General Information
Financial Aid and the Entering Student
Your college education is perhaps the most important investment you will make in your life. In order to make your college experience more valuable, it is crucial to understand the associated costs of attending a four year university, as well as the financial resources available to help meet those costs.
To be considered for financial aid, all students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). The Cal State LA Federal School Code is 001140.
First Time Freshman
In order to receive the best possible financial aid award package, you are encouraged to apply for Financial Aid in your senior year of high school, by the March 2nd priority deadline. If you are applying for the Cal Grant Program (for California residents only), GPA Verification Forms are also due by March 2. Your California High School should submit your GPA electronically to the California Student Aid Commission. Check with your high school for more details.
After submitting your FAFSA or CADAA, Cal State L.A. will notify you by email of possible financial resources available to you for the upcoming school year. As a new incoming freshman, please make sure that the Admissions Office at Cal State L.A. has all of your academic transcripts on file, accurate residency information, and that you are officially admitted to the university. Taking this precaution will aid in eliminating obstacles that may slow down the financial aid process.
Transfer Student
Financial aid awards cannot be transferred from one school to another. You must renew your Financial Aid Application every year. Remember to add Cal State LA to your Financial Aid Application when you renew. Our federal school code is 001140. After submitting your FAFSA or CADAA, Cal State L.A. will notify you by email of possible financial resources available to you for the upcoming school year.
You may only receive a Federal Pell Grant from only one school at a time. If you transfer in the middle of an academic year, you may be eligible for the remaining balance of your Pell eligibility. For Cal Grant Programs, contact the California Student Aid Commission at (888) 224-7268. Inform Cal Grant of a change of school with a G-10 form. You must reapply for all other financial aid, including student loans, at your new school.
Graduate Student
Many Cal State L.A. students receive their undergraduate degrees mid-way through the academic year at the end of the Fall Semester and will continue their enrollment. These students must inform the financial aid office of their new academic status and have their new enrollment program updated in GET by the Registrar's Office. Certain financial aid programs are only available to undergraduate students. If these awards are disbursed inadvertently to a student after their bachelor's degree is posted in GET, the student will be billed upon our reversal.
If the student is admitted into a master’s, credential, or second bachelor’s degree program, financial aid will be adjusted to reflect the appropriate award for the new post-degree program. Financial Aid is not available for students who are not enrolled in a degree or credential program, such as Continuing (Extended) Education students.
Financial Aid Programs for Credential Students
- Federal Pell Grant (for some credential students)
- State University Grant
- Perkins Loan
- Federal Work-Study
- Direct Loan
