California Financial Aid for 2027-28: FAFSA, CADAA and Cal Grant

Picture a kitchen table in late February. A high school senior has a laptop open, a parent is hunting for a tax return, and someone has just noticed that the date on the school newsletter is days away. Nobody at that table is careless. They simply did not know that the most important date of senior year has little to do with college admission letters and a great deal to do with whether the family can pay for the college that says yes.

This guide is written so that table never has to feel that panic. The application cycle for the 2027-28 school year is already open. The form that unlocks federal aid went live weeks ago, and California's main state deadline is March 2, 2027. We wrote this for parents, students, counselors and the officers of local education associations who are often the first people a family asks. Everything below comes from official sources we opened, and we say plainly where a figure belongs to the current year instead of the next one.

One note before we begin. This article is general information and not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and amounts change, and your college financial aid office and the California Student Aid Commission have the final word on any individual case.

The short version

• The 2027-28 FAFSA has been open to the public since September 23, 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
• Families complete one application, not two. Most use the FAFSA. Undocumented students and certain other students use the California Dream Act Application, known as the CADAA.
• March 2, 2027 is the priority deadline for state aid. For Cal Grant, a school-certified GPA is also due by that date.
• California Community College students have a later Cal Grant date of September 2, 2027, but waiting has costs we explain below.
• Individual colleges can set earlier deadlines, so check every school on the list.
• There is no separate Cal Grant application. The FAFSA or CADAA plus a verified GPA is what puts a student in consideration.

What changed this year

The biggest change is the calendar. The U.S. Department of Education announced on September 23, 2026 that the 2027-28 form was online and available to the public, which it described as the earliest launch in the history of the program. Federal law requires the launch by October 1, so families had about a week more than the legal minimum. Before that public launch, Federal Student Aid ran two rounds of beta testing. The first round, in August, included community partners in California.

If you have seen an older flyer that says the FAFSA opens on October 1, it is not wrong about the legal deadline, but the form is available now. The paper version of the form still tells applicants to submit no earlier than October 1, 2026, and that date has also passed. Either way, a family can file today.

The Department also listed several changes to the experience of filling out the form:

• Questions and instructions were rewritten in clearer language.
• Students can invite a contributor, such as a parent, by text message as well as by email.
• Later this fall, returning students should see answers filled in from their previous FAFSA, which should make renewal faster.
• Most students can see a confirmed Student Aid Index and Pell Grant eligibility almost immediately.
• Parents with more than one child applying can reuse their information across applications.
• An earnings indicator shows whether graduates of a college a student is considering have lower earnings than a high school graduate.

The Department says the form can take as little as 15 minutes. Treat that as a best case. A first time family gathering records, setting up two accounts and inviting a contributor should plan for a longer sitting, and should not start the night before a deadline.

FAFSA or CADAA: choosing the right application

The California Student Aid Commission, or CSAC, is the state agency that runs California's financial aid programs. Its guidance is clear on the first point: there are two applications and a student needs to complete only one. The student must complete an application again for each year in college.

Who uses the FAFSA

The FAFSA is run by the U.S. Department of Education and opens the door to federal, state and institutional aid. CSAC lists the eligible groups as U.S. citizens, permanent residents, T visa holders and other eligible noncitizens. Federal aid, such as the Pell Grant and Federal Work Study, is available only to FAFSA applicants.

Who uses the CADAA

The California Dream Act Application is the state's own application, run by CSAC. It is for undocumented students, students with a U visa or Temporary Protected Status, and students who meet the requirements of the California nonresident tuition exemption, often called AB 540. The federal form itself directs noncitizens without a Social Security card, or with one issued through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, to the California Dream Act Application. CADAA applicants can be considered for state and institutional aid, including Cal Grant, the Middle Class Scholarship and the California College Promise Grant.

Mixed status families

A student can be a citizen while a parent does not have a Social Security number. CSAC has published guidance for these mixed status families, and has allowed FAFSA eligible students to use the CADAA when a contributor without a Social Security number faces problems that cannot be resolved on the FAFSA. The language on the CSAC page we opened refers to an earlier application year, so we cannot tell you it applies unchanged to 2027-28. If this describes your family, call CSAC at (888) 224-7268 before you choose. The agency says it can help with this decision, and it is a decision worth making with accurate advice.

For counselors and association volunteers, the practical point is privacy. Do not ask a family to explain its immigration status in a hallway or a crowded workshop. Offer both applications as normal options, and offer a private conversation or the CSAC phone line to anyone who is unsure. California law, covered below, also addresses how this information is handled.

The dates that matter for 2027-28

Here is the calendar as we could confirm it from official sources on October 30, 2026.

