the customer support line listed on the application, but the call disconnected, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When parents without Social Security numbers try to fill out the application on behalf of their children, they get \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/topics/fafsa-simplification-information/2024-25-fafsa-issue-alerts#:~:text=PARENT%20WITH%20NO%20SSN%20UNABLE%20TO%20START%20FAFSA%20FORM%20FOR%20STUDENT%20OR%20CONTRIBUTE%20TO%20AN%20EXISTING%20FORM\">an error message\u003c/a> that blocks them from continuing. Without the parental information, students cannot complete the FAFSA. California State University’s director of financial aid, Noelia Gonzalez, wrote in an email that U.S. Department of Education officials told the university that they “expect to have a fix prior to April 2.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An Education Department spokesperson wouldn’t comment on the record about the matter.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem is new and emerged this year. Federal law only requires that the student applying for federal aid be a citizen or have \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements/non-us-citizens\">permanent status\u003c/a>, but in most cases, that aid is calculated based on parents’ or a \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/topics/fafsa-simplification-information/2024-25-fafsa-issue-alerts#:~:text=UNABLE%20TO%20ADD%20SPOUSE%20OR%20OTHER%20PARENT%20AS%20NON%2DREQUIRED%20CONTRIBUTOR%20IF%20SPOUSE%20OR%20OTHER%20PARENT%20DOES%20NOT%20HAVE%20SSN%20(Added%20Feb.%202%2C%202024)\">spouse’s\u003c/a> income information.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The scale of the financial aid application fiasco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Likely tens of thousands of California students are unable to complete the FAFSA because their parents aren’t citizens. Still, a firm number is impossible to calculate, said Jake Brymner, a deputy director with the California Student Aid Commission, the agency that oversees the state’s $3.4 billion financial aid program. He noted that last year, 108,000 students in California didn’t include their parents’ Social Security numbers in their FAFSA applications. That could be because the parents lacked one or they didn’t want to provide their numbers. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Jose Aguilar, financial aid director, UC Riverside\"]‘This is a major concern for the financial aid community across the country.’[/pullquote]“I am from a low-income area, and most of our parents are undocumented,” Estrada said. “I’m upset that we’re going through this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The typical low-income student caught in the federal technology imbroglio stands to lose as much as $14,000 in-state tuition waivers known as the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/10/cal-grant-2/\">Cal Grant\u003c/a> and $7,400 through the federal Pell Grant, plus the ability to borrow subsidized loans and other tools to afford college. Also on the line is a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/07/middle-class-scholarship-california/\">state scholarship worth up to several thousand dollars\u003c/a> that also has an April 2 deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a major concern for the financial aid community across the country,” said Jose Aguilar, the financial aid director for UC Riverside.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Possible state grant fix\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While state policymakers cannot do anything about students locked out of federal aid, the state’s Student Aid Commission is considering a workaround for accessing state grants and scholarships. The idea is to permit affected students to complete the state financial aid application reserved for undocumented students and other noncitizens who aren’t eligible for federal support. That form is called the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/12/undocumented-students-california/\">California Dream Act Application\u003c/a>, one that tens of thousands of undocumented students already use. The commission \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf?1698767919\">does not share information\u003c/a> in the Dream Act application with the federal government or with immigration authorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aid commission is conferring with state universities about this proposal. But that fix will “create a lot of confusion for these students,” said Aguilar. He worries that if the students whose parents don’t have Social Security numbers complete the Dream Act application, they won’t realize they’ll also have to submit the FAFSA when the Biden administration fixes the problem. [aside label='More on Education' tag='education'] “In many cases, these students might end up not receiving the full aid they are eligible for,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both he and Cal State’s systemwide director of financial aid, Gonzalez, said the state should extend the deadline for the Cal Grant. Aguilar added that the Student Aid Commission could also identify students who missed the Cal Grant deadline because their parents aren’t citizens and allow them to submit an appeal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzales didn’t weigh in on whether it’s a good idea to open the Dream Act application to citizens whose parents aren’t. But if that happens, she would want the Student Aid Commission to contact those students to “submit a FAFSA as soon as the process is available.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Enrollment worries\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While some wealthy private colleges can probably provide students with financial aid packages to make up for any loss in federal or state support, most students rely on public dollars to afford their education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who start school this fall will have until June 30, 2025, to submit their FAFSA applications for the 2024–25 academic year. By then, the federal government is likely to find a solution, said Cal State’s Gonzalez. Some in the California financial aid community fear that if these mixed-status students don’t get their federal aid processed by the time school starts, they won’t enroll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That is a concern,” said Aguilar of UC Riverside. “Our staff will be trained to be sensitive to this student population, encouraging them to complete the FAFSA.” [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Erica Rosales, director, College Match\"]‘I don’t believe there is enough information out there to help the thousands of students who need that support in the class of 2024.’[/pullquote]If no fix emerges before students enroll this fall, Aguilar plans to temporarily cover the loss of the Pell Grant with UC’s internal aid. The university will give students deadlines to complete the FAFSA once the problems with it are fixed. If students don’t complete the FAFSA, they will be stuck with a bill equal to the amount of Pell money UC Riverside provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To him, a larger issue “is that these students will lose out on federal work-study and federal student subsidized loans” for 2024–25 if they cannot complete their FAFSA by the start of the fall term, he said. While his office can backfill a Pell Grant temporarily, he cannot do that with loans, which students with slightly higher parental incomes rely on to pay for housing and other expenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t believe there is enough information out there to help the thousands of students who need that support in the class of 2024,” said Erica Rosales, who runs College Match, a program that identifies low-income high school students with high GPAs in the Los Angeles area and prepares them to apply for the nation’s top colleges. Estrada, the Los Angeles student, is a College Match member.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marcos Montes is a policy director for the Southern California College Attainment Network, an umbrella group of nonprofits. He was helping a student and her undocumented mother apply for FAFSA, to no avail. The student grew frustrated that she may not qualify for any financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Montes tried to instill hope. “I just had to relay my message that this is a temporary problem,” he said. His message to that family was, “Don’t give up on those thousands of dollars of financial aid that you’re eligible for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Other FAFSA problems\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The current problem is the result of changes that the U.S. Department of Education made to FAFSA late last year to simplify it for parents and students. But the overhauled form, a response to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">recent\u003c/a> federal \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/future-act-fact-sheet.pdf\">laws\u003c/a>, has wreaked havoc on a wider scale for different reasons, causing headaches for the Biden administration and colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA debuted months later than the application start date in past years. Colleges will only start receiving students’ financial aid information from the Education Department in March, also months later than normal. That’ll create a huge bottleneck for colleges that have to analyze the financial information of thousands of admitted students and then send them individualized financial aid packages by late spring. The department is \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2024/02/06/after-fafsa-backlash-ed-has-plan-help-colleges\">spending tens of millions of dollars\u003c/a> to assist colleges in processing the applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11975540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11975540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02.jpg\" alt=\"A closeup shot of a financial aid flyer.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Typically, students must commit to enrolling at a school by May 1, but the delay in getting students’ financial aid information to colleges is forcing many campuses to push back that deadline. Students, too, will be in a rush to compare financial aid award letters under a compressed schedule, a time typically reserved for calling campuses and seeking clarification before they pick the school they’ll attend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-extends-commitment-deadline-first-year-students\">UC\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/CSU-Extends-Intent-to-Register-Deadline-Due-to-Federal-Aid-Processing-Delays.aspx\">Cal States\u003c/a> will now allow students to confirm their enrollment by May 15, and some Cal States may push back the deadline even more. By then, students like Estrada hope to know what their financial aid packages will be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want students that are going through the same experience as me to know that if we speak up, maybe we’ll get an answer,” Estrada said. The answer she seeks? “We’re gonna get the aid, you know, we’re gonna go to college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"When parents without Social Security numbers try to fill out the aid application on behalf of their children, they are blocked from continuing. Federal officials are offering no information about when the problem will be fixed.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1707769671,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":29,"wordCount":1844},"headData":{"title":"California Students Panic After New Financial Aid Application Blocks Them | KQED","description":"When parents without Social Security numbers try to fill out the aid application on behalf of their children, they are blocked from continuing. Federal officials are offering no information about when the problem will be fixed.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"California Students Panic After New Financial Aid Application Blocks Them","datePublished":"2024-02-12T20:00:23.000Z","dateModified":"2024-02-12T20:27:51.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"source":"CalMatters","sourceUrl":"https://calmatters.org/","sticky":false,"nprByline":"\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/mikhailzinshteyn/\">Mikhail Zinshteyn\u003c/a>","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11975534/california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A technical glitch is blocking students who are U.S. citizens — but whose parents aren’t — from completing their federal financial aid applications, and the problem is causing panic in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For many of these college applicants, it’s a crisis not only preventing them from applying for federal grants and loans but also from applying for free tuition at the University of California and California State University or partial tuition waivers at private colleges in the state. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"‘I don’t know who to call. Because I already talked to all the adults around me and everyone’s just telling me to wait, and they don’t have an answer for me.’","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"size":"medium","align":"right","citation":"Ashley Estrada, high school senior, Diego Rivera Learning Complex in south Los Angeles","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The deadline for that state aid is April 2 for new students, a date set by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB117#:~:text=SEC.%2022.,financial%20aid%20programs\">California law\u003c/a> that only the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom can change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It makes me feel worried,” said Ashley Estrada, a high school senior at Diego Rivera Learning Complex in south Los Angeles. Estrada is a citizen, while both her parents are undocumented. She has a high GPA and aspires to attend UC Berkeley, UCLA, Dartmouth or another elite campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t know who to call,” said Estrada, whose parents earn little money. “Because I already talked to all the adults around me and everyone’s just telling me to wait, and they don’t have an answer for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has attended financial aid workshops but cannot complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA. She called the customer support line listed on the application, but the call disconnected, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When parents without Social Security numbers try to fill out the application on behalf of their children, they get \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/topics/fafsa-simplification-information/2024-25-fafsa-issue-alerts#:~:text=PARENT%20WITH%20NO%20SSN%20UNABLE%20TO%20START%20FAFSA%20FORM%20FOR%20STUDENT%20OR%20CONTRIBUTE%20TO%20AN%20EXISTING%20FORM\">an error message\u003c/a> that blocks them from continuing. Without the parental information, students cannot complete the FAFSA. California State University’s director of financial aid, Noelia Gonzalez, wrote in an email that U.S. Department of Education officials told the university that they “expect to have a fix prior to April 2.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An Education Department spokesperson wouldn’t comment on the record about the matter.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem is new and emerged this year. Federal law only requires that the student applying for federal aid be a citizen or have \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements/non-us-citizens\">permanent status\u003c/a>, but in most cases, that aid is calculated based on parents’ or a \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/topics/fafsa-simplification-information/2024-25-fafsa-issue-alerts#:~:text=UNABLE%20TO%20ADD%20SPOUSE%20OR%20OTHER%20PARENT%20AS%20NON%2DREQUIRED%20CONTRIBUTOR%20IF%20SPOUSE%20OR%20OTHER%20PARENT%20DOES%20NOT%20HAVE%20SSN%20(Added%20Feb.%202%2C%202024)\">spouse’s\u003c/a> income information.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The scale of the financial aid application fiasco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Likely tens of thousands of California students are unable to complete the FAFSA because their parents aren’t citizens. Still, a firm number is impossible to calculate, said Jake Brymner, a deputy director with the California Student Aid Commission, the agency that oversees the state’s $3.4 billion financial aid program. He noted that last year, 108,000 students in California didn’t include their parents’ Social Security numbers in their FAFSA applications. That could be because the parents lacked one or they didn’t want to provide their numbers. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"‘This is a major concern for the financial aid community across the country.’","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"size":"medium","align":"right","citation":"Jose Aguilar, financial aid director, UC Riverside","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I am from a low-income area, and most of our parents are undocumented,” Estrada said. “I’m upset that we’re going through this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The typical low-income student caught in the federal technology imbroglio stands to lose as much as $14,000 in-state tuition waivers known as the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/10/cal-grant-2/\">Cal Grant\u003c/a> and $7,400 through the federal Pell Grant, plus the ability to borrow subsidized loans and other tools to afford college. Also on the line is a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/07/middle-class-scholarship-california/\">state scholarship worth up to several thousand dollars\u003c/a> that also has an April 2 deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a major concern for the financial aid community across the country,” said Jose Aguilar, the financial aid director for UC Riverside.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Possible state grant fix\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While state policymakers cannot do anything about students locked out of federal aid, the state’s Student Aid Commission is considering a workaround for accessing state grants and scholarships. The idea is to permit affected students to complete the state financial aid application reserved for undocumented students and other noncitizens who aren’t eligible for federal support. That form is called the \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2023/12/undocumented-students-california/\">California Dream Act Application\u003c/a>, one that tens of thousands of undocumented students already use. The commission \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf?1698767919\">does not share information\u003c/a> in the Dream Act application with the federal government or with immigration authorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The aid commission is conferring with state universities about this proposal. But that fix will “create a lot of confusion for these students,” said Aguilar. He worries that if the students whose parents don’t have Social Security numbers complete the Dream Act application, they won’t realize they’ll also have to submit the FAFSA when the Biden administration fixes the problem. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"label":"More on Education ","tag":"education"},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> “In many cases, these students might end up not receiving the full aid they are eligible for,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both he and Cal State’s systemwide director of financial aid, Gonzalez, said the state should extend the deadline for the Cal Grant. Aguilar added that the Student Aid Commission could also identify students who missed the Cal Grant deadline because their parents aren’t citizens and allow them to submit an appeal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzales didn’t weigh in on whether it’s a good idea to open the Dream Act application to citizens whose parents aren’t. But if that happens, she would want the Student Aid Commission to contact those students to “submit a FAFSA as soon as the process is available.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Enrollment worries\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While some wealthy private colleges can probably provide students with financial aid packages to make up for any loss in federal or state support, most students rely on public dollars to afford their education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who start school this fall will have until June 30, 2025, to submit their FAFSA applications for the 2024–25 academic year. By then, the federal government is likely to find a solution, said Cal State’s Gonzalez. Some in the California financial aid community fear that if these mixed-status students don’t get their federal aid processed by the time school starts, they won’t enroll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That is a concern,” said Aguilar of UC Riverside. “Our staff will be trained to be sensitive to this student population, encouraging them to complete the FAFSA.