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�Financial Aid Night 2025-26

Presenter: Luanne Canestro

Retired Financial Aid Specialist

CASFAA Trainer

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�What Will You Learn at this Presentation?�

Types and Sources of Financial Aid

Which Application to Complete

FAFSA or CA Dream App?

StudentAid.gov Account (Also called Federal Student Aid ID- FSAID)

Mixed Status Families

What are Special Circumstances and How to appeal for More Financial Aid

Free Tuition at local Community Colleges

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Types of Financial Aid

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Types of Financial Aid

Financial aid are any funds provided to students to help pay for postsecondary education expenses.

There are two major types of financial aid – gift aid, and self-help aid.

Gift aid is money that does not need to be earned or repaid, such as grants and scholarships.

Grants are usually based on the student’s financial need.
Scholarships are generally based on talent and/or merit, such as academic, artistic or athletic talent, but can also be determined by financial need.

Self-help aid is just that – aid that a student would either need to work to receive, such as student employment through a program like Federal Work-Study, or repay, like student and parent loans.

Work-study programs provide opportunities for students to earn money to help pay for school expenses.

Students and parents can borrow from a variety of low-interest education loan programs designed to help with the educational expenses of the student. Student loans usually do not require repayment until the student is no longer in school. Parent loans have the option to begin payments while the student is still in school.

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Sources of Financial Aid

States

Private

Sources

Employers

Federal Government

Colleges

and Universities

[no clicks]

There are several different sources of financial aid, including the federal and state governments, as well as colleges and universities themselves. Students can receive funding from one or more and should not limit themselves by only applying from one agency.

Private agencies, companies, foundations, and maybe even the student’s and parents’ employers may provide scholarships for college. Check with each of them about application forms and deadlines. Scholarship search web sites such as fastweb.com and bigfuture.collegeboard.org are also good resources for scholarships. And I am sure as high school counselors you are providing your students with reliable scholarship searches as well. Please encourage students to check with ALL of the colleges they are applying to for their application deadlines.

RESOURCES – FREE ONLINE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH SITES

www.fastweb.com
bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
Immigrantsrising.org- for undocumented students
Maldef.org- for undocumented
Goldendoorscholars.org- undocumented

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�Federal Student Financial Aid Programs�

The Pell Grant will be based on the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI), their dependency status, Adjusted Gross Income, single parent status, family size, the federal poverty level, and the student’s enrollment intensity (how many units they’re enrolled in). It’s considered a portable grant, meaning a student will receive the same amount regardless of the college they’re attending.

[click 1] The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) and the Federal Work Study program are campus-based programs, which means that each college receives a set allocation with basic awarding rules from the federal government to determine student eligibility and awards. To receive an FSEOG grant, the student must be a Pell Grant recipient, with priority given to students with the highest need.

[click 2] The TEACH Grant may be offered at colleges that offer teacher credential programs. There is a separate application and teaching service obligation the student must complete at the college. If approved, the maximum award amount is adjusted each year based on regulations.

[optional text to read] Relating to TEACH, the student must agree to:

Serve as a full-time highly-qualified teacher for four elementary or secondary school years at a school or educational service agency that serves low-income students;
Teach in a high-need field; and
Complete the required four years of teaching within eight years after they graduate from or otherwise cease to be enrolled at the institution of higher education where they received the TEACH Grants.

If they don’t fulfill the service obligation, the grant converts to an unsubsidized student loan.

[click 3] Federal Work Study, or FWS, is another campus-based aid program. Each college is given a limited amount each year to award to their students, so each college has their own awarding rules of who they offer it to, and how much they award. Students have to be enrolled at least half-time.

[click 4] Direct Student loans are awarded based on grade level, dependency status, the SAI and other aid being received. There are two types of Direct Loans, subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Subsidized loans are need-based, however, unsubsidized loans are not based on need. If the student qualifies for a subsidized loan, it is interest-free while they are enrolled at least half-time. The current interest rate for undergraduate loans for 2024-25 is 6.533%, with fees of 1.057%

[click 5] Federal Parent PLUS loans are available to the custodial parent to borrow to cover the costs that the other types of student aid programs don’t cover. It is subject to a credit check, so the parent can not have adverse credit history. It is not based on their credit scores. Parents can borrow up to the Cost of Attendance minus other aid. The 2024-25 interest rate is 9.083%, and has fees up to 4%. Repayment can begin while the student is in school or can be differed until after graduation.

