Eligibility Requirements
Federal Aid Eligibility
To be eligible for federal student financial aid, you must meet the following requirements.
#1: Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
You are a U.S. Citizen if:
- You were born in the United States or certain U.S. territories, or
- You were born abroad to parents who are U.S. citizens, or
- You have obtained citizenship status through naturalization
If you were born in American Samoa or Swains Island, then you are a U.S. National.
OR
#2: Be an Eligible Non-Citizen (Permanent Resident, Refugee, Asylee, etc)
In addition, you'll need to:
- Have a valid Social Security Number (SSN), unless you are from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
DACA students may have a Social Security Number; however, DACA students are not eligible for federal student aid. DACA students may qualify for state aid. View California Dream Act for critieria and the California Student Aid Commission website for the Dream Act Application.
State and Institutional Aid
To be eligible for state and institutional aid, undocumented students must meet California AB 540 requirements. See the California Dream Act page for more details.
International Students
International students are not eligible for federal or state financial aid. However, there are a number of privately-funded scholarship programs for international students.
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Programs Not Eligible for Aid
The programs below are not eligible for Federal or State Aid
- Credential Pupil Personnel Services
- Credential Library Media Teacher
- Credential Special Session Library Media Teacher
- Certificate in Strategic Management of Digital Assets and Services
- Graduate certficate in Advanced Commications and Research Methods