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"‘I don’t believe there is enough information out there to help the thousands of students who need that support in the class of 2024.’","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"size":"medium","align":"right","citation":"Erica Rosales, director, College Match","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If no fix emerges before students enroll this fall, Aguilar plans to temporarily cover the loss of the Pell Grant with UC’s internal aid. The university will give students deadlines to complete the FAFSA once the problems with it are fixed. If students don’t complete the FAFSA, they will be stuck with a bill equal to the amount of Pell money UC Riverside provided.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To him, a larger issue “is that these students will lose out on federal work-study and federal student subsidized loans” for 2024–25 if they cannot complete their FAFSA by the start of the fall term, he said. While his office can backfill a Pell Grant temporarily, he cannot do that with loans, which students with slightly higher parental incomes rely on to pay for housing and other expenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t believe there is enough information out there to help the thousands of students who need that support in the class of 2024,” said Erica Rosales, who runs College Match, a program that identifies low-income high school students with high GPAs in the Los Angeles area and prepares them to apply for the nation’s top colleges. Estrada, the Los Angeles student, is a College Match member.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marcos Montes is a policy director for the Southern California College Attainment Network, an umbrella group of nonprofits. He was helping a student and her undocumented mother apply for FAFSA, to no avail. The student grew frustrated that she may not qualify for any financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Montes tried to instill hope. “I just had to relay my message that this is a temporary problem,” he said. His message to that family was, “Don’t give up on those thousands of dollars of financial aid that you’re eligible for.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Other FAFSA problems\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The current problem is the result of changes that the U.S. Department of Education made to FAFSA late last year to simplify it for parents and students. But the overhauled form, a response to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">recent\u003c/a> federal \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/future-act-fact-sheet.pdf\">laws\u003c/a>, has wreaked havoc on a wider scale for different reasons, causing headaches for the Biden administration and colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA debuted months later than the application start date in past years. Colleges will only start receiving students’ financial aid information from the Education Department in March, also months later than normal. That’ll create a huge bottleneck for colleges that have to analyze the financial information of thousands of admitted students and then send them individualized financial aid packages by late spring. The department is \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2024/02/06/after-fafsa-backlash-ed-has-plan-help-colleges\">spending tens of millions of dollars\u003c/a> to assist colleges in processing the applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11975540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11975540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02.jpg\" alt=\"A closeup shot of a financial aid flyer.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/CMFinancialAid02-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Typically, students must commit to enrolling at a school by May 1, but the delay in getting students’ financial aid information to colleges is forcing many campuses to push back that deadline. Students, too, will be in a rush to compare financial aid award letters under a compressed schedule, a time typically reserved for calling campuses and seeking clarification before they pick the school they’ll attend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-extends-commitment-deadline-first-year-students\">UC\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/CSU-Extends-Intent-to-Register-Deadline-Due-to-Federal-Aid-Processing-Delays.aspx\">Cal States\u003c/a> will now allow students to confirm their enrollment by May 15, and some Cal States may push back the deadline even more. By then, students like Estrada hope to know what their financial aid packages will be.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want students that are going through the same experience as me to know that if we speak up, maybe we’ll get an answer,” Estrada said. The answer she seeks? “We’re gonna get the aid, you know, we’re gonna go to college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11975534/california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them","authors":["byline_news_11975534"],"categories":["news_18540","news_8"],"tags":["news_21180","news_20013","news_27626","news_22697"],"affiliates":["news_18481"],"featImg":"news_11975536","label":"source_news_11975534"},"news_11970802":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11970802","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11970802","score":null,"sort":[1703368811000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"for-undocumented-california-students-missing-out-on-financial-aid-a-new-application-could-help","title":"For Undocumented California Students Missing Out on Financial Aid, a New Application Could Help","publishDate":1703368811,"format":"standard","headTitle":"For Undocumented California Students Missing Out on Financial Aid, a New Application Could Help | KQED","labelTerm":{"term":18481,"site":"news"},"content":"\u003cp>Each year more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/total-applications\">35,000 undocumented students\u003c/a> with dreams of earning a college degree in California apply for the state’s marquee financial aid program, the Cal Grant — but \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-paid-awards\">only about a third receive it\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With no access to federal financial aid and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletter/california-democrats-convention/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher,to%20break%20them.\">few work opportunities\u003c/a>, losing out on state dollars further undermines the ability of undocumented students to pay for school. The Cal Grant, for example, waives tuition at California’s public universities and provides cash awards of about $1,650 to community college students\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after several years of advocacy and a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">state law passed this year\u003c/a>, California financial aid administrators are about to debut a revised application meant to get more college grants for undocumented students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid,” said Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs for the California Student Aid Commission. He and a commission staff member provided CalMatters with a virtual walkthrough of the new application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Dream Act Application, often called CADAA, will for the first time allow students to also complete a frequently overlooked legal affidavit that’s essential to accessing state aid. The new application \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">will debut by the end of December\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a seemingly small change, it spares students from having to fill out two documents separately and at different times in the year, which has been the process ever since undocumented students became eligible for state aid through a 2011 state law. That has resulted in many students completing one form but not the other out of confusion or lack of awareness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs, California Student Aid Commission\"]‘What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid.’[/pullquote]For example, among community college students, about 62,000 completed the affidavit but only around 25,000 finished the dream act application in 2021, according to data from the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency behind the application overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without the application and affidavit, undocumented community college students \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=20\">can’t receive the Cal Grant and other related aid (PDF)\u003c/a>, such as a \u003ca href=\"https://icangotocollege.com/financial-aid/student-success-completion-grant\">grant for full-time students\u003c/a> and money in exchange for \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/dsig_faq_for_students.pdf?1696383968\">community service (PDF)\u003c/a>. Those three programs together provide more than $14,000 in possible grants annually. Undocumented students at public universities also lose out on key aid. Most undocumented college students in California \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=23\">attend a community college (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now the legal affidavit will be embedded in the California Dream Act Application, the result of a 2023 state law created through \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">Assembly Bill 1540\u003c/a>, authored by Mike Fong, a Democrat from Monterey Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes should help students who are in a situation Leo Rodriguez was in when he began college. “When I first enrolled at a community college, I was billed $6,000 because I was incorrectly deemed an international student, a common occurrence for undocumented students,” he wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/05/undocumented-students-college-financial-aid/\">May CalMatters commentary\u003c/a> about affording college as an undocumented student. Though he attended and graduated from a California high school, he didn’t know that he needed the affidavit “to prove eligibility for in-state tuition, and to separately complete a Dream Act application to be considered for financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A March report by the commission identified many of the hurdles undocumented students face in accessing state aid, including student confusion over the affidavit. All told, only \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/03/california-budget-senate-newsom/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher%20education%20reporter%20Mikhail%20Zinshteyn%3A%C2%A0\">about 14%\u003c/a> of the state’s nearly 100,000 undocumented college students received any state financial aid in 2021–22, in large part because half didn’t take the first step to apply for aid even though many have low incomes. The report \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=13\">called for a state law to allow the affidavit (PDF)\u003c/a> to be a part of the dream act application. About half a year later, Fong’s bill was signed into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The affidavit in question stems from a 2001 law that has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=19\">been amended several times since (PDF)\u003c/a>. It grants \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf#page=5\">undocumented students, certain visa holders and other college-goers (PDF)\u003c/a> in-state tuition at California’s public universities and community colleges. This is a major perk because students deemed non-residents are charged about three times more in tuition. The in-state designation also makes undocumented students eligible for state grants, such as tuition waivers and cash awards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11969685,news_11928582,news_11923249\"]That’s where the California Dream Act Application and the affidavit intersect: One opens the door for aid, the other lets the applicant walk through it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who sign the affidavit declare that they’ve either filed an application to legalize their immigration status in the U.S. or will do so once national law creates such a pathway. \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_AB-540-Quick-Guide.pdf\">It also has students confirm (PDF)\u003c/a> that they’ve had three years of K–12, adult school or community college education in California, as well as a high school diploma, an equivalent certificate, an associate degree or proof that they’ve taken the minimum set courses needed to transfer to a University of California or California State University campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Embedding the affidavit in the dream act application is “going to be a big step forward,” but it’s not the only step needed “to ensure that students can receive all the financial aid for whatever they have eligibility for,” said Nancy Jodaitis, director of higher education issues at Immigrants Rising, a San Francisco-based project of \u003ca href=\"https://communityinitiatives.org/project/immigrants-rising/\">a larger nonprofit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sending the affidavit to the schools the student hopes to attend is the first step, but all UCs and Cal States, and about half of community colleges, require official transcripts and attendance records from the student. How campuses will notify students with outstanding paperwork will be an ongoing issue to monitor, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants Rising in May \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf\">published a comprehensive guide explaining the affidavit process (PDF)\u003c/a> in partnership with the state’s public colleges and universities. It’s now working on a set of recommendations for how campuses can best apprise students of the remaining paperwork they’ll have to submit once they’ve turned in their affidavit through the dream act. That’ll be published in January, she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970805\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970805\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 2024, UC will ask students to submit the affidavits to the campuses directly, instead of through the dream act application, a spokesperson said. That’s because the UC is \u003ca href=\"https://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/how-and-why-university-california-got-its-autonomy\">constitutionally independent\u003c/a> of many state laws. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/report/2023-chaptered-legislation-and-guidance-november-report-a11y.pdf#page=21\">Community colleges (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540#:~:text=(B)%C2%A0(i)%C2%A0The%20California%20State%20University\">Cal State\u003c/a> have to comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates who focus on financial aid for undocumented students say that schools, state agencies and nonprofits that share with students information about college affordability should proactively include the dream act application and its related forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hardly saw financial aid workshops tailored for undocumented students in high school,” wrote Rodriguez. Instead, he mostly encountered information about the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, “which sent mixed messages about whether or not I was eligible for financial aid to begin with,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State law \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/\">now requires that high school seniors\u003c/a> complete a financial aid application, with few exceptions. The more school districts and nonprofits can stress the federal financial aid grant \u003cem>and \u003c/em>the dream act application, the likelier undocumented students will hear the message and apply, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information students place in the dream act application isn’t shared with the federal government or with immigration authorities, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf?1698767919\">commission and state department of education stressed in a 2022 letter (PDF)\u003c/a>. That’s a message the commission will likely repeat in the face of a presidential election year in which \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218935981/republican-candidates-immigration#:~:text=What%20border%20security%20policies%20should%20the%20U.S.%20put%20in%20place%3F\">anti-immigrant sentiment is bound to take center stage\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students applying for the dream act who intend to enter college in fall 2024 will submit \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553#page=5\">their household’s 2022 income information (PDF)\u003c/a>. Once the application goes live, students pursuing a four-year degree should complete the dream act forms by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/#:~:text=The%20overhauled%20FAFSA,Student%20Aid%20website.\">April 2 or sooner\u003c/a>. Students planning to attend a community college have until early September to file their paperwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"The financial aid application for undocumented students is cumbersome and confusing, and many students aren’t completing the forms. A new law streamlines the process.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1703365945,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":25,"wordCount":1453},"headData":{"title":"For Undocumented California Students Missing Out on Financial Aid, a New Application Could Help | KQED","description":"The financial aid application for undocumented students is cumbersome and confusing, and many students aren’t completing the forms. A new law streamlines the process.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"For Undocumented California Students Missing Out on Financial Aid, a New Application Could Help","datePublished":"2023-12-23T22:00:11.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-23T21:12:25.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"sticky":false,"nprByline":"\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/mikhailzinshteyn/\">Mikhail Zinshteyn\u003c/a>","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11970802/for-undocumented-california-students-missing-out-on-financial-aid-a-new-application-could-help","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Each year more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/total-applications\">35,000 undocumented students\u003c/a> with dreams of earning a college degree in California apply for the state’s marquee financial aid program, the Cal Grant — but \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-paid-awards\">only about a third receive it\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With no access to federal financial aid and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletter/california-democrats-convention/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher,to%20break%20them.