Cal Grant A and B eligibility requirements

Eligibility (Cal Grant A)

• Minimum 3.00 GPA (high school) or 2.40 GPA (community college / college transfer).
• Household income and assets must fall within the income and asset ceilings for the student's family size, published annually by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) and changing year to year.
• Must be working toward a first undergraduate degree or certificate.

Eligibility (Cal Grant B)

• Minimum 2.00 GPA (high school), 2.0 GPA (community college / college for Entitlement and Competitive awards), or 2.40 GPA (community college Transfer Entitlement award).
• Same income/asset ceiling requirement as Cal Grant A, evaluated against the student's family size.

General requirements (both)

• Must be a California resident attending a Cal Grant-eligible institution.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, eligible non-citizen, or meet the AB540 non-resident tuition exception.
• Must have a verified GPA or qualifying test score (SAT, ACT, GED, TASC, or HiSet) on file with CSAC.
• GPA verification must reach CSAC by March 2, 2026 (or the extended September 2, 2026 deadline for community college students).

Award

Cal Grant A covers tuition/fees at UC, CSU, or eligible private institutions. Cal Grant B provides a living-expense award in the first year plus tuition/fee coverage in later years.