SB 940: Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program: foster youth.

Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A and B Entitlement awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B awards, the Cal Grant C awards, and the Cal Grant T awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for awards under these programs for participating students attending qualifying institutions. Existing law provides that any California resident is entitled to a Cal Grant A B Entitlement award, and requires the commission or a qualifying institution, as provided, to allocate that award, if certain criteria are met, including that the student submit a complete financial aid application, submitted or postmarked no later than March 2 of the academic year of high school graduation or its equivalent for the award year immediately following the academic year of high school graduation or its equivalent, or no later than March 2 of the academic year following high school graduation or its equivalent for the 2nd award year following the year of high school graduation or its equivalent. Existing law provides that any California resident is entitled to a Cal Grant B Entitlement award, and requires the commission to allocate that award, if certain criteria are met, including that the student submit a complete financial aid application in accordance with those same deadlines.

This bill would provide alternative deadlines for submitting a complete financial aid application for a student who is a current or former foster youth, who is attending a qualifying institution that offers baccalaureate degrees or is attending a California community college, and has not yet reached 26 years of age as of July 1 of the initial award year.

Existing law authorizes the renewal of Cal Grant A awards and Cal Grant B awards for a total of the equivalent of 4 years of full-time attendance in an undergraduate program, provided that minimum financial need, as defined, continues to exist, subject to certain exceptions.

This bill would authorize the renewal of Cal Grant A awards and Cal Grant B awards, for a current or former foster youth, for a total of the equivalent of 8 years of full-time attendance in an undergraduate program, provided that minimum financial need continues to exist.