\">few work opportunities\u003c/a>, losing out on state dollars further undermines the ability of undocumented students to pay for school. The Cal Grant, for example, waives tuition at California’s public universities and provides cash awards of about $1,650 to community college students\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after several years of advocacy and a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">state law passed this year\u003c/a>, California financial aid administrators are about to debut a revised application meant to get more college grants for undocumented students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid,” said Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs for the California Student Aid Commission. He and a commission staff member provided CalMatters with a virtual walkthrough of the new application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Dream Act Application, often called CADAA, will for the first time allow students to also complete a frequently overlooked legal affidavit that’s essential to accessing state aid. The new application \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">will debut by the end of December\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a seemingly small change, it spares students from having to fill out two documents separately and at different times in the year, which has been the process ever since undocumented students became eligible for state aid through a 2011 state law. That has resulted in many students completing one form but not the other out of confusion or lack of awareness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"‘What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid.’","name":"pullquote","attributes":{"named":{"align":"right","size":"medium","citation":"Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs, California Student Aid Commission","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For example, among community college students, about 62,000 completed the affidavit but only around 25,000 finished the dream act application in 2021, according to data from the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency behind the application overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without the application and affidavit, undocumented community college students \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=20\">can’t receive the Cal Grant and other related aid (PDF)\u003c/a>, such as a \u003ca href=\"https://icangotocollege.com/financial-aid/student-success-completion-grant\">grant for full-time students\u003c/a> and money in exchange for \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/dsig_faq_for_students.pdf?1696383968\">community service (PDF)\u003c/a>. Those three programs together provide more than $14,000 in possible grants annually. Undocumented students at public universities also lose out on key aid. Most undocumented college students in California \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=23\">attend a community college (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now the legal affidavit will be embedded in the California Dream Act Application, the result of a 2023 state law created through \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">Assembly Bill 1540\u003c/a>, authored by Mike Fong, a Democrat from Monterey Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes should help students who are in a situation Leo Rodriguez was in when he began college. “When I first enrolled at a community college, I was billed $6,000 because I was incorrectly deemed an international student, a common occurrence for undocumented students,” he wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/05/undocumented-students-college-financial-aid/\">May CalMatters commentary\u003c/a> about affording college as an undocumented student. Though he attended and graduated from a California high school, he didn’t know that he needed the affidavit “to prove eligibility for in-state tuition, and to separately complete a Dream Act application to be considered for financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A March report by the commission identified many of the hurdles undocumented students face in accessing state aid, including student confusion over the affidavit. All told, only \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/03/california-budget-senate-newsom/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher%20education%20reporter%20Mikhail%20Zinshteyn%3A%C2%A0\">about 14%\u003c/a> of the state’s nearly 100,000 undocumented college students received any state financial aid in 2021–22, in large part because half didn’t take the first step to apply for aid even though many have low incomes. The report \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=13\">called for a state law to allow the affidavit (PDF)\u003c/a> to be a part of the dream act application. About half a year later, Fong’s bill was signed into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The affidavit in question stems from a 2001 law that has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=19\">been amended several times since (PDF)\u003c/a>. It grants \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf#page=5\">undocumented students, certain visa holders and other college-goers (PDF)\u003c/a> in-state tuition at California’s public universities and community colleges. This is a major perk because students deemed non-residents are charged about three times more in tuition. The in-state designation also makes undocumented students eligible for state grants, such as tuition waivers and cash awards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"label":"Related Stories ","postid":"news_11969685,news_11928582,news_11923249"},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That’s where the California Dream Act Application and the affidavit intersect: One opens the door for aid, the other lets the applicant walk through it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who sign the affidavit declare that they’ve either filed an application to legalize their immigration status in the U.S. or will do so once national law creates such a pathway. \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_AB-540-Quick-Guide.pdf\">It also has students confirm (PDF)\u003c/a> that they’ve had three years of K–12, adult school or community college education in California, as well as a high school diploma, an equivalent certificate, an associate degree or proof that they’ve taken the minimum set courses needed to transfer to a University of California or California State University campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Embedding the affidavit in the dream act application is “going to be a big step forward,” but it’s not the only step needed “to ensure that students can receive all the financial aid for whatever they have eligibility for,” said Nancy Jodaitis, director of higher education issues at Immigrants Rising, a San Francisco-based project of \u003ca href=\"https://communityinitiatives.org/project/immigrants-rising/\">a larger nonprofit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sending the affidavit to the schools the student hopes to attend is the first step, but all UCs and Cal States, and about half of community colleges, require official transcripts and attendance records from the student. How campuses will notify students with outstanding paperwork will be an ongoing issue to monitor, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants Rising in May \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf\">published a comprehensive guide explaining the affidavit process (PDF)\u003c/a> in partnership with the state’s public colleges and universities. It’s now working on a set of recommendations for how campuses can best apprise students of the remaining paperwork they’ll have to submit once they’ve turned in their affidavit through the dream act. That’ll be published in January, she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970805\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970805\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 2024, UC will ask students to submit the affidavits to the campuses directly, instead of through the dream act application, a spokesperson said. That’s because the UC is \u003ca href=\"https://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/how-and-why-university-california-got-its-autonomy\">constitutionally independent\u003c/a> of many state laws. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/report/2023-chaptered-legislation-and-guidance-november-report-a11y.pdf#page=21\">Community colleges (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540#:~:text=(B)%C2%A0(i)%C2%A0The%20California%20State%20University\">Cal State\u003c/a> have to comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates who focus on financial aid for undocumented students say that schools, state agencies and nonprofits that share with students information about college affordability should proactively include the dream act application and its related forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hardly saw financial aid workshops tailored for undocumented students in high school,” wrote Rodriguez. Instead, he mostly encountered information about the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, “which sent mixed messages about whether or not I was eligible for financial aid to begin with,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State law \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/\">now requires that high school seniors\u003c/a> complete a financial aid application, with few exceptions. The more school districts and nonprofits can stress the federal financial aid grant \u003cem>and \u003c/em>the dream act application, the likelier undocumented students will hear the message and apply, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information students place in the dream act application isn’t shared with the federal government or with immigration authorities, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf?1698767919\">commission and state department of education stressed in a 2022 letter (PDF)\u003c/a>. That’s a message the commission will likely repeat in the face of a presidential election year in which \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218935981/republican-candidates-immigration#:~:text=What%20border%20security%20policies%20should%20the%20U.S.%20put%20in%20place%3F\">anti-immigrant sentiment is bound to take center stage\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students applying for the dream act who intend to enter college in fall 2024 will submit \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553#page=5\">their household’s 2022 income information (PDF)\u003c/a>. Once the application goes live, students pursuing a four-year degree should complete the dream act forms by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/#:~:text=The%20overhauled%20FAFSA,Student%20Aid%20website.\">April 2 or sooner\u003c/a>. Students planning to attend a community college have until early September to file their paperwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11970802/for-undocumented-california-students-missing-out-on-financial-aid-a-new-application-could-help","authors":["byline_news_11970802"],"categories":["news_18540","news_8"],"tags":["news_33694","news_33693","news_32200","news_20415","news_31715","news_27626","news_22697","news_31804"],"affiliates":["news_18481"],"featImg":"news_11970804","label":"news_18481"},"news_11968584":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11968584","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11968584","score":null,"sort":[1701381651000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"fafsa-application-money-family-discussions","title":"Talking to Family About Student Financial Aid Can Be Tough. Here's How to Start","publishDate":1701381651,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Talking to Family About Student Financial Aid Can Be Tough. Here’s How to Start | KQED","labelTerm":{"site":"news"},"content":"\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 26:\u003c/strong> The \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">2024–25 FAFSA is now online\u003c/a>, and t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">he deadline to submit the form to be eligible for California state financial aid has been extended\u003c/a> to May 2, 2024. Additionally, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">students from mixed-status families\u003c/a> — where a student has a Social Security number but a parent doesn’t — can now complete the FAFSA thanks to updates to the form in early March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Original story continues:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer, Daniel Ortega, 22, will receive a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and sociology from UC Berkeley — becoming the first in his family to graduate from college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This will be the conclusion of a journey that began when Ortega was a high school senior in Riverside County when he started his college applications. Back then, he had to figure out the college admissions process completely by himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His parents, who immigrated to the U.S. before Ortega was born, only completed elementary school and spoke limited English — meaning they were unfamiliar with the world of college applications. “I knew back then it was going to be a bit of a challenge,” Ortega said, “but I also knew that I had to do this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Introducing a family to FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As he hustled to complete his applications, Ortega learned that to qualify for financial aid — something he needed to afford a college education — he would need to complete \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">the Free Application for Federal Student Aid\u003c/a>, or FAFSA for short.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had literally never even taken a look at this application. I didn’t know what to expect, what was going to be required,” he said. As he scrolled through the online FAFSA portal, he learned that he would need to share personal family information, including specific questions about how much his parents earned and even their taxes.[aside postID=news_11957693 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/230630-UC-BERKELEY-GETTY-JS-KQED-1-1020x680.jpeg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was really the first time that I looked at my parents’ tax forms,” he said — adding that before FAFSA, he’d never had a reason to sit his parents down and ask them about how much money they made. “So that meant going through that process of figuring out, ‘Okay, what do these numbers [on their taxes] mean?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On \u003ci>top \u003c/i>of that, Ortega had to figure this all out in two languages: English to complete the FAFSA and Spanish to talk to his parents and get the information he needed for the form. “But luckily, I was able to translate enough to where my parents had an idea of what it was that I was doing — and why I needed all their information,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When students take the lead on financial aid\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Now, filling out the FAFSA comes naturally for Ortega: So much so that he’s helped his younger sister, who’s now at community college, and plans to support his youngest sister when she becomes a high school senior. There are countless stories similar to Ortega’s: students who can’t count on their parents’ help to fill out the FAFSA (and other necessary financial aid documents) for various reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every family situation is, of course, different. But being a high school senior or current college student \u003ci>and \u003c/i>figuring out your family’s financial information — while you balance classes, jobs and personal responsibilities — is never easy. Especially if talking with family about financial matters is complicated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why KQED spoke to financial aid experts from universities across California and college access nonprofits to create this guide for students taking the lead on the financial aid part of the college application process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for more guidance, or jump to a specific question:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#fafsaapplication\">I don’t usually talk about money with family. So, how can I talk to them about FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#familyissuesfafsa\">My family cannot (or will not) help me with FAFSA\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#multilingualfafsa\">What if my family does not speak English?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>How do I explain FAFSA — and why it matters — to my family?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you are confused about what FAFSA is or what it does, it’s not going to be easy talking to your family about it. So, let’s unpack this together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosanna Ferro is the chief of education at College Track, an Oakland-based nonprofit that helps first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college. She said that before they have the conversation with their family, students should first feel comfortable answering three questions:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>“What is FAFSA?”\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>“What is the purpose of FAFSA?”\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>“What type of information will I need to share when completing FAFSA, and how is it going to be used?”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Before working at College Track, Ferro supported hundreds of first-generation and immigrant students at William College in Massachusetts and Ithaca College in New York. Ferro said that the questions she would get from students and their families were the same ones her family had when she applied to college. For her, this shows how the concerns families may have — and the misinformation they might be receiving about financial aid — often remain constant through time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#tellus\">Tell us: What other financial topics do you need information about right now?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>“Once you have the fundamentals down, you can then start figuring out what type of information you need and how to get that information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968634\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968634\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201.jpg\" alt=\"Two people, one older and one younger, sit on a stuffed seat looking at a laptop. The younger person is wearing college graduation clothes.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">If money conversations are new for you and your family, talking about the importance of college financial aid can feel daunting. \u003ccite>(RDNE Stock Project/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>\u003cb>“What is FAFSA?”\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Here’s a one-sentence description of FAFSA you can share with your family: “FAFSA is a free online application from the Department of Education that helps students qualify for financial aid from the government and colleges.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parents only speak Spanish, here is the description you can use: “FAFSA es una aplicación electrónica gratuita creada por el Departamento de Educación, la cual ayuda a estudiantes recibir ayuda financiera del gobierno y universidades.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(KQED will be updating this description with more languages.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, students were required to fill out all of FAFSA, including the sections that asked about their family’s tax and financial information. But with \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">the new FAFSA form\u003c/a>, parents and students must fill out the form by creating their own \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch\">FSA ID accounts\u003c/a>. Learn more about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">the recent changes to FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Filling out the FAFSA does \u003ci>not \u003c/i>mean you will automatically get free money for college. It also is not a loan application. You don’t need perfect grades to complete FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"2\">\n\u003cli>\u003cb>“What is the purpose of FAFSA?”\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>When you fill out FAFSA, you share your family’s financial information on a platform that the Department of Education can access. This government agency uses your information to decide which grants, loans and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/work-study\">work-study programs\u003c/a> you are eligible for. (Remember, being \u003ci>eligible\u003c/i> for a pot of money does not mean you have already \u003ci>received\u003c/i> this pot of money.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The colleges you are applying for will also ask you to complete FAFSA. It doesn’t matter what type of schools you are applying for — public universities, private schools and community colleges all require FAFSA. With your FAFSA information, the financial aid office at these schools can calculate how much you or your family, will have to pay for your education and how much financial aid the school can give you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are already in college, you are required to complete FAFSA each year so both your school and the federal government can stay updated on any changes to your family’s income. If your family’s income dropped from one year to the next, you can inform your school through the FAFSA — and potentially receive more financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"3\">\n\u003cli>\u003cb>“What information do I need for FAFSA, and where does it go?”\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>The good news: The \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">new version of FAFSA released at the end of 2023\u003c/a> has fewer questions than before. But you should still set aside a couple of hours to finish this with your family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you live with both of your parents, ask them to have their tax information from the past few years ready (including their 1040 and W-2 forms) and their Social Security numbers. Read a \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out\">complete list of the information you’ll need to complete FAFSA.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Obviously, not everyone lives with both of their parents or can depend on their parents’ help during the college process. Some families don’t have Social Security numbers or have their tax information readily available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something important to know up-front: The information you and your family share on FAFSA will \u003ci>only \u003c/i>be shared with the Department of Education and the staff working at the financial aid offices of the schools you are applying to. It will not be shared with the IRS or other government agencies, like ICE.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sonia Jethani, the director of the financial aid office at California State University East Bay, said she understands why some families worry about who can see their FAFSA form. “Their financial information is completely safe with us,” Jethani said. “The only reason why we’re asking for this information is to ensure that they get their financial aid package and nothing else.” Read more below about what to say if your family is reluctant to share their finances for FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"fafsaapplication\">\u003c/a>I’m not used to talking about finances with my family. So, how do I start a FAFSA conversation?