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Non-Need Based Aid

Unsubsidized Direct Loan

Interest accrues while student is enrolled- can be paid while in school or added at repayment
Interest is fixed- currently 6.533% (7/1/24-6/30/25)
Principal payment deferred until 6 months after graduating

Private Loans

Credit based, interest can be fixed or variable
Usually requires a co-signer

Parent PLUS Loan

Subject to credit check- no adverse credit history
Loan limits: COA less other aid
Interest is fixed- currently 9.083%; fees up to 4%
Repayment may begin while the student is in school or can be deferred until after graduation.

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California State Financial Aid

California residents attending California colleges may qualify for:

Cal Grant- A, B or C
California College Promise Grant (CCPG)�(at community colleges)
Middle Class Scholarship (UC and CSU)
Chafee Grant for current or former foster youth�

March 2^nd priority deadline for FAFSA/CADAA

These are the major state programs in CA.

Cal Grants A & B are based on the student’s GPA, for their sophomore and junior years, family income, assets and number in the family. They cover the CSU and UC fees, and a portion of Independent college tuition.

(UC- $12,750, CSU- $6084, Private Non-profit- $9358, For profit (non WASC) $4000, For Profit (WASC) $8056)

Cal Grant C is for students pursuing a technical of vocational certificate or AA degree, and can be used at Community Colleges and some vocational schools. There is no minimum GPA, but income, assets, family size and the program of study are considered. (CC- $1094, Private $547 + $2462= $3009)

CCPG is a fee waiver at the Community Colleges. It will waive the $46, per unit fee.

The MCS scholarship covers a portion of the UC and CSU fees, and is based on family income and assets. Asset and income ceiling is currently $217,000.

The Chafee grant has a separate one time application, in addition to the FAFSA or CADAA. It pays $5,000 annually to students who were in foster care between 16-18 years of age and are under age 26 at the start of the award year (July 1st), for up to 5 years.

To be eligible for these programs, students must be-

U.S. Citizen, eligible Non-Citizen or AB 540
Must be enrolled at least ½ time
Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards

Students just need to submit the FAFSA or CADAA and your high school will submit the GPAs. The California Student Aid Commission determines which grant the student may be eligible for.

If you need more information, I’d encourage you to see your College Career FA Advisor. They can provide you with more detailed information.

Current & former foster youth, and students with dependent children can now qualify for an access award of up to $6000 for A & B, and $4000 for C annually. Must be under 26 years of age by July 1, or the award year.

Student Success Completion Grant @ CCs- Receive a Cal grant FT- 12-14 units = $1298/ $649 per semester

15 + units =$4000 per year/$2000 per sem

SWD- can receive up to $6000 for A & B and up to $4000 for C

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Types of Applications

FAFSA https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Standard Priority Deadline: Between Oct 1 and March 2

Some schools may have an earlier deadline for institutional aid

Cal Dream App www.caldreamact.org

For AB540 and DACA students- state aid, not federal aid

CSS/Financial Aid Profile https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/
Available as early as October 1, for some private colleges

Not required by all schools

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What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?�

Collects student and parent income, taxes paid, assets, and household information

Calculates the Student Aid Index (SAI), a measure of the family’s financial strength is used by the college to determine-

Need-based student financial aid from:

Federal government
State government, and
Most colleges and universities

[2 clicks]

[click]

The FAFSA is the federal form that collects the students, and other contributors, financial information, as well as the household size.

It is a free form and families should not have to pay anything to anybody to file the FAFSA. When the student and parent starts the 2526 FAFSA for the first time they are taken through an onboarding process. There’s a 2 ½ minute video which explains what the FAFSA is, defines who a contributor is, and what to expect after submitting the FAFSA.

The main sections of the FAFSA are-

Personal Circumstances of the student
Demographics of student and parent(s)
Financials of both
Colleges you want the information to go to
Signature of both student and parent

[click}

The SAI that is calculated using the information provided on the FAFSA is used by the college to determine what types of aid the student may be eligible for.

[click]

Undergraduate and graduate students should file the FAFSA every year they are attending college to apply for financial aid from the federal and state governments and most colleges. The colleges need the information you provide on this form to determine eligibility for aid and to award aid.

Completing this form is also a requirement for graduation.

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When and Where to File the FAFSA

fafsa.gov

File as soon as possible to maximize financial aid consideration, even before submitting college admissions applications

[no clicks]

Students can and should complete the FAFSA even before they have completed their college admissions applications. They should apply on or after the 2025-2026 FAFSA launch date, and must submit the FAFSA by March 3 (March 2 lands on a Sunday in 2025), in order to be considered for Cal Grant.