• September 23, 2026: the 2027-28 FAFSA opened to the public.
• March 2, 2027: California priority deadline for state aid through the FAFSA or CADAA. The federal form also says Cal Grant requires a school-certified GPA by this date.
• September 2, 2027: deadline for additional community college Cal Grants, and the date CSAC lists for California Community College students.
• July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028: the federal aid year covered by this application.
• June 30, 2028: the last day the federal government will receive a 2027-28 FAFSA.

That last date misleads people. A federal deadline in the summer of 2028 does not mean a family can relax until then. It marks the end of the road for federal aid in that school year, and state and college money is gone or committed long before it. The federal form says state or college aid may be first come, first served, and it warns that a college must have correct, complete information by the student's last day of enrollment in the school year.

Why the college's own date can come first

CSAC reminds students that some colleges have earlier deadlines and tells them to check the requirements of each college. The University of California admissions site lists March 2 as its deadline for the FAFSA or California Dream Act application. Private colleges may ask for additional forms or use different dates. We suggest a simple one page list: each college, its aid deadline, any extra form, and a box to tick when it is done.

A deadline we could not confirm

The Middle Class Scholarship deserves a separate check. CSAC says its deadline is typically March 2 but could change in some academic years. For the current year it listed March 2, 2026 for CADAA applicants and March 3, 2026 for FAFSA applicants, and the year before that it was April 2, 2025. When we checked, that program page had not yet posted a specific 2027-28 date. The safe plan is to file by March 2, 2027 and to watch the CSAC page for any update.

How Cal Grant works

CSAC calls Cal Grant the state's main financial aid program that does not need to be paid back. Many families assume it requires its own application. It does not. A student is considered through a timely FAFSA or CADAA, a verified GPA or test score, the type of California colleges listed on the application, and whether the student is a recent high school graduate.

Eligibility in plain terms

According to CSAC, a student must show sufficient financial need and meet income and asset ceilings. The student must also be a California resident attending an eligible institution, be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or eligible noncitizen, or meet the AB 540 exception. The student must be working toward a first undergraduate degree or certificate, must not already hold a bachelor's or professional degree, must enroll at least half time, and must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Dependents of military members have expanded eligibility around the residency requirement, and CSAC publishes a verification form for them.

Cal Grant A, B and C

Students do not apply for a particular type. CSAC places each student based on the application, GPA, need and college. It helps to know what each one does, and the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office describes them this way:

• Cal Grant A provides full tuition coverage at public universities and up to a fixed amount at private colleges and universities, for up to four years of full time study or its equivalent.
• Cal Grant B provides the same kind of tuition coverage, but generally not in a student's first year of college, for up to four years of full time study or its equivalent.
• Cal Grant C provides up to a fixed amount of tuition coverage at private career technical programs of no less than 8 weeks and no more than 2 years, for up to two calendar years.

Entitlement and competitive awards

Cal Grant awards come in two cycles. CSAC explains that students who qualify for an Entitlement Award are guaranteed one, because the number is not limited. Students who do not qualify may be considered for a Competitive Award, and those are limited in number. For a family, this means two things. Missing a date can cost a guaranteed award, and a student who is no longer a recent graduate may still be worth filing for, because a competitive path may exist.

What the money looks like

The following amounts are the 2026-27 maximums for a new full time undergraduate, as reported by the Legislative Analyst's Office in July 2026. They show the scale of the program, but 2027-28 amounts depend on future state decisions and we could not confirm them.

• Cal Grant A and B tuition award: $15,588 at UC, $6,838 at CSU, $9,358 at private nonprofit institutions.
• Cal Grant C tuition award at private institutions: $2,462.
• Cal Grant B nontuition award: $1,648 for most students.
• Cal Grant nontuition awards for students with dependent children and foster youth: $6,000 for A and B, and $4,000 for C.
• Cal Grant C nontuition award: $1,094 for most community college students and $547 for most private institution students.

Income and asset ceilings

CSAC adjusts the ceilings every year. The newest table we could open is for 2026-27, in a copy of the CSAC document hosted by Santa Ana College. Because the ceilings are adjusted annually, use these as a guide only and look for the 2027-28 table on the CSAC site. We saw a higher 2027-28 figure on a private website, but we could not confirm it from an official source, so we do not repeat it here.

• Dependent students in a family of four: $144,700 for Cal Grant A and C, and $76,100 for Cal Grant B.
• Dependent students in a family of two: $130,000 for Cal Grant A and C, and $60,700 for Cal Grant B.
• Dependent students in a family of six or more: $167,200 for Cal Grant A and C, and $91,900 for Cal Grant B.
• Single independent students with no dependents: $53,000 for all three.
• Asset ceiling: $111,900 for dependent students and $53,300 for independent students with no dependents other than a spouse.