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even just raising anything related to money in some families could spark an uncomfortable situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>College Track’s Ferro understands the anxiety students may feel in these situations. But parents and family members will usually do their best to help, she said — once they fully understand what FAFSA is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let your parents know why this is important and how this is a major determining factor in terms of how you can actually fund your education,” Ferro said, adding that without FAFSA, there’s no way students will be able to receive money from schools or the federal government.[aside postID='news_11967137,news_11966673,news_11940562' label='More Guides From KQED']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Don’t be vague about what you need when talking to your family about FAFSA, Ferro said. Be clear about what FAFSA is (see above) and which documents you’ll need, along with the deadlines. Use specific terms like: “Your 1040 form” and “Your W-2 form,” and always remind them you have limited time to send this information in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can’t remember what documents you need? \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out\">Pull up the FAFSA documentation list when talking to your family\u003c/a>. Is your family the type that you need to tell them something several times so they remember? You can set reminders for yourself on your phone every few days so you can check in with your parents about what’s missing. Try to think ahead about the obstacles you might encounter during these initial conversations and prepare for them accordingly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>My family still doesn’t want to share their financial information. What now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents or guardians may push back when a student asks for tax documents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coleeta McElroy and Lucy Serrato-Lager, from the financial aid office at California State University, San José, said they’d seen this situation a lot. “A lot of times, parents may just be afraid of where their information is going,” Serrato-Lager said, adding this happens particularly with parents who are undocumented and are understandably afraid to share personal data with others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But once we explain to them that this information doesn’t go anywhere else, then they’re more willing to give the information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other instances, McElroy said, parents may think that if the student completes FAFSA alone — without mentioning their family’s income — they could qualify for more aid. This is called filing as an “independent student.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are parents who feel their students have graduated from high school and therefore they are independent,” she said. “But how a parent may view ‘independence’ and how the federal government views’ independence’ are two different things,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency\">will only consider you an “independent student”\u003c/a> if you are at least 24 years old, married, a veteran, or already have your own children who depend on you, among a few other categories. If you don’t fit into any of those groups, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency\">you are a “dependent student”\u003c/a> — and both you and your family will still have to complete the FAFSA together.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my parents are separated — and one of them is not in the picture at all?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA form will ask students to answer questions “about the parent with whom you lived more during the past 12 months.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you’ve only lived with one parent this past year — let’s say it’s mom — you will only have to answer questions about mom, and you will only need to work with mom to obtain her financial information. Rest assured, you won’t need to track down an absent parent to complete FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968637\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968637\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905.jpg\" alt=\"Two figures, photographed from behind, walk on a wide city street.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Filling out the FAFSA can be challenging, especially if you’re also helping your family navigate the process. \u003ccite>(William Fortunato/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"familyissuesfafsa\">\u003c/a>My family is flat-out refusing to help me with FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are, unfortunately, some cases where a family will straight-up refuse to help out the student with the college process — even if the student explains how important going to college is for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know not everyone has a family situation where that conversation is actually productive,” said Ferro from College Track. She’s seen situations like these in the past, where students have a really complicated relationship with their family, but adds that there \u003ci>are\u003c/i> “ways to support students who don’t have positive home lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of family dynamic, Ferro said, “should not be a reason why somebody decides not to go to college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If this is your situation, and you want to go to college, Ferro recommends looking for an ally you can trust as soon as you possibly can. If you are in high school, this can be a teacher from years past or perhaps a counselor. You can also ask staff at your school if they know of any after-school programs or nonprofits that help students through the college process. Find that somebody you can trust that can help you think of strategies to complete everything you need for college. There are folks out there who \u003ci>will \u003c/i>want to help you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro affirms that there is nothing wrong with asking for help, and if a student is feeling anxious, she recommends seeing things this way: “This resource is here for a reason. It’s here to help me. There’s nothing wrong with me: I am entitled to this resource, and I deserve the help.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Depending on your situation, you can complete FAFSA without your family’s financial information. But be aware that this only applies for particular circumstances — and you will need to first contact the financial aid offices of the schools you are applying to and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-professional-judgment\">explicitly ask for their “professional judgment.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul Dieken, who heads the financial aid office at Pomona College in Southern California, said schools have to follow specific rules set by the federal government before they waive certain FAFSA requirements through “professional judgment.” This could include situations where the student is experiencing abuse or is afraid to contact their parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, a student would need to provide the schools with some sort of documentation of their situation. “Maybe a letter from a third party, maybe a religious leader like a priest or a minister or somebody that knows the family,” Dieken said. “Sometimes, we can make a waiver in that case.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If this is your situation, it’s best to contact the financial aid offices of the schools you’re applying to directly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"multilingualfafsa\">\u003c/a>My family doesn’t speak English. How can I make sure our conversations about FAFSA are a success?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Over 65 million people in the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/12/languages-we-speak-in-united-states.html\">speak another language at home that’s not English\u003c/a>. And in many of those homes, it’s young people who are helping close language gaps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What a lot of our community experiences is that the student ends up being the translator,” said Catherine Marroquín, a senior director at Mission Graduates, a San Francisco-based organization that helps many immigrant and low-income students get to college. “They end up being the face for the family for the things that they need to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being a translator could be another (yet another) hat that a student has to wear during the admissions process. But there are tools out there that will make it easier to talk about college, financial aid and FAFSA with your family in your home language:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The California Student Aid Commission, a state agency that helps connect students with financial aid, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/all-in\">helpful breakdowns of FAFSA and other California-specific grants and scholarships\u003c/a>. At the top of the page, there’s a “Language” bar that will translate the whole website into any language you need.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>If your family only speaks Spanish, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">StudentAid.gov\u003c/a>, the official government website for accessing the FAFSA application, is now completely available in Spanish. All you have to do is look for the “Español” tab on the upper right side of the website. Additionally, if there are very specific terms you need a translation for, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/uploads/documents/ektron/88fdd293-2f4e-4c63-996e-f4bb95192879/0787ae7a3bcd4d0e98888ea6e82a69344.pdf\">Department of Education\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.csueastbay.edu/espanol/files/pdf/glosario.pdf\">Cal State East Bay\u003c/a> have created their own bilingual financial aid glossaries.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>For Tagalog speakers, the University of Guam created a video series in 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://tac.uog.edu/tools/fafsa-tag/\">that explains in Tagalog the basics of financial aid and what type of questions are included in FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>KQED will be updating this list with more language-specific resources. But keep in mind that individual colleges may have someone in their financial aid team who can speak the same language as your family. Sometimes, this information is listed on the college’s financial aid website, and sometimes, it’s not, but it doesn’t hurt to ask the schools you are applying to. Many of the financial aid officers KQED spoke to confirmed that when parents hear about the college process in their own language, it makes it much easier for them to support their students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, something that UC Berkeley senior Daniel Ortega found helpful when he was applying to college was reaching out to other young bilingual people in his community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I got a lot of help from my friends as well who were not new to this, who had siblings that had already gone to college and had to do the application,” he said. Older students may have already figured out smart ways to translate English terms.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tellus\">\u003c/a>Tell us: What else do you need information about?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers\">clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11936674/how-to-prepare-for-this-weeks-atmospheric-river-storm-sandbags-emergency-kits-and-more\">how to cope with intense winter weather\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11821950/how-to-safely-attend-a-protest-in-the-bay-area\">how to exercise your right to protest safely\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[hearken id=\"10483\" src=\"https://modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/embed/10483.js\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"For many students, even just talking to family about FAFSA and college financial aid — let alone filling out the form itself — can be difficult. We spoke to the experts for their advice.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1711476801,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":true,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":63,"wordCount":3419},"headData":{"title":"Talking to Family About Student Financial Aid Can Be Tough. Here's How to Start | KQED","description":"For many students, even just talking to family about FAFSA and college financial aid — let alone filling out the form itself — can be difficult. We spoke to the experts for their advice.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Talking to Family About Student Financial Aid Can Be Tough. Here's How to Start","datePublished":"2023-11-30T22:00:51.000Z","dateModified":"2024-03-26T18:13:21.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"sticky":false,"excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Update, 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 26:\u003c/strong> The \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">2024–25 FAFSA is now online\u003c/a>, and t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">he deadline to submit the form to be eligible for California state financial aid has been extended\u003c/a> to May 2, 2024. Additionally, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">students from mixed-status families\u003c/a> — where a student has a Social Security number but a parent doesn’t — can now complete the FAFSA thanks to updates to the form in early March.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Original story continues:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer, Daniel Ortega, 22, will receive a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and sociology from UC Berkeley — becoming the first in his family to graduate from college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This will be the conclusion of a journey that began when Ortega was a high school senior in Riverside County when he started his college applications. Back then, he had to figure out the college admissions process completely by himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His parents, who immigrated to the U.S. before Ortega was born, only completed elementary school and spoke limited English — meaning they were unfamiliar with the world of college applications. “I knew back then it was going to be a bit of a challenge,” Ortega said, “but I also knew that I had to do this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Introducing a family to FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As he hustled to complete his applications, Ortega learned that to qualify for financial aid — something he needed to afford a college education — he would need to complete \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">the Free Application for Federal Student Aid\u003c/a>, or FAFSA for short.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had literally never even taken a look at this application. I didn’t know what to expect, what was going to be required,” he said. As he scrolled through the online FAFSA portal, he learned that he would need to share personal family information, including specific questions about how much his parents earned and even their taxes.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11957693","hero":"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/08/230630-UC-BERKELEY-GETTY-JS-KQED-1-1020x680.jpeg","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was really the first time that I looked at my parents’ tax forms,” he said — adding that before FAFSA, he’d never had a reason to sit his parents down and ask them about how much money they made. “So that meant going through that process of figuring out, ‘Okay, what do these numbers [on their taxes] mean?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On \u003ci>top \u003c/i>of that, Ortega had to figure this all out in two languages: English to complete the FAFSA and Spanish to talk to his parents and get the information he needed for the form. “But luckily, I was able to translate enough to where my parents had an idea of what it was that I was doing — and why I needed all their information,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When students take the lead on financial aid\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Now, filling out the FAFSA comes naturally for Ortega: So much so that he’s helped his younger sister, who’s now at community college, and plans to support his youngest sister when she becomes a high school senior. There are countless stories similar to Ortega’s: students who can’t count on their parents’ help to fill out the FAFSA (and other necessary financial aid documents) for various reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every family situation is, of course, different. But being a high school senior or current college student \u003ci>and \u003c/i>figuring out your family’s financial information — while you balance classes, jobs and personal responsibilities — is never easy. Especially if talking with family about financial matters is complicated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why KQED spoke to financial aid experts from universities across California and college access nonprofits to create this guide for students taking the lead on the financial aid part of the college application process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for more guidance, or jump to a specific question:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#fafsaapplication\">I don’t usually talk about money with family. So, how can I talk to them about FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#familyissuesfafsa\">My family cannot (or will not) help me with FAFSA\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#multilingualfafsa\">What if my family does not speak English?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>How do I explain FAFSA — and why it matters — to my family?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you are confused about what FAFSA is or what it does, it’s not going to be easy talking to your family about it. So, let’s unpack this together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosanna Ferro is the chief of education at College Track, an Oakland-based nonprofit that helps first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college. She said that before they have the conversation with their family, students should first feel comfortable answering three questions:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>“What is FAFSA?”\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>“What is the purpose of FAFSA?”\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>“What type of information will I need to share when completing FAFSA, and how is it going to be used?”\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Before working at College Track, Ferro supported hundreds of first-generation and immigrant students at William College in Massachusetts and Ithaca College in New York. Ferro said that the questions she would get from students and their families were the same ones her family had when she applied to college. For her, this shows how the concerns families may have — and the misinformation they might be receiving about financial aid — often remain constant through time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#tellus\">Tell us: What other financial topics do you need information about right now?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>“Once you have the fundamentals down, you can then start figuring out what type of information you need and how to get that information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968634\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968634\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201.jpg\" alt=\"Two people, one older and one younger, sit on a stuffed seat looking at a laptop. The younger person is wearing college graduation clothes.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7713372-scaled-e1701297559201-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">If money conversations are new for you and your family, talking about the importance of college financial aid can feel daunting. \u003ccite>(RDNE Stock Project/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>\u003cb>“What is FAFSA?”\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Here’s a one-sentence description of FAFSA you can share with your family: “FAFSA is a free online application from the Department of Education that helps students qualify for financial aid from the government and colleges.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parents only speak Spanish, here is the description you can use: “FAFSA es una aplicación electrónica gratuita creada por el Departamento de Educación, la cual ayuda a estudiantes recibir ayuda financiera del gobierno y universidades.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(KQED will be updating this description with more languages.