College Planning
California Community Colleges (CCC)
The California Community Colleges system consists of 116 colleges, with a large number of additional campus centers and classrooms throughout the state. Each college offers a diverse array of educational programs, with specializations that reflect the unique character of the local region. For eligible California residents, the California Community Colleges Promise Grant permits enrollment fees to be waived. (Assistance for the purchase of books and supplies must be applied for separately.)
RESOURCES
Please visit the following information pages to learn more about the California Community Colleges and what they offer:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CA Dream Act Application
Financial Aid is money students receive to succeed in college, which may look like grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study. This also includes the Two Years Free grant for California Community College students. Financial Aid supplements the amount you and your family contribute.
To be eligible for financial aid you will need to fill out either the FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application.
Free money includes: Grants, Fee Waivers, Scholarships, and Work-Study Programs
- You can apply as early as October 1. Finish your application as soon as you can. You might get more money if you submit early!
- Be sure to submit with all your schools no later than March 2.
Which application do I complete, FAFSA or the California Dream Act?
Complete FAFSA if you identify with one of the following
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- US Citizen
- Students in mix-status homes: Meaning the student is a US Citizen and parents are undocumented
- U.S. permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as an Alien Registration Receipt Card or "Green Card")
- Conditional permanent resident (I-551C)
- Other eligible noncitizens with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: "Refugee," "Asylum Granted," "Indefinite Parole," "Humanitarian Parole," or "Cuban-Haitian Entrant."
- A citizen of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM)
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- Undocumented students
- DACA students
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How to Get Started with the FAFSA
Step 1 Create a FSA ID
The FSA ID gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online systems and can serve as your legal signature. Only create a FSA ID using your own personal information and for your own exclusive use. You are not authorized to create a FSA ID on behalf of someone else, including a family member. Save your FSA ID for next year’s application submission!!!
The FAFSA questions ask for information about you (your name, date of birth, address, etc.) and about your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances (for instance, whether you’re a U.S. citizen or what tax form you used), you might need the following information or documents as you fill out the FAFSA application:
-Your Social Security Card
-Your driver’s license (if any)
-Your 2021 W-2 forms
-Your 2021 Federal Income Tax Return
-Your 2021 untaxed income records
-Your current bank statements
-Your parent's 2021 Federal Income Tax Return
-Your parents’ 2021 W-2 forms
-Your parents’ bank statements
-Your parents’ untaxed income records
-Your parents’ current business and investment records
-Your driver’s license (if any)
-Your 2021 W-2 forms
-Your 2021 Federal Income Tax Return
-Your 2021 untaxed income records
-Your current bank statements
-Your parent's 2021 Federal Income Tax Return
-Your parents’ 2021 W-2 forms
-Your parents’ bank statements
-Your parents’ untaxed income records
-Your parents’ current business and investment records