The period for filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) began on January 1, 2004 for students who want to be considered for financial aid for the 2004-05 award year. Anyone who anticipates requiring assistance in order to enroll at a postsecondary educational institution during 2004-05 should plan to complete and file the FAFSA by March 2, 2004.

California residents who plan to enroll as undergraduates at a California college should also have their required GPA reported to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by March 2 in order to be considered for a Cal Grant award.

It is important that students who graduate from high school this year, or those who graduated after June 2002, file the FAFSA and submit their high school GPA by March 2 in order to be considered for a Cal Grant Entitlement award.

Those students who graduated high school after June 2001 and who have been attending a community college should also apply by March 2 in order to qualify for a Community College Transfer Entitlement award if they do not already have a Cal Grant and will be transferring to a four-year institution. These students must supply a GPA from their community college to the California Student Aid Commission by March 2.

Filling Out the FAFSA

If your students and their parents need assistance with filling out the FAFSA there are several alternatives for help. The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) is sponsoring several efforts to ensure that students and families receive the information and assistance needed in order to fill out the FAFSA in order to apply for a Cal Grant and other needed financial aid. High schools, postsecondary educational institutions and programs, legislators, associations, and other organizations are partnering in these critical outreach efforts.

CSAC's popular, award winning tool kit, the "College Cash Box" is now in its second year and was distributed to all high schools in the state last December. The tool kit includes a set of instructional materials for use by high school teachers in assisting high school seniors with the completion of the FAFSA and includes an instructional guide, poster, a list of tips for completing the FAFSA, an instructional video, a CD with recorded teen radio spots for school public address systems, and more. Information on obtaining a copy of the tool kit is available from the Commission's Outreach and Training Division at (916) 526-8920 or at http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/G-411.pdf

Popular "College Goal Sunday" and "Cash for College" workshops are again being offered at various sites throughout the state. Information on upcoming workshops and how to have a workshop organized in your community is available at http://www.californiacollegegoalsunday.com

The U.S. Department of Education provides Completing the FAFSA, an on-line guide that explains the purpose of the FAFSA questions and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the FAFSA at: http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/index.html

The Department also provides an annual handbook designed for high school counselors that is available for viewing or downloading at: http://www.ifap.ed.gov/chandbooks/0405HSCounselorHB.html

Additional web site resources are also available from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) at: http://www.nasfaa.org/subhomes/financialaidnight/FAnight.asp

Materials include a planning guide and script for conducting "financial aid night" presentations as well as NASFAA's Cash for College informational guide at: http://www.nasfaa.org/annualpubs/cashforcollege.pdf

Handouts that might be helpful to students that can be found on NASFAA's website include a Financial Aid Application Checklist, worksheets for tracking application forms(comparing cost of attendance allowances and comparing financial aid packages from various institutions), a fact sheet on financial aid consultants and search services, and a sample scholarship inquiry letter.

New Cal Grant Informational Website

The California Student Aid Commission has launched a new website designed to provide students and families with information on the Cal Grant programs. The URL is http://www.calgrants.org and the site supplements information available on the CSAC website at http://www.csac.ca.gov