Students who file the FAFSA in the first three months after the FAFSA becomes available are more likely to receive gift aid, including grants, versus students who apply later.

The FAFSA.gov URL redirects to the StudentAid.gov website, namely studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

[FYI - Optional text] Eligible non-citizens include residents of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM), Canadian-born Native Americans who are eligible under the Jay Treaty, and students who have a status as a refugee, asylum granted, parolee, T visa holder, Cuban-Haitian Entrant, victim of human trafficking or Battered Immigrants-Qualified Aliens and their children.�

A student who is determined as AB540 eligible or does not have a Social Security Number (SSN) or has an assigned DACA SSN, has a Temporary Protection Status (TPS) or a U Visa (set aside for victims of certain crimes) should apply using the California Dream Act Application.

DACA and undocumented students may be eligible for state grants and financial aid from their colleges.

If you are applying to out-of-state colleges, you’ll need to check with the colleges to see if they might be eligible for those colleges’ state aid programs.

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Creating a StudentAid.gov Account�Also Called the FSA ID

Student Aid,gov accounts are used to start, complete & sign a FAFSA
Dependent students and their contributor(s) need to create their own StudentAid.gov account

Each person must use their own email

Even contributors who do not have a Social Security Number must obtain an FSA ID
Tip: Use a personal, frequently checked email

Avoid temporary email addresses, such as school-assigned addresses

01 - The StudentAid.gov ID, also known as the FSA ID, is a digital signature. Dependent students and at least one custodial parent will each need an FSA ID and should create their own. They should also save them somewhere where they can find them. Students regularly forget their password and get locked out when they try to access the FAFSA site.

02 - There is a new term for anyone who is asked to provide information on the FAFSA- a contributor. This includes the student, the student’s spouse if they don’t file a joint tax return, a biological or adoptive parent, or the parent’s spouse (stepparent).

Most students coming out of high school will be considered dependents for financial aid. For a dependent student, at least one parent will need a StudentAid.gov account. If parents of a dependent student are married or live together, but they do not file a joint return, both parents are contributors. Contributors do not need to have a Social Security Number or live in the United States.

Remember, once someone has a StudentAid.gov account, it’s theirs for life. If a parent already has an account from when they were in college, or from providing parental information for an older sibling of the student, they can use the same account. They do not need to register for a new account. Creating an account takes about 10 minutes and can be done online at StudentAid.gov.

03 – Starting with the 2024-2025 financial aid cycle, even contributors without a Social Security Number need to obtain a StudentAid.gov ID.

[click 3] 04 - We strongly recommend everyone use a personal email address for their account. When a contributor uses a work or school email address, they may not always have access to that email account, and that makes it harder to recover their password or access the emails sent to them about their financial aid.

Students and parents should each create a StudentAid.gov ID (FSA ID) at studentaid.gov/fsaid.

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ALL SENIORS WILL HAVE CLASSROOM & FLEX TIME

TO CREATE THEIR FSA ID’S

01 - The StudentAid.gov ID, also known as the FSA ID, is a digital signature. Dependent students and at least one custodial parent will each need an FSA ID and should create their own. They should also save them somewhere where they can find them. Students regularly forget their password and get locked out when they try to access the FAFSA site.

02 - There is a new term for anyone who is asked to provide information on the FAFSA- a contributor. This includes the student, the student’s spouse if they don’t file a joint tax return, a biological or adoptive parent, or the parent’s spouse (stepparent).

Most students coming out of high school will be considered dependents for financial aid. For a dependent student, at least one parent will need a StudentAid.gov account. If parents of a dependent student are married or live together, but they do not file a joint return, both parents are contributors. Contributors do not need to have a Social Security Number or live in the United States.

Remember, once someone has a StudentAid.gov account, it’s theirs for life. If a parent already has an account from when they were in college, or from providing parental information for an older sibling of the student, they can use the same account. They do not need to register for a new account. Creating an account takes about 10 minutes and can be done online at StudentAid.gov.

03 – Starting with the 2024-2025 financial aid cycle, even contributors without a Social Security Number need to obtain a StudentAid.gov ID.

[click 3] 04 - We strongly recommend everyone use a personal email address for their account. When a contributor uses a work or school email address, they may not always have access to that email account, and that makes it harder to recover their password or access the emails sent to them about their financial aid.

Students and parents should each create a StudentAid.gov ID (FSA ID) at studentaid.gov/fsaid.

