Lana Oconnell
California students have a variety of options to pay for college, including financial aid, grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. The state offers several grant programs, such as the Cal Grant program, which provides assistance to residents attending universities, state universities, community colleges, or eligible independent colleges. Additionally, California has launched two initiatives, Hire UP and College Corps, that pay students to attend college. The state also offers a 529 college savings plan called ScholarShare 529, where parents and family members can invest money on behalf of a child. Furthermore, students may receive financial aid packages, scholarships, or participate in work-study programs to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and living expenses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Two California programs that pay students to attend college | Hire UP and College Corps |
| Stipend for low-income undergraduates | $10,000 |
| Colleges that have started paying students | Santa Rosa Junior College, Solano Community College District, Rio Hondo College |
| Student loan repayment assistance | ScholarShare 529, CalKIDS |
| Western Undergraduate Exchange | Eligible California residents pay no more than 150% of the college's in-state tuition rate |
| Western Regional Graduate Program | Students pay no more than 150% of the in-state tuition rate |
| Professional Student Exchange Program | Students save between $35,700 and $139,800 |
| Cal Grant program | Assistance with tuition and fees, additional award for living expenses |
| Cal Grant Transfer Entitlement | Students transferring from a California community college to a four-year school |
| Cal Grant Competitive Awards | Based on GPA, parent's education level, family income, and household size |
| Cal Grant Foster Youth | Current or former foster youth qualify until their 26th birthday |
| Cal Grant C Award | Students receive up to $2,462 for tuition and fees and up to $547 for tools, books, and supplies |
| Average cost of attending Santa Rosa Junior College | $20,000 to $30,000 a year |
| Tuition in the Community College system | $46 per unit |
| Tuition at CSU for California residents | $5,742 per year |
| Tuition at UC for in-state undergraduates | $12,630 |
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What You'll Learn
California's Hire UP and College Corps programs
California has two programs that pay students to attend college: Hire UP and College Corps.
Hire UP
Hire UP is an experimental workforce development and guaranteed income program funded by AB 183, an appropriation bill that the California Assembly passed in 2022. The program aims to address "historic racial inequity and socioeconomic barriers to workforce participation" by boosting persistence and graduation rates. The legislation will distribute $30 million among ten community colleges across the state over the next five years. This allocation funds periodic cash payments to active degree candidates enrolled at least half-time. Students enrolled in Hire UP will earn California's minimum wage of $16 per hour in proportion to their credit-hour course loads.
College Corps
The College Corps program offers $10,000 per school year in exchange for service by students to help them pursue a debt-free education. College Corps fellows receive a $10,000 annual stipend in exchange for completing 450 hours of community service work. Fellows work in three sectors that policymakers consider critical to the growth of California's economy: K-12 education, food systems, and climate management. Many fellows tutor K-12 students to help them recover from pandemic learning interruptions. Another group works in food distribution centers to fight food insecurity, and the third group works to enhance fire resiliency. Unlike Hire UP, which requires U.S. citizenship, the College Corps does not.
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Student loan repayment assistance and 529 college savings plans
California has introduced two new programs, Hire UP and College Corps, that pay students to attend college. The College Corps program offers a $10,000 stipend to low-income undergraduates who have received Pell Grant funding. Recipients of the stipend work in sectors that are considered critical to the growth of California's economy, such as K-12 education, food systems, and climate management. The Hire UP program, on the other hand, provides funding to ten community college districts in California, with priority given to formerly incarcerated students, foster youth, and CalWorks students.
In addition to these programs, California offers the ScholarShare 529 college savings plan. This plan is an investment account that provides tax advantages for qualified higher education expenses. The ScholarShare 529 plan has been helping California families save for college for over 25 years and currently manages over $17.7 billion in assets for more than 467,000 accounts. The plan allows for investment options that fit the needs and goals of the account holder. Friends and family can also contribute to the child's education through this plan.
California also has the State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), which aims to increase the number of primary care physicians, dentists, mental/behavioral health providers, and other healthcare professionals practicing in federally designated California Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). The SLRP provides financial support to eligible individuals to help them repay their student loans. The program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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Western Undergraduate Exchange and other exchange programs
The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a tuition savings program that helps students in the Western US reduce the cost of college. It was established in 1987 to make college more accessible and affordable for students in the West. The WUE is a regional tuition-reciprocity agreement administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).
Through the WUE, eligible California residents can enrol as non-residents in 170 participating public colleges and universities and pay no more than 150% of the institution's resident tuition rate. This saves students an average of $10,895 per student, with total savings of up to $12,517 each on the cost of non-resident tuition. The WUE Tuition Savings Finder is available online to see how much you can save at each college.
The WUE program is not a scholarship, but a tuition savings program. It is available to students from 15 or 16 WICHE-region states or territories who want to attend college in another Western state or territory. The WUE program began in 1987, and all WICHE states have now signed the agreement.