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, students were required to fill out all of FAFSA, including the sections that asked about their family’s tax and financial information. But with \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">the new FAFSA form\u003c/a>, parents and students must fill out the form by creating their own \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch\">FSA ID accounts\u003c/a>. Learn more about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">the recent changes to FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Filling out the FAFSA does \u003ci>not \u003c/i>mean you will automatically get free money for college. It also is not a loan application. You don’t need perfect grades to complete FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"2\">\n\u003cli>\u003cb>“What is the purpose of FAFSA?”\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>When you fill out FAFSA, you share your family’s financial information on a platform that the Department of Education can access. This government agency uses your information to decide which grants, loans and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/work-study\">work-study programs\u003c/a> you are eligible for. (Remember, being \u003ci>eligible\u003c/i> for a pot of money does not mean you have already \u003ci>received\u003c/i> this pot of money.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The colleges you are applying for will also ask you to complete FAFSA. It doesn’t matter what type of schools you are applying for — public universities, private schools and community colleges all require FAFSA. With your FAFSA information, the financial aid office at these schools can calculate how much you or your family, will have to pay for your education and how much financial aid the school can give you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are already in college, you are required to complete FAFSA each year so both your school and the federal government can stay updated on any changes to your family’s income. If your family’s income dropped from one year to the next, you can inform your school through the FAFSA — and potentially receive more financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"3\">\n\u003cli>\u003cb>“What information do I need for FAFSA, and where does it go?”\u003c/b>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>The good news: The \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">new version of FAFSA released at the end of 2023\u003c/a> has fewer questions than before. But you should still set aside a couple of hours to finish this with your family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you live with both of your parents, ask them to have their tax information from the past few years ready (including their 1040 and W-2 forms) and their Social Security numbers. Read a \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out\">complete list of the information you’ll need to complete FAFSA.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Obviously, not everyone lives with both of their parents or can depend on their parents’ help during the college process. Some families don’t have Social Security numbers or have their tax information readily available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something important to know up-front: The information you and your family share on FAFSA will \u003ci>only \u003c/i>be shared with the Department of Education and the staff working at the financial aid offices of the schools you are applying to. It will not be shared with the IRS or other government agencies, like ICE.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sonia Jethani, the director of the financial aid office at California State University East Bay, said she understands why some families worry about who can see their FAFSA form. “Their financial information is completely safe with us,” Jethani said. “The only reason why we’re asking for this information is to ensure that they get their financial aid package and nothing else.” Read more below about what to say if your family is reluctant to share their finances for FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"fafsaapplication\">\u003c/a>I’m not used to talking about finances with my family. So, how do I start a FAFSA conversation?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even just raising anything related to money in some families could spark an uncomfortable situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>College Track’s Ferro understands the anxiety students may feel in these situations. But parents and family members will usually do their best to help, she said — once they fully understand what FAFSA is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Let your parents know why this is important and how this is a major determining factor in terms of how you can actually fund your education,” Ferro said, adding that without FAFSA, there’s no way students will be able to receive money from schools or the federal government.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"postid":"news_11967137,news_11966673,news_11940562","label":"More Guides From KQED "},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Don’t be vague about what you need when talking to your family about FAFSA, Ferro said. Be clear about what FAFSA is (see above) and which documents you’ll need, along with the deadlines. Use specific terms like: “Your 1040 form” and “Your W-2 form,” and always remind them you have limited time to send this information in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can’t remember what documents you need? \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out\">Pull up the FAFSA documentation list when talking to your family\u003c/a>. Is your family the type that you need to tell them something several times so they remember? You can set reminders for yourself on your phone every few days so you can check in with your parents about what’s missing. Try to think ahead about the obstacles you might encounter during these initial conversations and prepare for them accordingly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>My family still doesn’t want to share their financial information. What now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents or guardians may push back when a student asks for tax documents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coleeta McElroy and Lucy Serrato-Lager, from the financial aid office at California State University, San José, said they’d seen this situation a lot. “A lot of times, parents may just be afraid of where their information is going,” Serrato-Lager said, adding this happens particularly with parents who are undocumented and are understandably afraid to share personal data with others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But once we explain to them that this information doesn’t go anywhere else, then they’re more willing to give the information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other instances, McElroy said, parents may think that if the student completes FAFSA alone — without mentioning their family’s income — they could qualify for more aid. This is called filing as an “independent student.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are parents who feel their students have graduated from high school and therefore they are independent,” she said. “But how a parent may view ‘independence’ and how the federal government views’ independence’ are two different things,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency\">will only consider you an “independent student”\u003c/a> if you are at least 24 years old, married, a veteran, or already have your own children who depend on you, among a few other categories. If you don’t fit into any of those groups, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency\">you are a “dependent student”\u003c/a> — and both you and your family will still have to complete the FAFSA together.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my parents are separated — and one of them is not in the picture at all?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA form will ask students to answer questions “about the parent with whom you lived more during the past 12 months.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you’ve only lived with one parent this past year — let’s say it’s mom — you will only have to answer questions about mom, and you will only need to work with mom to obtain her financial information. Rest assured, you won’t need to track down an absent parent to complete FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968637\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968637\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905.jpg\" alt=\"Two figures, photographed from behind, walk on a wide city street.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140905-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Filling out the FAFSA can be challenging, especially if you’re also helping your family navigate the process. \u003ccite>(William Fortunato/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"familyissuesfafsa\">\u003c/a>My family is flat-out refusing to help me with FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are, unfortunately, some cases where a family will straight-up refuse to help out the student with the college process — even if the student explains how important going to college is for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know not everyone has a family situation where that conversation is actually productive,” said Ferro from College Track. She’s seen situations like these in the past, where students have a really complicated relationship with their family, but adds that there \u003ci>are\u003c/i> “ways to support students who don’t have positive home lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kind of family dynamic, Ferro said, “should not be a reason why somebody decides not to go to college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If this is your situation, and you want to go to college, Ferro recommends looking for an ally you can trust as soon as you possibly can. If you are in high school, this can be a teacher from years past or perhaps a counselor. You can also ask staff at your school if they know of any after-school programs or nonprofits that help students through the college process. Find that somebody you can trust that can help you think of strategies to complete everything you need for college. There are folks out there who \u003ci>will \u003c/i>want to help you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro affirms that there is nothing wrong with asking for help, and if a student is feeling anxious, she recommends seeing things this way: “This resource is here for a reason. It’s here to help me. There’s nothing wrong with me: I am entitled to this resource, and I deserve the help.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Depending on your situation, you can complete FAFSA without your family’s financial information. But be aware that this only applies for particular circumstances — and you will need to first contact the financial aid offices of the schools you are applying to and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-professional-judgment\">explicitly ask for their “professional judgment.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul Dieken, who heads the financial aid office at Pomona College in Southern California, said schools have to follow specific rules set by the federal government before they waive certain FAFSA requirements through “professional judgment.” This could include situations where the student is experiencing abuse or is afraid to contact their parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, a student would need to provide the schools with some sort of documentation of their situation. “Maybe a letter from a third party, maybe a religious leader like a priest or a minister or somebody that knows the family,” Dieken said. “Sometimes, we can make a waiver in that case.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If this is your situation, it’s best to contact the financial aid offices of the schools you’re applying to directly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"multilingualfafsa\">\u003c/a>My family doesn’t speak English. How can I make sure our conversations about FAFSA are a success?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Over 65 million people in the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/12/languages-we-speak-in-united-states.html\">speak another language at home that’s not English\u003c/a>. And in many of those homes, it’s young people who are helping close language gaps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What a lot of our community experiences is that the student ends up being the translator,” said Catherine Marroquín, a senior director at Mission Graduates, a San Francisco-based organization that helps many immigrant and low-income students get to college. “They end up being the face for the family for the things that they need to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Being a translator could be another (yet another) hat that a student has to wear during the admissions process. But there are tools out there that will make it easier to talk about college, financial aid and FAFSA with your family in your home language:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The California Student Aid Commission, a state agency that helps connect students with financial aid, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/all-in\">helpful breakdowns of FAFSA and other California-specific grants and scholarships\u003c/a>. At the top of the page, there’s a “Language” bar that will translate the whole website into any language you need.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>If your family only speaks Spanish, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">StudentAid.gov\u003c/a>, the official government website for accessing the FAFSA application, is now completely available in Spanish. All you have to do is look for the “Español” tab on the upper right side of the website. Additionally, if there are very specific terms you need a translation for, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/uploads/documents/ektron/88fdd293-2f4e-4c63-996e-f4bb95192879/0787ae7a3bcd4d0e98888ea6e82a69344.pdf\">Department of Education\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.csueastbay.edu/espanol/files/pdf/glosario.pdf\">Cal State East Bay\u003c/a> have created their own bilingual financial aid glossaries.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>For Tagalog speakers, the University of Guam created a video series in 2023 \u003ca href=\"https://tac.uog.edu/tools/fafsa-tag/\">that explains in Tagalog the basics of financial aid and what type of questions are included in FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>KQED will be updating this list with more language-specific resources. But keep in mind that individual colleges may have someone in their financial aid team who can speak the same language as your family. Sometimes, this information is listed on the college’s financial aid website, and sometimes, it’s not, but it doesn’t hurt to ask the schools you are applying to. Many of the financial aid officers KQED spoke to confirmed that when parents hear about the college process in their own language, it makes it much easier for them to support their students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, something that UC Berkeley senior Daniel Ortega found helpful when he was applying to college was reaching out to other young bilingual people in his community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I got a lot of help from my friends as well who were not new to this, who had siblings that had already gone to college and had to do the application,” he said. Older students may have already figured out smart ways to translate English terms.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tellus\">\u003c/a>Tell us: What else do you need information about?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers\">clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11936674/how-to-prepare-for-this-weeks-atmospheric-river-storm-sandbags-emergency-kits-and-more\">how to cope with intense winter weather\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11821950/how-to-safely-attend-a-protest-in-the-bay-area\">how to exercise your right to protest safely\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"hearken","attributes":{"named":{"id":"10483","src":"https://modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/embed/10483.js","label":""},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions","authors":["11708"],"categories":["news_8"],"tags":["news_32707","news_31715","news_27626","news_28296","news_22697","news_4843"],"featImg":"news_11968720","label":"news"},"news_11946600":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11946600","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11946600","score":null,"sort":[1681426271000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"thousands-of-californians-are-eligible-for-student-aid-under-this-special-clause-but-many-dont-know-it-exists","title":"Thousands of Californians Are Eligible for Student Aid Under This Special Clause. But Many Don't Know It Exists","publishDate":1681426271,"format":"standard","headTitle":"Thousands of Californians Are Eligible for Student Aid Under This Special Clause. But Many Don’t Know It Exists | KQED","labelTerm":{},"content":"\u003cp>Thousands of adult Californians without a high school diploma want to take college classes. Unfortunately, those classes aren’t free, and the lack of a high school diploma cuts off access to most financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news is, there’s a fix. The bad news is, most students don’t know about the fix, and most college officials don’t understand the laws surrounding it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal law has a special clause that allows students lacking a high school diploma to access financial aid money they would otherwise miss. Known as the Ability to Benefit, the provision opens up federal financial aid to adults without high school degrees who enroll in GED and college classes simultaneously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California community colleges also stand to benefit financially from the law because it could allow schools to boost \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2022/03/community-college-enrollment/\">enrollment\u003c/a> and the number of students on federal aid, both of which are tied to the state’s new college funding formula.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than 4 million Californians lack a high school degree and roughly 340,000 of those adults were taking some form of adult education in 2021, according to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At least that many adults could be eligible for this federal aid, but in 2016, just shy of 58,000 students in California actually received federal grants or loans associated with it. The numbers have dropped every year since, and in 2021, just more than 30,000 California students participated, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That means as many as 90% of eligible adult students weren’t taking advantage of this aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The decline is the result of a complicated balancing act. On the one hand, the federal government has noted a history of poor oversight and \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-09-600.pdf\">“abuse” of Ability to Benefit (PDF)\u003c/a>, especially by for-profit colleges. On the other hand, more regulation has left community colleges feeling confused and uninformed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Bradley Custer, senior policy analyst for higher education at the Center for American Progress, said use of the aid has room to grow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no compelling reason why we couldn’t at least get back to 2016 and prior enrollment,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13378870/embed\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" class=\"flourish-embed-iframe\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px;\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Locked out of loans and grants\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In California, community college tuition is free for qualifying students with lower incomes who apply, but even for those who get the fee waiver, it’s just a fraction of the many costs related to attending college. Textbooks, transportation and food add an average of roughly $12,000 a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why the federal government offers flexible aid for college students — and through Ability to Benefit, adults without high school degrees can access that money, too. A federal Pell grant, for instance, currently provides as much as $6,895 a year for qualifying students, money that can be spent on things like child care or rent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Joe Villa, 67, needs that money. He has six children from two marriages, no high school diploma and a criminal record that makes even a simple job interview challenging. But he won’t give up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While serving a 10-year sentence at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, Villa attempted to get his GED, but the program closed before he could finish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11946606\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11946606\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01.jpg\" alt=\"An older man with glasses and dark hair stares out a window. The light from the sun illuminating his face. He wears a white, collared shirt and a black sweater wrapped around his shoulders.