Do not rule your family out by reading a table at home. Filing costs nothing, and it is also how a student reaches aid from colleges and other state programs.

The step that catches families: the GPA

A student can submit a perfect FAFSA on October 1 and still miss a Cal Grant because the GPA never arrived. CSAC says most high schools and colleges send the GPA automatically, then adds that confirming it is the student's own responsibility.

The process has three steps, as CSAC describes it:

• Submit the FAFSA or CADAA.
• About one week later, create a WebGrants 4 Students account and check that the GPA is listed. If it is not, contact the high school or college financial aid office.
• Beginning in February, claim the award in WebGrants 4 Students by confirming the school of attendance, and confirm high school graduation if that applies.

That one week wait is why late February filing is risky. Here is an example, not a real student. A senior files on February 27 and checks WebGrants a week later. By then March 2 has passed, and any GPA problem appears too late to fix on time. The same senior filing in November has months to solve it.

Transfer students and adults returning to school should pay particular attention, because the GPA may need to come from a college and not a high school. Ask the financial aid office early which school will report it.

Community college students

CSAC lists September 2, 2027 as the deadline for California Community College students. This is a real second chance, and it helps students who decide late. We still encourage community college students to aim for March 2, because CSAC describes that date as the way to maximize financial aid opportunities, and the federal form calls the later date one for additional community college Cal Grants.

California College Promise Grant

The California College Promise Grant waives community college enrollment fees for eligible students. The Legislative Analyst's Office describes it as full enrollment fee coverage, for unlimited years and any number of units, and lists a value of $1,380 for 2026-27. A student can qualify through the FAFSA or CADAA, or through a separate short form that the community colleges say takes about 10 minutes. The 2026-27 form lists students who have lived in California at least one year, certain students determined to be California resident homeless youth, AB 540 and AB 1899 students, and those with T or U visas. Income, household size or receipt of certain benefits such as CalWORKs, SSI and General Assistance can qualify a student, and there are special classifications such as eligible dependents of veterans.

The separate form covers fees only. The Chancellor's Office tells applicants to file the FAFSA or CADAA as well, to reach aid for books, food and rent.

Student Success Completion Grant

Community college students who receive a Cal Grant and take a fuller course load may also qualify for this nontuition grant. In 2026-27, the Legislative Analyst's Office lists up to $8,000 for students in 15 or more units, $2,596 for 12 to 14 units, and up to $10,500 for foster youth. Students with a Disabled Student Programs and Services accommodation plan can qualify at nine or more units. This is one more reason to get the Cal Grant in place, since it opens a door to this second grant.

Students planning the two year route to a university should also read our guide to community college transfer.

Other aid that flows from the same application

Middle Class Scholarship

Despite the name, CSAC describes this as a scholarship for low to middle income undergraduates, including students pursuing a teaching credential, at UC, CSU or a community college bachelor's degree program. There is no separate application. For students attending between July 2026 and June 2027, CSAC lists income and asset ceilings of up to $250,000. We could not find the 2027-28 ceiling. Award amounts vary with the cost of attendance, other aid received and the state funding available, and the Legislative Analyst's Office reports that foster youth awards cover all remaining need while awards for other students cover 23 percent of remaining need. CSAC says selected students are notified by mid to late August, so this money may be settled after a family has made its college choice.

University of California tuition coverage

The UC admissions site says that if your family earns up to $100,000, you could receive enough aid to cover UC tuition. It also lists a Tuition Stability Plan, under which tuition should stay the same for up to six years. Older articles quote a lower income figure, so rely on the current UC page and each campus financial aid office.

California State University

The Legislative Analyst's Office reports that the CSU State University Grant has historically provided full tuition coverage for certain students with financial need who do not receive Cal Grant tuition coverage, and that since 2025-26 CSU policy allows it to cover nontuition costs for students with the greatest need. We could not open a CSU page confirming a 2027-28 priority date, so check with each campus directly.

Dreamer Service Incentive Grant

CADAA filers who are eligible for a Cal Grant B and attend a public or private nonprofit institution may earn this grant by performing at least 150 hours of community service per semester, or 100 hours per quarter. The Legislative Analyst's Office lists $4,500 for 2026-27.

Foster youth

Several of these programs treat foster youth more generously, as the figures above show. The Chafee Grant for foster youth is listed at $5,000 for 2026-27. Current and former foster youth should raise this directly with a financial aid office, since a few minutes there could change the entire budget.