In addition to the WUE, there are other exchange programs that offer tuition savings for California students. The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) allows graduate students to pursue master's or doctoral degrees at partner universities and pay no more than 150% of the in-state tuition rate. The Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP) is for students pursuing careers in specific healthcare fields, allowing them to attend partner schools at a lower rate and saving them between $35,700 and $139,800 throughout their programs.
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Cal Grant program and other grants
California has several grant programs to help students pay for college. One of the most prominent is the Cal Grant program, which offers financial aid that does not need to be repaid. The Cal Grant program has three types of grants: A, B, and C. Eligibility for these grants is determined by the student's FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application responses, their verified Cal Grant GPA, the type of California colleges they list on their application, and whether they are a recent high school graduate.
There are several awards within the Cal Grant program, and students don’t need to apply for each individually. The state determines eligibility for each award based on the student's FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, household income, the schools they list on their application, and whether they are a recent high school graduate. Here are some of the awards available under the Cal Grant program:
- Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award: This award is for low- to middle-income students attending a California community college. Low-income students may also qualify for an additional award to cover living expenses.
- Cal Grant High School Entitlement Award: This award is for low- to middle-income high school seniors and recent high school graduates. It can be used for enrollment at two- or four-year schools, and low-income students may qualify for an additional award for living expenses.
- Cal Grant Transfer Entitlement Award: This award is for students who intend to transfer from a California community college to a four-year school. Low-income students may be eligible for an additional award to cover living expenses.
- Cal Grant Competitive Award: This award is for students who do not receive an entitlement grant. It is based on the student's GPA, parent's education level, family income, and household size. Only 13,000 awards are issued per academic year.
- Cal Grant Foster Youth Award: Current or former foster youth can qualify for this award until their 26th birthday. It can help pay for up to eight years of undergraduate education.
- Cal Grant C Award: Students who plan to attend technical or vocational schools can receive up to $2,462 for tuition and fees and up to $547 for tools, books, and supplies. Current or former foster youth may qualify for up to $5,000 through the California Chafee Grant for Foster Youth program.
In addition to the Cal Grant program, California offers other grants and programs to help students pay for college. For example, the state has a 529 college savings plan called ScholarShare 529, which allows parents and family members to invest money on behalf of a child. There is also the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which allows eligible California residents to pay no more than 150% of the college's in-state tuition rate, resulting in average savings of $10,895 per student. Additionally, California has recently launched two programs, Hire UP and College Corps, that pay students to attend college. College Corps provides a $10,000 stipend to low-income undergraduates who work in sectors critical to California's economy, such as K-12 education, food systems, and climate management.
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Scholarships, financial aid, and tuition fees
California has a range of scholarships, financial aid, and tuition fee options to help students pay for college. Firstly, the state offers the Cal Grant program, which provides financial assistance to qualifying residents attending universities, state universities, community colleges, or eligible independent colleges and technical schools. The Cal Grant includes various awards, such as the Community College Entitlement for low- to middle-income students, the High School Entitlement for high school seniors and recent graduates, and the Transfer Entitlement for students transferring from community colleges to four-year schools. Additionally, the Cal Grant Competitive Awards are given based on academic merit and financial need, while the Cal Grant Foster Youth assists current and former foster youth with undergraduate education expenses.
Another notable program is the College Corps, which provides a $10,000 stipend to low-income undergraduates who work in critical sectors like K-12 education, food systems, and climate management. Similarly, the Hire UP program offers financial support to students, including formerly incarcerated individuals, at select community colleges. California also has the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which allows eligible residents to pay reduced tuition rates at partner universities.
In terms of financial aid, California offers the State University Grant, which covers tuition fees for resident undergraduates and graduates, including undocumented students and those under AB540. Federal aid, such as Pell Grants, can then be used to cover additional costs. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application is used to determine eligibility for financial aid and certain tuition fee waivers.
To save for future education expenses, California has the ScholarShare 529 plan, where parents and family members can invest money with tax benefits. The state also introduced the CalKIDS program, which provides a seed deposit for children born on or after July 1, 2022, or those attending eligible low-income public schools, to support their future education.
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Frequently asked questions
California students can pay for college through a variety of financial aid programs, scholarships, grants, and student loans.
Some financial aid programs in California include the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP), and the six major grant programs available to college students, including the Cal Grant program.
The Cal Grant program provides financial assistance to qualifying residents attending the Universities of California, California State Universities, California Community Colleges, or eligible independent colleges or technical schools. There are several awards within the Cal Grant program, including the Cal Grant Community College Entitlement, Cal Grant High School Entitlement, Cal Grant Transfer Entitlement, Cal Grant Competitive Awards, Cal Grant Foster Youth, and Cal Grant C Award.
California has two new programs that pay students to attend college: Hire UP and College Corps. The College Corps program provides a $10,000 stipend to low-income undergraduates who work in critical sectors such as K-12 education, food systems, and climate management.
Yes, California has a 529 college savings plan called ScholarShare 529, which allows parents and family members to invest money on behalf of a child. Withdrawals for qualifying education expenses are tax-free.