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joe Villa at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on April 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then in 2019, Villa was standing beside a prison employee when another person incarcerated there charged at the two of them. Villa intervened, saving the employee’s life. Gov. Gavin Newsom commuted Villa’s sentence, and he was released in April 2020 — just weeks after the state locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was no employment because of COVID, and I’m thinking, perhaps this is the best time to reeducate myself and get my degree,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Villa promptly enrolled in both a GED program and a number of college classes. CalMatters found Villa through a Saddleback administrator reference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He tried to apply for federal student aid, but didn’t get far since he doesn’t have a high school diploma and didn’t know about the Ability to Benefit provision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qualifying for the Ability to Benefit exception is not easy. A student must first enroll in a program to obtain their high school degree or equivalent and take six credits of college courses. Alternatively, they can pass a special exam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finally, students who want the federal dollars must receive certain kinds of counseling support and can only take a certain set of courses, as interpreted by their college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Villa checks nearly every box. He is currently enrolled in both a GED class and has already taken more than six credits worth of courses at Saddleback in the hope of getting his associate degree and then transferring to a four-year university to study cinematography.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as of 2020, Saddleback College no longer offers students aid through Ability to Benefit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Fixing a ‘scam,’ facing consequences\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a trend, said Judy Mortrude, senior technical adviser at the National College Transition Network, which is part of World Education and a Boston-based nonprofit that helps community colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1991, Congress put Ability to Benefit into law and slowly added regulations that explained how students could qualify, like through an exam or by taking six credits. In 2012, Congress cut the funding, only to restore it fully in 2016. Then Congress required that colleges offer counseling and career training to these students and that they restrict them to a certain set of classes and majors that align with the local economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whereas the original rule had only been about a student’s eligibility, the 2016 regulations asked colleges to perform certain services, and colleges didn’t know how to interpret it, Mortrude said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11946614\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11946614\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02.jpg\" alt=\"A college campus quad area with circular tables with umbrellas are scattered about. Large planters with trees growing inside shade students sitting in pairs chatting between classes.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on April 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The chain of communication is poor,” said Naomi Castro, senior director with the Career Ladders Project, a nonprofit research group founded by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. She said that many financial aid directors at community colleges didn’t even know that Congress restarted the program in 2016.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddleback allowed students who enrolled prior to 2012 to get aid at any point, since they qualified through the old law, but the college never implemented the 2016 regulations, meaning students such as Villa have yet to benefit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge, said Karima Feldhus, academic administrator at Saddleback, is that the college lacks “an eligible list of careers” according to the 2016 regulations. As to why the college waited years to adopt the regulations, she said she didn’t know and referred CalMatters to the director of the financial aid office and the dean of enrollment. Neither person responded to requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nor did San José City College implement Ability to Benefit when it restarted in 2016, according to Takeo Kubo, financial aid director there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José City College spokesperson Daniel Garza said the 2016 law required “significant curriculum development efforts,” which he noted can be “quite an undertaking” at any school. He said he was not aware of what efforts the college made to consider making the necessary curriculum changes when the new regulations came out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some community colleges, including the four Sacramento-area ones in the Los Rios Community College District, did adapt to the new regulations. Those colleges currently have 42 students who receive aid through Ability to Benefit, out of a total 780 students in the system without a high school diploma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13379286/embed\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" class=\"flourish-embed-iframe\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px;\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While community colleges have increasingly shied away from Ability to Benefit over the years, for-profit colleges have leaned in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, participation at public and private nonprofit colleges has dropped by more than half since 2016, while usage at private for-profit schools has risen, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. The department did not respond to requests for recent statewide data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For-profit and nonprofit colleges use different processes, too. The department data shows that public and private nonprofit colleges generally have students qualify for Ability to Benefit by taking six credits worth of classes. At for-profit colleges, nearly every student qualifies for it through an exam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s sort of a scam how they are getting bucket loads of people to hit a cut score on an exam who somehow couldn’t pass the GED test,” said Mortrude.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department created many of the new regulations to clamp down on such “predatory behavior,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A third way\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While students generally qualify for Ability to Benefit through the two national pathways, federal law also allows states to develop their own processes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019, Mortrude, Castro and other college leaders sent a proposal to the Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office on how California could set its own such process. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Washington and Wisconsin have already done it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label='More Stories on Education' tag='education']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Wisconsin, for example, adult students at some technical colleges can qualify for aid by participating in an orientation and by working with a tutor or academic counselor, among other criteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The individual community colleges are responsible for implementing the Ability to Benefit provision for students, said Paul Feist, vice chancellor for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the office will explore creating a “state defined process” akin to what other states have done. The office did not provide a timeline for a new state process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This month, a committee of Saddleback administrators came together to figure out the federal regulations with the goal of offering the Ability to Benefit aid this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they succeed, Villa has a list of expenses he hopes his aid can cover. First, he’s late on child support payments. He wants a new apartment, and after putting on some weight during the COVID pandemic, he needs new clothes that fit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"Many college students rely on federal student aid to cover expenses, but increasingly complicated laws and poor communication have made those dollars harder to come by for some adult students.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1681426271,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":true,"iframeSrcs":["https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13378870/embed","https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13379286/embed"],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":47,"wordCount":1711},"headData":{"title":"Thousands of Californians Are Eligible for Student Aid Under This Special Clause. But Many Don't Know It Exists | KQED","description":"Many college students rely on federal student aid to cover expenses, but increasingly complicated laws and poor communication have made those dollars harder to come by for some adult students.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Thousands of Californians Are Eligible for Student Aid Under This Special Clause. But Many Don't Know It Exists","datePublished":"2023-04-13T22:51:11.000Z","dateModified":"2023-04-13T22:51:11.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"source":"CalMatters","sourceUrl":"https://calmatters.org/","nprByline":"\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/adam-echelman/\">Adam Echelman\u003c/a>","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","articleAge":"0","path":"/news/11946600/thousands-of-californians-are-eligible-for-student-aid-under-this-special-clause-but-many-dont-know-it-exists","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Thousands of adult Californians without a high school diploma want to take college classes. Unfortunately, those classes aren’t free, and the lack of a high school diploma cuts off access to most financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news is, there’s a fix. The bad news is, most students don’t know about the fix, and most college officials don’t understand the laws surrounding it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Federal law has a special clause that allows students lacking a high school diploma to access financial aid money they would otherwise miss. Known as the Ability to Benefit, the provision opens up federal financial aid to adults without high school degrees who enroll in GED and college classes simultaneously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California community colleges also stand to benefit financially from the law because it could allow schools to boost \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2022/03/community-college-enrollment/\">enrollment\u003c/a> and the number of students on federal aid, both of which are tied to the state’s new college funding formula.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than 4 million Californians lack a high school degree and roughly 340,000 of those adults were taking some form of adult education in 2021, according to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At least that many adults could be eligible for this federal aid, but in 2016, just shy of 58,000 students in California actually received federal grants or loans associated with it. The numbers have dropped every year since, and in 2021, just more than 30,000 California students participated, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That means as many as 90% of eligible adult students weren’t taking advantage of this aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The decline is the result of a complicated balancing act. On the one hand, the federal government has noted a history of poor oversight and \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-09-600.pdf\">“abuse” of Ability to Benefit (PDF)\u003c/a>, especially by for-profit colleges. On the other hand, more regulation has left community colleges feeling confused and uninformed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, Bradley Custer, senior policy analyst for higher education at the Center for American Progress, said use of the aid has room to grow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no compelling reason why we couldn’t at least get back to 2016 and prior enrollment,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13378870/embed\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" class=\"flourish-embed-iframe\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px;\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Locked out of loans and grants\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In California, community college tuition is free for qualifying students with lower incomes who apply, but even for those who get the fee waiver, it’s just a fraction of the many costs related to attending college. Textbooks, transportation and food add an average of roughly $12,000 a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why the federal government offers flexible aid for college students — and through Ability to Benefit, adults without high school degrees can access that money, too. A federal Pell grant, for instance, currently provides as much as $6,895 a year for qualifying students, money that can be spent on things like child care or rent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Joe Villa, 67, needs that money. He has six children from two marriages, no high school diploma and a criminal record that makes even a simple job interview challenging. But he won’t give up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While serving a 10-year sentence at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, Villa attempted to get his GED, but the program closed before he could finish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11946606\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11946606\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01.jpg\" alt=\"An older man with glasses and dark hair stares out a window. The light from the sun illuminating his face. He wears a white, collared shirt and a black sweater wrapped around his shoulders.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joe Villa at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on April 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then in 2019, Villa was standing beside a prison employee when another person incarcerated there charged at the two of them. Villa intervened, saving the employee’s life. Gov. Gavin Newsom commuted Villa’s sentence, and he was released in April 2020 — just weeks after the state locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was no employment because of COVID, and I’m thinking, perhaps this is the best time to reeducate myself and get my degree,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Villa promptly enrolled in both a GED program and a number of college classes. CalMatters found Villa through a Saddleback administrator reference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He tried to apply for federal student aid, but didn’t get far since he doesn’t have a high school diploma and didn’t know about the Ability to Benefit provision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Qualifying for the Ability to Benefit exception is not easy. A student must first enroll in a program to obtain their high school degree or equivalent and take six credits of college courses. Alternatively, they can pass a special exam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finally, students who want the federal dollars must receive certain kinds of counseling support and can only take a certain set of courses, as interpreted by their college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Villa checks nearly every box. He is currently enrolled in both a GED class and has already taken more than six credits worth of courses at Saddleback in the hope of getting his associate degree and then transferring to a four-year university to study cinematography.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as of 2020, Saddleback College no longer offers students aid through Ability to Benefit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Fixing a ‘scam,’ facing consequences\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s a trend, said Judy Mortrude, senior technical adviser at the National College Transition Network, which is part of World Education and a Boston-based nonprofit that helps community colleges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1991, Congress put Ability to Benefit into law and slowly added regulations that explained how students could qualify, like through an exam or by taking six credits. In 2012, Congress cut the funding, only to restore it fully in 2016. Then Congress required that colleges offer counseling and career training to these students and that they restrict them to a certain set of classes and majors that align with the local economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whereas the original rule had only been about a student’s eligibility, the 2016 regulations asked colleges to perform certain services, and colleges didn’t know how to interpret it, Mortrude said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11946614\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11946614\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02.jpg\" alt=\"A college campus quad area with circular tables with umbrellas are scattered about. Large planters with trees growing inside shade students sitting in pairs chatting between classes.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/04/CalMattersStudentLoans02-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on April 11, 2023. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The chain of communication is poor,” said Naomi Castro, senior director with the Career Ladders Project, a nonprofit research group founded by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. She said that many financial aid directors at community colleges didn’t even know that Congress restarted the program in 2016.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saddleback allowed students who enrolled prior to 2012 to get aid at any point, since they qualified through the old law, but the college never implemented the 2016 regulations, meaning students such as Villa have yet to benefit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge, said Karima Feldhus, academic administrator at Saddleback, is that the college lacks “an eligible list of careers” according to the 2016 regulations. As to why the college waited years to adopt the regulations, she said she didn’t know and referred CalMatters to the director of the financial aid office and the dean of enrollment. Neither person responded to requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nor did San José City College implement Ability to Benefit when it restarted in 2016, according to Takeo Kubo, financial aid director there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San José City College spokesperson Daniel Garza said the 2016 law required “significant curriculum development efforts,” which he noted can be “quite an undertaking” at any school. He said he was not aware of what efforts the college made to consider making the necessary curriculum changes when the new regulations came out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some community colleges, including the four Sacramento-area ones in the Los Rios Community College District, did adapt to the new regulations. Those colleges currently have 42 students who receive aid through Ability to Benefit, out of a total 780 students in the system without a high school diploma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/13379286/embed\" title=\"Interactive or visual content\" class=\"flourish-embed-iframe\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px;\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While community colleges have increasingly shied away from Ability to Benefit over the years, for-profit colleges have leaned in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, participation at public and private nonprofit colleges has dropped by more than half since 2016, while usage at private for-profit schools has risen, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. The department did not respond to requests for recent statewide data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For-profit and nonprofit colleges use different processes, too. The department data shows that public and private nonprofit colleges generally have students qualify for Ability to Benefit by taking six credits worth of classes. At for-profit colleges, nearly every student qualifies for it through an exam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s sort of a scam how they are getting bucket loads of people to hit a cut score on an exam who somehow couldn’t pass the GED test,” said Mortrude.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department created many of the new regulations to clamp down on such “predatory behavior,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A third way\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While students generally qualify for Ability to Benefit through the two national pathways, federal law also allows states to develop their own processes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019, Mortrude, Castro and other college leaders sent a proposal to the Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office on how California could set its own such process. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Washington and Wisconsin have already done it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"aside","attributes":{"named":{"label":"More Stories on Education ","tag":"education"},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Wisconsin, for example, adult students at some technical colleges can qualify for aid by participating in an orientation and by working with a tutor or academic counselor, among other criteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The individual community colleges are responsible for implementing the Ability to Benefit provision for students, said Paul Feist, vice chancellor for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the office will explore creating a “state defined process” akin to what other states have done. The office did not provide a timeline for a new state process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This month, a committee of Saddleback administrators came together to figure out the federal regulations with the goal of offering the Ability to Benefit aid this fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they succeed, Villa has a list of expenses he hopes his aid can cover. First, he’s late on child support payments. He wants a new apartment, and after putting on some weight during the COVID pandemic, he needs new clothes that fit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11946600/thousands-of-californians-are-eligible-for-student-aid-under-this-special-clause-but-many-dont-know-it-exists","authors":["byline_news_11946600"],"categories":["news_18540","news_8"],"tags":["news_31933","news_32200","news_18085","news_22810","news_21180","news_32638","news_22697","news_31369","news_25523"],"affiliates":["news_18481"],"featImg":"news_11946633","label":"source_news_11946600"},"news_11927018":{"type":"posts","id":"news_11927018","meta":{"index":"posts_1591205157","site":"news","id":"11927018","score":null,"sort":[1664564349000]},"guestAuthors":[],"slug":"fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid","title":"FAFSA Opens Oct. 1. Here's What You Need to Know About Applications for Federal Student Aid","publishDate":1664564349,"format":"standard","headTitle":"KQED News","labelTerm":{"site":"news"},"content":"\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/espanol-financial-aid-season-what-you-need-to-know-212d885e9b92707de45f36827c9a4586\">\u003cstrong>Leer en español.\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> filing season starts October 1 for the 2023-2024 school year. If you plan to attend college next year, experts say you might want to fill out the FAFSA application as close to the opening date as possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many institutions award financial aid on a first-come, first-serve basis. Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy and federal relations from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/\">National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators\u003c/a>, recommends students get started.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It is a good idea to do it on the earlier side,\" said McCarthy. \"Whenever (colleges) run out of money, then that’s all the funding they have for the year.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whether this is your first or fifth time filling out the application, here are some recommendations and background for completing this process and getting financial aid for your college career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#whofafsa\">Who should fill out my FAFSA, and how?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#whenfafsa\">When should I fill out the FAFSA for fall 2023-2024?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#renewfafsa\">Do I need to renew my FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#parentsfafsa\">How should I work with my parents to fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#mistakefafsa\">What if I make a mistake filling out my FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>How does FAFSA work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA is a free government application that uses financial information from you and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/articles/parents-understanding-fafsa/\">your family\u003c/a> to determine whether you can get financial aid from the federal government to pay for college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA will send your financial information to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/school-list\">the schools listed in the application that you are interested in attending — up to 10 schools\u003c/a>. Each school that admits you will send you a financial aid package. The amount of financial aid you get depends on each institution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This application is also used to determine eligibility for other federal student aid programs, like work-study and loans, as well as state and school aid. Sometimes, private, merit-based scholarships also require FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their specific aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Completing the FAFSA is probably the single most important thing you can do to get in line for scholarships, grants and other federal financial aid for college,\" said Rick Castellano, vice president of corporate communications at Sallie Mae.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nitro College, a website that offers advice for college students, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.nitrocollege.com/fafsa-guide\">a step-by-step guide listing all the questions in the FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"whofafsa\">\u003c/a>Who should fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Anyone planning to attend college next year should fill out the FAFSA. Many decide not to apply, thinking their family’s income is too high to be considered, but McCarthy recommends all students fill out the application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There’s no commitment, there’s no charge,\" said McCarthy. \"See what happens, you may be surprised. And if not, you have it on file in case you change your mind.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students and parents can use the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/\">federal student aid estimator\u003c/a> to get an early approximation of their financial package.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How do I fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first step is to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch\">create an FSA ID\u003c/a> to help you log into your account electronically. If you are a dependent student, your parents also will need to create an account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before starting your application, McCarthy recommends using your permanent personal email, one that is “available to you and that you check regularly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are the documents you will need to fill out your FAFSA application:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Your Social Security number\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your driver’s license number, if you have one\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your green card number, if you are not a U.S. citizen\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of money earned\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your bank statements and records of investments\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your records of untaxed income\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The application offers the option to get your federal tax return information from \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-irs-drt\">the IRS data retrieval tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McCarthy also recommends students use their physical Social Security card when they fill out the application, not only to make sure they use the right number, but to double-check their name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier to avoid an issue in the first place,” said McCarthy. Some students who use their middle name in their daily lives make the mistake of listing it as their first name on the application, she said. This causes issues with the application that will need to be resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"whenfafsa\">\u003c/a>When should I fill out the FAFSA for fall 2023-2024?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Meeting deadlines is important to avoid missing out on any possible financial aid you might receive. Aside from the federal deadline, students need to know whether their state also has a deadline to be considered for financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA application for the 2023-2024 year opens on October 1 and must be submitted by June 30, 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each state has different deadlines for financial aid. \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/fafsa-deadlines#state\">California has a March 2, 2023, deadline\u003c/a> for many state financial aid programs, but has different deadlines for others.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"renewfafsa\">\u003c/a>Do I have to renew my FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA needs to be filled out every year you plan to attend college. However, it usually becomes easier to navigate the process after you’ve done it once.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel a lot faster every year,” said Haley Campbell Garcia, 28, who filled out the FAFSA for the first time in 2013 and has filled it out every year since, for her undergraduate and graduate degrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/renew\">renew your application\u003c/a>, some information is already pre-filled, but tax information and other items need to be updated.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"parentsfafsa\">\u003c/a>What information do I need from my parents for the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you are filing as a dependent student, you’ll need to provide the financial information of at least one parent. If you list both parents, you need to know how they filed their tax return — jointly or separately — and their official marital status, said McCarthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It seems like it should be obvious, but sometimes people don’t necessarily know whether their parents are separated or actually divorced,\" said McCarthy. You can find the official marital status of your parents by checking their tax return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch\">Parents need to create their own FSA IDs.\u003c/a> When your parents fill out the application, they can manually input their tax return information or use the IRS data retrieval tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents will need this information to fill out the FAFSA:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Social Security number or green card number (if they are not U.S. citizens)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of money earned\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If a student is applying for the 2023-2024 school year, parents need to use their 2021 federal tax return information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you have questions about income information, you can call the federal student aid office at (800) 433-3243.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my parents are noncitizens when I fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Your parents’ citizenship status does not affect your eligibility for student aid. The application doesn’t ask for your parents’ legal status in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent does not have a Social Security number, students should enter all zeros on the application. Also, parents without a Social Security number won’t need to create an FSA ID, but will need to sign the application by printing and mailing it to the financial aid office so the student’s application gets processed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/parent-info#unwilling-parents\">For more details on noncitizen parents, you can visit studentaid.gov.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How can I speak with my parents about the FAFSA when they're never done it before?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Whether you are a first-generation college student or your parents are immigrants, having to explain the FAFSA to them can be challenging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The way Jessica Sansarran, a 25-year-old resident of Orlando, Florida, approached this issue was by reading FAFSA guides to her parents and communicating her frustrations with the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I told them, ‘You know, this is complicated for me, too,’” said Sansarran, whose parents are from Guyana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anastasia Acerno, 21, approached the process similarly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would just ask my parents for all their tax documentation, wait for them to find it, and then just ask them the questions myself, instead of having them go through the application,” said Acerno, who graduated from the University of Albany.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my financial circumstances have changed since 2021?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fafsa/announcements/changes-family-financial-situation?src=trending\">If your (or your family’s) financial situation has drastically changed\u003c/a>, you need to contact the specific institution that you are planning to attend. Each college handles special circumstances differently, said McCarthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When will I receive my FAFSA financial aid package?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/next-steps-after-submitting-fafsa\">FAFSA applications take three to five days to process\u003c/a>, according to the student aid website. However, when you receive your financial aid package will depend on your institution. Usually, students get their financial aid package shortly after their admission offers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"mistakefafsa\">\u003c/a>What if I made a mistake on my FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/review-and-correct/correct\">If you made a mistake filling out your application\u003c/a>, you need to correct your FAFSA form. You can do this by logging in with your FSA ID, going to the \"My FAFSA\" page and selecting \"make corrections.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some instances, if the changes cannot be made through the FAFSA portal, students will need to reach out to their institution’s financial aid office to make corrections.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my financial aid is not enough to pay for my college?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If the financial aid package from the college you plan to attend will not cover your college expenses, there are alternatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can look into scholarships that might help lower the cost of attending college, or \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized\">student loans\u003c/a>. There are two types of student loans: federal and private. Federal student loans usually offer lower interest rates than private loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I find more help to fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">A lot of information about the FAFSA can be found on the studentaid.gov website\u003c/a>, but if you have more specific questions, you can speak with the financial aid office of your desired institution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From filling out basic questions to a more in-depth understanding of your financial aid package, your college or community college’s financial aid office can help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Yvette Solano’s case, she requested help from someone in the financial aid office who spoke Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"For me, it was about feeling comfortable asking questions and understanding the information,\" said Solano, 25, who attended San Diego City College and graduated from Cal State, Los Angeles this summer. \"You shouldn’t be ashamed of asking for help.\" \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/espanol-financial-aid-season-what-you-need-to-know-212d885e9b92707de45f36827c9a4586\">\u003cstrong>Read the guide to applying for the FAFSA in Spanish.\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McCarthy also recommends looking for college access organizations that provide free help completing the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students or parents can also \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact#all-aid-fsaic\">call, email or live-chat with the Federal Student Aid Information Center\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Associated Press receives support from the Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n","blocks":[],"excerpt":"When do FAFSA applications open, and what do you need to know about applying for student aid? Get the guide.","status":"publish","parent":0,"modified":1664580306,"stats":{"hasAudio":false,"hasVideo":false,"hasChartOrMap":false,"iframeSrcs":[],"hasGoogleForm":false,"hasGallery":false,"hasHearkenModule":false,"hasPolis":false,"paragraphCount":55,"wordCount":1823},"headData":{"title":"FAFSA Opens Oct. 1. Here's What You Need to Know About Applications for Federal Student Aid | KQED","description":"When do FAFSA applications open, and what do you need to know about applying for student aid? Get the guide.","ogTitle":"","ogDescription":"","ogImgId":"","twTitle":"","twDescription":"","twImgId":"","schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"FAFSA Opens Oct. 1. Here's What You Need to Know About Applications for Federal Student Aid","datePublished":"2022-09-30T18:59:09.000Z","dateModified":"2022-09-30T23:25:06.000Z","image":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png","isAccessibleForFree":"Y","publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","@id":"https://www.kqed.org/#organization","name":"KQED","url":"https://www.kqed.org","logo":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"}}},"disqusIdentifier":"11927018 https://ww2.kqed.org/news/?p=11927018","disqusUrl":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2022/09/30/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid/","disqusTitle":"FAFSA Opens Oct. 1. Here's What You Need to Know About Applications for Federal Student Aid","nprByline":"Adriana Morga, Associated Press","excludeFromSiteSearch":"Include","showOnAuthorArchivePages":"No","path":"/news/11927018/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid","audioTrackLength":null,"parsedContent":[{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/espanol-financial-aid-season-what-you-need-to-know-212d885e9b92707de45f36827c9a4586\">\u003cstrong>Leer en español.\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> filing season starts October 1 for the 2023-2024 school year. If you plan to attend college next year, experts say you might want to fill out the FAFSA application as close to the opening date as possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many institutions award financial aid on a first-come, first-serve basis. Karen McCarthy, vice president of public policy and federal relations from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/\">National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators\u003c/a>, recommends students get started.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It is a good idea to do it on the earlier side,\" said McCarthy. \"Whenever (colleges) run out of money, then that’s all the funding they have for the year.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Whether this is your first or fifth time filling out the application, here are some recommendations and background for completing this process and getting financial aid for your college career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#whofafsa\">Who should fill out my FAFSA, and how?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#whenfafsa\">When should I fill out the FAFSA for fall 2023-2024?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#renewfafsa\">Do I need to renew my FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#parentsfafsa\">How should I work with my parents to fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#mistakefafsa\">What if I make a mistake filling out my FAFSA?