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Which of a Dependent Student’s Parents Needs an FSA ID?

If that parent remarried�+ DIDN’T file taxes together = both the parent and step-parent need accounts

The parent who provided more financial support �in the last 12 months �needs an account

If parents are �divorced/separated �+ NOT living together

Both parents�need accounts

If parents are �unmarried�+ living together

OR

+ DIDN’T file �taxes together = both parents �need accounts

+ File taxes together �=�only one parent �needs an account

If parents are

married

OR

[2 clicks]

If both parents are married and file separate federal income tax returns, they each need separate StudentAid.gov accounts. This includes those who file as Head of Household or Married Filing Separately for their federal income tax returns.

[click 1]

If the parents are not married but they live together, they are treated as though they are married and both parents need StudentAid.gov accounts.

[click 2]

If the parents are not living together, as they are divorced or separated, the parent who provided more than half of the student’s financial support in the last 12 months, prior to filing the FAFSA, needs an FSA ID (StudentAid.gov account). If the parent remarried, the step-parent is a contributor whether they filed a joint tax return or separate returns. Prenuptial agreements are not recognized by Federal Student Aid.

If one parent has a Social Security Number (SSN) and one does not, but they file a federal income tax return as Married Filing Jointly, only one parent is required to obtain a StudentAid.gov account. It’s best to have the parent who has an SSN create an account for themselves.

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Majority of FSA ID creation process is similar to those with SSNs
Identity validation is used for

Students from Freely Associated States
Parents or spouses without SSNs

Users without SSNs may be presented with knowledge-based identity validation questions
The FSA ID is available to use immediately
The contributor will manually enter their 2023 federal tax return information into the FAFSA
→Pro-tip. Consider having parent without SSN start the FAFSA and invite the student. (IN THAT ORDER!)

FSA ID: Parent(s) without SSNs

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2025-2026 FAFSA

Which Parent Must Complete the FAFSA?

When parents are divorced, separated or never married, and do not live together, only one parent must complete the FAFSA

The parent who provides more financial support to the student, not the parent that the student lived with the most

If this parent has remarried as of the date the FAFSA is filed, the stepparent’s income, assets, and dependents must be reported on the FAFSA

Family size is pulled from the federal tax return

[2 clicks]

There’s a parent wizard on the FAFSA to you determine which parent’s info needs to be provided if their parents are divorced or separated. The contributing parent will be the one who provided and will continue to provide more financial support, and not necessarily the parent the student lived and lives with.

If the parents are divorced and claim to each provide the same amount of support, then the parent with the greater income is the contributing parent and must complete the FAFSA.

If the parents never married but live together, then both of their income is included.

If the parents filed joint in 2023, but are now separated or divorced, they will have to manually enter their tax information and won’t be able to use the IRS Direct Data Exchange.

[click]

Step parents income and assets must be included on the FAFSA, even if there is a prenuptial agreement.

The Family size will be brought over from the Federal tax return. If you are unable to use the IRS direct data exchange, or your family size has changed, then you will manually enter the family size on the FAFSA.

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After the student completes the online FAFSA, a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) is sent to the student

An electronic FSS is sent if a student email address is provided

An electronic copy of the data is sent to each college or university listed in Section Two
Student should keep a copy of the FSS with other financial aid documents

CHECK YOUR EMAIL OFTEN!!

2025-2026 FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)

[no clicks]

The student will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary, or FSS, after submission of the FAFSA.

It will be sent electronically if the student provides an e-mail address on the FAFSA.

If the student does not provide a valid e-mail address, a paper FSS will be mailed to the student at the address entered on their FAFSA.

If the student does not receive the FSS within two weeks, they should contact the federal processor to check on the status. Call 1-800-4-FED AID (that’s 1-800-433-3243) or check on the status of their FAFSA by going to studentaid.gov using their FSA ID.

Check your email often!!

The student can make corrections on the electronic or paper FSS as well as add additional colleges they want their information sent to.

Each college or university the student lists in Section Four on the FAFSA will receive the results of all the information the Contributors reported.

Students should make sure to keep a copy of the FSS with the rest of their financial aid documents. Private scholarship agencies may require a copy of the FSS as part of their application materials.

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�Who is the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for?

