Scholarship and Grant Money for Cali Students

California high school and college students, you must learn about the scholarships and grants available from the State of California. The California Student Aid Commission administers all the free gift aid programs, many of them tailored to a wide range of student. This is no-brainer scholarships aid, by the way. If you live in the state of California and you’re planning on going to college, you are foolish not to check out these programs.

General Scholarships and Grants from State of CA

The popular Robert C. Byrd Scholarships are awarded to top honors students in their senior year of high school. Eligible students must also be enrolled in an undergraduate program of study, and continue to maintain high GPAs to remain eligible for renewal. Awards are $1,500.

The Cal Grants program is one of the most widely disbursed student aid programs in the country. Depending upon the type of Cal Grant for which you qualify you could earn a free $9,700 every year you keep your end of the deal up. Cal Grants come packaged in A, B, and C versions and with a few “competitive” versions of the same. The purpose? To help as many California students as possible get a college education without financial obstacles standing in the way.

The California Chafee Grant is funds earmarked for Foster Care children. Students that have been within the Foster system may be eligible for up to $5,000 annually for college in California. Other criteria include financial need.

Career and Subject Specific Programs

Nurses and teachers especially are in short supply. In order to attract more students to these professions AND keep them working within the state, California like many other state governments, offers a few very lucrative incentive awards for these students.

  • Assumption Program of Loans for Education APLE is a fancy way of saying these funds go toward paying off students teachers student loans. This particular program, though, focuses on out of state students willing to come work and teach in California.
  • State Nursing Assumption Program of Loans for Education includes two nursing funds: one for students pursuing Nurse Education and the other for nurses in state facilities. For Nurse Education students the SNAPLE proposes to cover up to $25,000 in nursing school tuition. The SNAPLE for nurses willing to work in high need state healthcare facilities is up to $20,000 in student loans.
  • The Health Professions Education Foundation will repay student loans for California students pursuing allied health care degrees—dentistry, medicine, mental health-- and willing to work in a designated high need facility once out of school.

Veterans and Dependents Programs

The Law Enforcement Personnel Dependents Grant Program offers free financial aid to dependents and spouses of law enforcement personnel and firefighters killed or disabled in the line of duty.

Visit the California Student Aid Commission website for more information on current funding, new and defunct programs and more.