Financing college can be daunting, however, there are many options for financial support for your education. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of resources for you below.
To determine how much it will cost to attend college and learn about financial aid online, we recommend that you take a moment to review some of the information offered at studentaid.gov and collegeaffordabilityguide.org.
If you would like to learn about how colleges determine your financial need eligibility, we recommend visiting collegeboard.org.
In general, there are four sources of Financial Aid available to students
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation awarding, more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study each year to more than 13 million students paying for college or career school.
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for financial assistance. The 2024-2025 FAFSA will be available starting December 2023. We recommend applying as soon as possible in order to ensure maximum possible funding.
Apply To The FAFSA »
Check out this video to learn more about applying for FAFSA.
If possible, we recommend that students complete the FAFSA regardless of family income. Some institutional scholarships do not take financial need into consideration but utilize the FAFSA form as their scholarship application. Keep reading to learn about Institutional Scholarships.
California State Aid
The mission of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) is to ensure that “education beyond high school is financially accessible to all Californians”. Funding is available through the state for California residents or AB 540 eligible attending college in California.
Learn More »
Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)
- The Middle Class Scholarship is for undergraduates and students pursuing a teaching credential with family income and assets up to $217,000.
- The Middle Class Scholarship provides a scholarship to attend a University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) or California Community College Bachelor’s degree program.
- Scholarship award amounts will vary by student and by school.
- Award amounts will be based on the cost of attendance for the school of the student’s choice and the following program requirements:
- Other available gift aid that the student is eligible for (i.e. federal, state, institutional or scholarship aid)
- A self-help student contribution of $7,898 (applied to all students)
- And a parent contribution for dependent students with a household income of over $100,000.
- These three factors collectively, are referred to as a students’ “available resources.” These amounts are deducted from the student’s total cost of attendance to determine the MCS award. Under this formula, award amounts will vary widely among students, with each student’s award reflecting their costs and available resources.
Learn more about the Middle Class Scholarship »
Cal Grants
- Cal Grants are for students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree or vocational or career training, and do not have to be repaid.
- These grant opportunities are determined by the type of college attended, household size and income, and in some cases GPA. Funds are awarded on a first come first served basis.
Cal Grants At A Glance »
Application Instructions »
California Chafee Grant
The California Chafee Grant for Foster Youth (Chafee Grant) awards up to $5,000 a year to eligible foster youth. The Chafee Grant may be used at any eligible California college or university, or career or technical school. Students attending schools in other states may also qualify.
To be eligible for the Chafee Grant, a student must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Not have reached your 26th birthday as of July 1st of the award year, AND be a current or former foster youth who was a dependent or ward of the court, living a in out-of-home foster care placement, between the ages of 16 and 18.
OR
- Be a youth who was placed in out-of-home care by a tribe or tribal organization between the ages of 16-18.
Institutional Aid
Colleges have scholarships available for students based on grades, financial need and major. Check in with your college’s financial aid office to learn about scholarships and if there are any extra requirements that need to be completed in order to apply for funding. In addition, if you have declared your major we recommend checking in with your department, which may have access to more scholarships.
Outside Scholarships
There are numerous other scholarships available to student attending college, such as scholarships provided by the Humboldt Area Foundation & Wild Rivers Community Foundation. The 2024 Universal Application will be available from January 15 – March 4, 2024. Check out the Scholarship Finder, a comprehensive site that allows students to search for scholarships offered by local schools, businesses, service clubs, and individuals. If you are a high school senior, we recommend checking in with your counselor on a regular basis about scholarships available throughout your community.
Local College and University Enrollment
Are you interested in attending College of the Redwoods or Cal Poly Humboldt? Please look at these tools to help you in your journey from enrollment to attendance!
How Do I Apply To Cal Poly Humboldt?
Find out what steps you need to take toward enrollment.
Learn More About Applying to Cal Poly Humboldt »
How Do I Apply To CR?
“College of the Redwoods offers a wide variety of accessible learning opportunities, including online classes and other distance education options. CR awards Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degrees as well as a wide variety of career technical certificates for vocational and professional development. It is an accredited, two-year institution that has articulation agreements with major four-year universities. CR is committed to the success of each student.”
Learn More About Applying To CR »