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Financial Aid

 

Seniors & Families: Financial Aid Information

 

Information Needed: 2021 Tax Return(s); current value of savings & checking accounts

  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Seniors with a Social Security Number who are US citizens or eligible noncitizens should submit the FAFSA. It opens October 1 and is due March 2 (at the latest). It is very wise for every eligible senior to complete the FAFSA to receive assistance for community colleges or four-year colleges. Begin by making an FSA ID for you and have a parent create an FSA ID if s/he does not have one.

  • Step 1. Create FSA ID [Students should have an FSA ID to sign their FAFSA every year. If a parent does not have a Social Security Number, the parent can sign a Parent Signature Form and submit it by mail.]

  • Step 2. Complete FAFSA

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CA Dream Act Application (CADAA): Seniors who do not have a Social Security Number and do not meet the criteria to complete the FAFSA should complete the California Dream Act application. It is required if you'd like to receive aid to attend community colleges or four-year colleges in California. Submit by March 2 for priority consideration.

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After You Have Completed Your FAFSA or CADAA: Seniors planning to attend college in California should make a Web Grants 4 College account to see if you qualify for a Cal Grant and/or change the college that will receive your Cal Grant. Your eligibility is determined by your A-G GPA (3rd GPA on your transcript), family size, and income. If you need to make a correction or appeal your eligibility, stop by the College and Career Center for help.

Students applying to colleges that require additional financial information may need to complete the CSS Profile by the deadline provided by each participating college.

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How to Obtain a Tax Return Transcript or Verification of Nonfiling

Some parents and/or students may need to submit a tax return transcript or documentation that they did not need to file a return. This page should be able to assist you with either document. Instead of driving to the San Jose IRS office, you can download a tax return transcript or a Verification of Non-Filing letter from the IRS website. 

College-Specific Scholarships

A group of smiling students and faculty pose for a photo in front of a building, beneath a banner for Santa Clara University's Johnson Scholars Program.
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New Scholarships! Click on image to learn more.

Gray numbers %2210000%22 are above orange text that reads %22degrees%22 on a white background.
A dark blue background displays text in yellow and white, with %22Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF)%22 in yellow at the top, and %22Scholarship Application Information%22 in white below a thin yellow line.

 

A group of smiling young people in formal attire stand in front of a banner for %22The Sequoia Awards%22 which honors volunteerism in Redwood City.
In the foreground, a young Black man in a vest and tie is speaking, while in the background, a website for the Ron Brown Scholar Program is visible at the top.
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A maroon rectangle with white text and a stylized flag design sits above a dark blue rectangle with white text announcing college scholarships.
Large white text reading %22ENNINGTON YOUNG WRITERS AWARDS%22 is superimposed over a background of faded names on an orange gradient.
A website header for the National Center for Learning Disabilities displays %22Scholarships & Awards%22 and %22Students with LD or ADHD%22 in the foreground, with navigation links for %22Programs%22 and %22Advocacy%22 in the background.
A red banner with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation logo and text is at the top, with a group of smiling young people in formal attire visible below.
A red and blue banner with %22Wendy's SCHOLARSHIP%22 is at the top, with text below describing the scholarship program and featuring the words %22Athletes-Leaders%22 at the bottom.
A group of smiling students in matching t-shirts stands in a hallway in the foreground, while the background displays a website for the Elks National Foundation Scholarship Programs.
A smiling young woman is featured in the foreground against a background of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's website, which details their college scholarship program.

Scholarship Search Engines

A smiling young man is featured in the foreground against a backdrop of the Scholarship America website, which highlights their support for students with statistics on scholarships, students, and data privacy.
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Future Scholarships

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A webpage for The Peninsula College Fund displays a call to action to %22Become a PCF Scholar%22 in the foreground, with navigation links and the organization's logo in the background.
Black text on a white background announces an %22UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.%22