What local education associations and schools should know

California treats financial aid completion as a school responsibility, not only a family one. Under Education Code section 51225.7, which came from AB 469, the governing body of a school district, county office of education or charter school must confirm, beginning in 2022-23, that each high school senior either completes the FAFSA or, if exempt from nonresident tuition, submits the California Dream Act form. The FindLaw text we opened is current as of January 1, 2026, and it says it may not reflect the latest version, so district staff should confirm it with the Legislature's site or their counsel.

The details of that law are useful for anyone helping families:

• A parent or guardian, or the student if 18 or older or emancipated, may opt out for any reason by submitting an opt-out form.
• A local agency that determines a student cannot complete the requirement must exempt the student, after explaining the benefits of the forms, the consequences of not completing them, and the option to apply after opting out.
• A student who does not meet the requirement may not be penalized, and the law cannot affect graduation.
• Information shared by families is handled under FERPA and applicable state law, regardless of immigration status.
• Schools must direct students and families to support, such as Student Aid Commission programs, immigration resource centers, college readiness organizations and legal resource organizations.
• Beginning in 2025-26, schools must also give students and families information about the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program.

Does it work? WestEd reported in 2024 that 8 percent more California seniors completed an application by the March 2 deadline in 2023 than in 2022, while noting that the long term impact was still unclear. That is encouraging, and it also leaves room for the personal outreach that a trusted association member can provide.

Practical ways an association can help

• Publish the March 2 date in every newsletter between now and February, along with the WebGrants reminder.
• Host a filing night in November or January, not the last week of February. CSAC offers free Cash for College workshops, both online and in person, and these can be a good partner or referral.
• Tell families to bring a laptop or phone, tax records and the login details for their accounts.
• Share the CSAC student support line, (888) 224-7268, in English and Spanish materials.
• Ask your school's counselor when GPAs are sent to CSAC, and share the answer with parents.
• Offer private help, and never collect or store a family's passwords, Social Security numbers or tax documents. Each person should enter their own login.

Associations do valuable work when they help families get information. They should stop short of giving tax or legal advice, and should refer those questions to a financial aid office, a qualified professional or a legal resource organization.

What to gather before you sit down

Exact requirements vary by family, and the application will guide you. A sensible folder includes the following:

• The student's and contributor's Social Security numbers, if they have them.
• 2025 federal tax information for the student and any contributor, as the 2027-28 FAFSA asks about that tax year.
• Records of savings, investments and other assets.
• A StudentAid.gov account for the student and each contributor who files the FAFSA.
• The list of colleges the student is considering, including at least one California college, so that the state is able to consider the student.
• An email address the student checks, since CSAC warns that requests for documents and notices arrive by email and can land in spam.

After filing, CSAC says to check for a confirmation and summary by email. If there are no issues, an application should be processed within a week. Students can return to make corrections or add more schools.

Common mistakes we want families to avoid

• Assuming a high income disqualifies the student. Aid programs have different limits, and a college can use the application for its own aid.
• Assuming a student who is undocumented has no options. State and institutional aid exists through the CADAA.
• Filing both applications without guidance. CSAC says a student needs only one.
• Treating submission as the finish line. Check WebGrants 4 Students, watch for document requests, and claim the award.
• Forgetting to renew. A new application is needed for each year in college.
• Paying someone to file. Applying through fafsa.gov costs nothing, and free help is available through CSAC workshops.
• Relying on an old flyer. Check the application year printed on any handout.

Where the Foundation fits

The William H. Douglas Foundation works with students and families on the road to college, and financial aid is part of that road. If you would like to see what we offer, start with our programs or read about the Foundation. Families who want a clear starting point can learn about our assessment. You can also search our list of scholarships, since private awards can help fill the gap that state and federal aid leaves.

Paying for college and choosing one go together. A visit can show a student what a campus is like before the family compares the aid offers, and we explain why in our article on campus visits. Readers who want to support this work can give to the Foundation.

What to do this week

• Decide which application fits: FAFSA or CADAA. If you are unsure, call CSAC at (888) 224-7268.
• Create the accounts you need, and gather your 2025 tax information.
• Write March 2, 2027 on the family calendar, and set a personal goal well before it.
• List each college and its aid deadline.
• Ask the school counselor how and when GPAs are sent to CSAC.
• Set a reminder to open WebGrants 4 Students one week after you submit.
• If you lead an association, put a filing night on the calendar and tell your families today.

The kitchen table can look very different this year. With the form already open, a family that starts now has months to ask questions, fix problems and compare real offers. That is a calm way to begin the most expensive decision many households will make, and we are glad to walk alongside you.