Students who meet the requirements of AB540:

Attend a California school for at least three years

Graduate from a California high school or the equivalent (GED or CHSPE)

Attend a qualifying California college or university

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Caldreamact.org

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Supplemental application required by some colleges and scholarship competitions to determine a student’s eligibility for non-federal �institutional aid
Asks for additional information such as home equity, income and assets from non-custodial parents, retirement plans, etc.
Cost – $25 for initial registration and first college
$16 for each additional college
cssprofile.collegeboard.org

CSS Profile (for institutional aid)

[no clicks]

Some colleges ask for additional information by requiring the College Scholarship Service, or CSS, Profile. This form is used to determine eligibility for institutional aid and some scholarship competitions. Not all private colleges require it. Some participating institutions in California include:

Occidental College
Caltech
Stanford University
University of Southern California (USC)
Santa Clara University
all of the Claremont Colleges

Outside of California, most of the highly selective institutions such as the Ivy League schools and the University of Chicago use the CSS Profile form. A few non-California public schools use the form, including:

Arizona State University
College of William and Mary
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Michigan
UNC Chapel Hill
University of Virginia. (Provide any others you are aware of in your area, or popular out of state colleges.)

There is space for explanation of special circumstances on the CSS Profile, that is not provided on the FAFSA.

Fee waivers are available for students who use an SAT fee waiver, or whose parental income is $100,000 or less, or when the student is an orphan or ward of the court under the age of 24.

The CSS Profile is available annually starting October 1 for the following academic year.

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FREE TUITION AT

College of San Mateo Cañada College Skyline College

Our local community colleges have eliminated the cost of education for San Mateo County residents pursuing a degree or certificate

contact your school’s CCFA advisor for more info!

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Promise Scholars Program

Complete FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application
Commit to full-time study (12 units) at CSM, Skyline and/or Cañada for duration of the program
Complete a District Promise Application in WebSMART
Commit to completion of degree or certificate
Attend a counseling appointment ONCE a month

Receive up to 3 full years of Promise Scholars support

Counseling and Community Support- dedicated counselor, engaging workshops, campus community events
Academic Support- priority registration & tutoring
Financial Support- covered tuition, fee waivers, monthly incentives, book vouchers

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Scholarships

College websites
Outside searches

Don’t pay money to get money in searching for scholarships or applying for financial aid!

Scholarships are gift aid and require more time for researching and applying, but can really pay off. The more free aid you qualify for, the fewer loans you’ll need.

Students will need to write one personal statement and modify as needed for each scholarship. This is how you will tell your story and brag about yourself.

Letters of recommendation (2-3) from counselors, teachers, employers- a professional who can comment on your skills, abilities and potential.

Search colleges websites that you’re interested in for time lines and requirements. Have to apply to each college separate.

Don’t pay money to get money in searching for scholarships or applying for financial aid!
Use Your College Center or other free sources for info
Start with your high school and potential colleges
Four-year planning - are the scholarships renewable?
Ask the colleges how they use them - Does the scholarship go “on top” of the package, or replace the college’s own institutional aid?

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WICHE- WUE

Students who are residents of WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating public two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state.�
The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early!�
WICHE states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

http://www.wiche.edu/wue

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“But what about….?”

Special or Unusual Circumstances

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Special Circumstances

Secondary school tuition

Unusual uncovered medical/dental expenses

Parent or spouse death

Extraordinary dependent care

Loss of employment

Divorce

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Appeal for more aid if the family is affected by special financial circumstances
Provide documentation of the special circumstances and their financial impact
Adjustments are more likely if the circumstances were beyond the family’s control
Families can appeal for more aid at any time, even in the middle of the academic year
A free tip sheet about how to appeal for more financial aid is available at kantrowitz.com/books/appeal/

Financial Aid Appeals

If your ability to pay for college is affected by special circumstances, you should file an appeal for more financial aid with each college’s financial aid office.

Contact the college to ask about their process and time line for filing a financial aid appeal. Some colleges call it a professional judgment review or special circumstances review. Students will be asked to provide a short letter that summarizes the special circumstances. Most colleges will have a form to complete that will provide suggestions for the types of documentation you will need based on the family’s situation.

Mr. Kantrowitz wrote a bestselling book about how to appeal for more financial aid for college. The book’s web page, at Kantrowitz.com/books/appeal, includes a free downloadable tip sheet that reveals the basics about how to appeal for more financial aid.

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SMUHSD is providing district-wide application workshops

Wed. 1/22
Thurs. 1/30
Wed. 2/5
Saturday 2/15
Saturday 2/22
Mon. 2/24

→All families are welcome at all workshops, regardless of the high school their student attends.

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Questions?

Contact your School’s College

Career Financial Aid Advisor

�Luanne Canestro �canestro4@yahoo.com