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>How does FAFSA work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA is a free government application that uses financial information from you and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/articles/parents-understanding-fafsa/\">your family\u003c/a> to determine whether you can get financial aid from the federal government to pay for college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA will send your financial information to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/school-list\">the schools listed in the application that you are interested in attending — up to 10 schools\u003c/a>. Each school that admits you will send you a financial aid package. The amount of financial aid you get depends on each institution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This application is also used to determine eligibility for other federal student aid programs, like work-study and loans, as well as state and school aid. Sometimes, private, merit-based scholarships also require FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their specific aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Completing the FAFSA is probably the single most important thing you can do to get in line for scholarships, grants and other federal financial aid for college,\" said Rick Castellano, vice president of corporate communications at Sallie Mae.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nitro College, a website that offers advice for college students, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.nitrocollege.com/fafsa-guide\">a step-by-step guide listing all the questions in the FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"whofafsa\">\u003c/a>Who should fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Anyone planning to attend college next year should fill out the FAFSA. Many decide not to apply, thinking their family’s income is too high to be considered, but McCarthy recommends all students fill out the application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There’s no commitment, there’s no charge,\" said McCarthy. \"See what happens, you may be surprised. And if not, you have it on file in case you change your mind.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students and parents can use the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/\">federal student aid estimator\u003c/a> to get an early approximation of their financial package.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How do I fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first step is to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch\">create an FSA ID\u003c/a> to help you log into your account electronically. If you are a dependent student, your parents also will need to create an account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before starting your application, McCarthy recommends using your permanent personal email, one that is “available to you and that you check regularly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are the documents you will need to fill out your FAFSA application:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Your Social Security number\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your driver’s license number, if you have one\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your green card number, if you are not a U.S. citizen\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of money earned\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your bank statements and records of investments\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Your records of untaxed income\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The application offers the option to get your federal tax return information from \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-irs-drt\">the IRS data retrieval tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McCarthy also recommends students use their physical Social Security card when they fill out the application, not only to make sure they use the right number, but to double-check their name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier to avoid an issue in the first place,” said McCarthy. Some students who use their middle name in their daily lives make the mistake of listing it as their first name on the application, she said. This causes issues with the application that will need to be resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"whenfafsa\">\u003c/a>When should I fill out the FAFSA for fall 2023-2024?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Meeting deadlines is important to avoid missing out on any possible financial aid you might receive. Aside from the federal deadline, students need to know whether their state also has a deadline to be considered for financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA application for the 2023-2024 year opens on October 1 and must be submitted by June 30, 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each state has different deadlines for financial aid. \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/fafsa-deadlines#state\">California has a March 2, 2023, deadline\u003c/a> for many state financial aid programs, but has different deadlines for others.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"renewfafsa\">\u003c/a>Do I have to renew my FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The FAFSA needs to be filled out every year you plan to attend college. However, it usually becomes easier to navigate the process after you’ve done it once.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel a lot faster every year,” said Haley Campbell Garcia, 28, who filled out the FAFSA for the first time in 2013 and has filled it out every year since, for her undergraduate and graduate degrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/renew\">renew your application\u003c/a>, some information is already pre-filled, but tax information and other items need to be updated.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"parentsfafsa\">\u003c/a>What information do I need from my parents for the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you are filing as a dependent student, you’ll need to provide the financial information of at least one parent. If you list both parents, you need to know how they filed their tax return — jointly or separately — and their official marital status, said McCarthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It seems like it should be obvious, but sometimes people don’t necessarily know whether their parents are separated or actually divorced,\" said McCarthy. You can find the official marital status of your parents by checking their tax return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch\">Parents need to create their own FSA IDs.\u003c/a> When your parents fill out the application, they can manually input their tax return information or use the IRS data retrieval tool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents will need this information to fill out the FAFSA:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Social Security number or green card number (if they are not U.S. citizens)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of money earned\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If a student is applying for the 2023-2024 school year, parents need to use their 2021 federal tax return information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you have questions about income information, you can call the federal student aid office at (800) 433-3243.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"fullwidth"},"numeric":["fullwidth"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my parents are noncitizens when I fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Your parents’ citizenship status does not affect your eligibility for student aid. The application doesn’t ask for your parents’ legal status in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent does not have a Social Security number, students should enter all zeros on the application. Also, parents without a Social Security number won’t need to create an FSA ID, but will need to sign the application by printing and mailing it to the financial aid office so the student’s application gets processed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/parent-info#unwilling-parents\">For more details on noncitizen parents, you can visit studentaid.gov.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How can I speak with my parents about the FAFSA when they're never done it before?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Whether you are a first-generation college student or your parents are immigrants, having to explain the FAFSA to them can be challenging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The way Jessica Sansarran, a 25-year-old resident of Orlando, Florida, approached this issue was by reading FAFSA guides to her parents and communicating her frustrations with the process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I told them, ‘You know, this is complicated for me, too,’” said Sansarran, whose parents are from Guyana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anastasia Acerno, 21, approached the process similarly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would just ask my parents for all their tax documentation, wait for them to find it, and then just ask them the questions myself, instead of having them go through the application,” said Acerno, who graduated from the University of Albany.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my financial circumstances have changed since 2021?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/fafsa/announcements/changes-family-financial-situation?src=trending\">If your (or your family’s) financial situation has drastically changed\u003c/a>, you need to contact the specific institution that you are planning to attend. Each college handles special circumstances differently, said McCarthy.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When will I receive my FAFSA financial aid package?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/next-steps-after-submitting-fafsa\">FAFSA applications take three to five days to process\u003c/a>, according to the student aid website. However, when you receive your financial aid package will depend on your institution. Usually, students get their financial aid package shortly after their admission offers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"mistakefafsa\">\u003c/a>What if I made a mistake on my FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/review-and-correct/correct\">If you made a mistake filling out your application\u003c/a>, you need to correct your FAFSA form. You can do this by logging in with your FSA ID, going to the \"My FAFSA\" page and selecting \"make corrections.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some instances, if the changes cannot be made through the FAFSA portal, students will need to reach out to their institution’s financial aid office to make corrections.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if my financial aid is not enough to pay for my college?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If the financial aid package from the college you plan to attend will not cover your college expenses, there are alternatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can look into scholarships that might help lower the cost of attending college, or \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized\">student loans\u003c/a>. There are two types of student loans: federal and private. Federal student loans usually offer lower interest rates than private loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where can I find more help to fill out the FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">A lot of information about the FAFSA can be found on the studentaid.gov website\u003c/a>, but if you have more specific questions, you can speak with the financial aid office of your desired institution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From filling out basic questions to a more in-depth understanding of your financial aid package, your college or community college’s financial aid office can help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Yvette Solano’s case, she requested help from someone in the financial aid office who spoke Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"For me, it was about feeling comfortable asking questions and understanding the information,\" said Solano, 25, who attended San Diego City College and graduated from Cal State, Los Angeles this summer. \"You shouldn’t be ashamed of asking for help.\" \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/espanol-financial-aid-season-what-you-need-to-know-212d885e9b92707de45f36827c9a4586\">\u003cstrong>Read the guide to applying for the FAFSA in Spanish.\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McCarthy also recommends looking for college access organizations that provide free help completing the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students or parents can also \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact#all-aid-fsaic\">call, email or live-chat with the Federal Student Aid Information Center\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Associated Press receives support from the Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}},{"type":"component","content":"","name":"ad","attributes":{"named":{"label":"floatright"},"numeric":["floatright"]}},{"type":"contentString","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>","attributes":{"named":{},"numeric":[]}}],"link":"/news/11927018/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid","authors":["byline_news_11927018"],"categories":["news_8"],"tags":["news_18085","news_21180","news_20013","news_31715","news_22697"],"featImg":"news_11927306","label":"news"}},"programsReducer":{"possible":{"id":"possible","title":"Possible","info":"Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.","airtime":"SUN 2pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.possible.fm/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"Possible"},"link":"/radio/program/possible","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"}},"1a":{"id":"1a","title":"1A","info":"1A is home to the national conversation. 1A brings on great guests and frames the best debate in ways that make you think, share and engage.","airtime":"MON-THU 11pm-12am","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/1a.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://the1a.org/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/1a","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=1188724250&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/1A-p947376/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510316/podcast.xml"}},"all-things-considered":{"id":"all-things-considered","title":"All Things Considered","info":"Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.","airtime":"MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/all-things-considered"},"american-suburb-podcast":{"id":"american-suburb-podcast","title":"American Suburb: The Podcast","tagline":"The flip side of gentrification, told through one town","info":"Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"/news/series/american-suburb-podcast","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"13"},"link":"/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/","rss":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"}},"baycurious":{"id":"baycurious","title":"Bay Curious","tagline":"Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time","info":"KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","imageAlt":"\"KQED Bay Curious","officialWebsiteLink":"/news/series/baycurious","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"4"},"link":"/podcasts/baycurious","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406","npr":"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious","rss":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvbmV3cy9jYXRlZ29yeS9iYXktY3VyaW91cy1wb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWQvcG9kY2FzdA","stitcher":"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"}},"bbc-world-service":{"id":"bbc-world-service","title":"BBC World Service","info":"The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.","airtime":"MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service","meta":{"site":"news","source":"BBC World Service"},"link":"/radio/program/bbc-world-service","subscribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/","rss":"https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"}},"code-switch-life-kit":{"id":"code-switch-life-kit","title":"Code Switch / Life Kit","info":"\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />","airtime":"SUN 9pm-10pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","meta":{"site":"radio","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"}},"commonwealth-club":{"id":"commonwealth-club","title":"Commonwealth Club of California Podcast","info":"The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.","airtime":"THU 10pm, FRI 1am","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts","meta":{"site":"news","source":"Commonwealth Club of California"},"link":"/radio/program/commonwealth-club","subscribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"}},"considerthis":{"id":"considerthis","title":"Consider This","tagline":"Make sense of the day","info":"Make sense of the day. Every weekday afternoon, Consider This helps you consider the major stories of the day in less than 15 minutes, featuring the reporting and storytelling resources of NPR. Plus, KQED’s Bianca Taylor brings you the local KQED news you need to know.","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Consider-This-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","imageAlt":"Consider This from NPR and KQED","officialWebsiteLink":"/podcasts/considerthis","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"7"},"link":"/podcasts/considerthis","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1503226625?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/coronavirusdaily","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM1NS9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbA","spotify":"https://open.spotify.com/show/3Z6JdCS2d0eFEpXHKI6WqH"}},"forum":{"id":"forum","title":"Forum","tagline":"The conversation starts here","info":"KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.","airtime":"MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg","imageAlt":"KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal","officialWebsiteLink":"/forum","meta":{"site":"news","source":"kqed","order":"8"},"link":"/forum","subscribe":{"apple":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719","google":"https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz","npr":"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum","stitcher":"https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast","rss":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"}},"freakonomics-radio":{"id":"freakonomics-radio","title":"Freakonomics Radio","info":"Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png","officialWebsiteLink":"http://freakonomics.com/","airtime":"SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm","meta":{"site":"radio","source":"WNYC"},"link":"/radio/program/freakonomics-radio","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/","rss":"https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"}},"fresh-air":{"id":"fresh-air","title":"Fresh Air","info":"Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.","airtime":"MON-FRI 7pm-8pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/","meta":{"site":"radio","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/fresh-air","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"}},"here-and-now":{"id":"here-and-now","title":"Here & Now","info":"A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.","airtime":"MON-THU 11am-12pm","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/here-and-now","subsdcribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"}},"how-i-built-this":{"id":"how-i-built-this","title":"How I Built This with Guy Raz","info":"Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png","officialWebsiteLink":"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this","airtime":"SUN 7:30pm-8pm","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/how-i-built-this","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"}},"inside-europe":{"id":"inside-europe","title":"Inside Europe","info":"Inside Europe, a one-hour weekly news magazine hosted by Helen Seeney and Keith Walker, explores the topical issues shaping the continent. No other part of the globe has experienced such dynamic political and social change in recent years.","airtime":"SAT 3am-4am","imageSrc":"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Inside-Europe-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg","meta":{"site":"news","source":"Deutsche Welle"},"link":"/radio/program/inside-europe","subscribe":{"apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-europe/id80106806?mt=2","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Inside-Europe-p731/","rss":"https://partner.dw.com/xml/podcast_inside-europe"}},"latino-usa":{"id":"latino-usa","title":"Latino USA","airtime":"MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm","info":"Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.","imageSrc":"https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg","officialWebsiteLink":"http://latinousa.org/","meta":{"site":"news","source":"npr"},"link":"/radio/program/latino-usa","subscribe":{"npr":"https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd","apple":"https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory","tuneIn":"https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/","rss":"https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"}},"live-from-here-highlights":{"id":"live-from-here-highlights","title":"Live from Here Highlights","info":"Chris Thile steps to the mic as the host of Live from Here (formerly A Prairie Home Companion), a live public radio variety show. 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