Types of Aid Available
Your financial aid package may contain a combination of grants, scholarships, and loans. Grants are considered "gift aid," free money that does not need to be repaid. Below is a listing of the federal, state, and institutional grants for which you may qualify. Please be aware that grants or fee waiver are tuition specific and only one can be used. You cannot use more than one source if the waiver or grant is tuition specific. For example, you can use either Cal Grant or VA Benefits or CSU Fee Waiver.
Federal Pell Grant Program
Pell Grants are federally funded, need-based aid available to students pursuing their first undergraduate degree. Pell Grants are awarded assuming full-time enrollment. The Pell Grant is only available up to six years (or 600%) based on enrollment. The award may be adjusted according to actual enrollment.
2023–24 Award Year
The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2023–24 award year
2024–25 Award Year
The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2024–25 award year
Beginning with 2024-2025, the Pell Grant disbursement amounts will now be calculated using Enrollment Intensity - which is a percentage value based on the number of credits a student is enrolled for during a term.
The amount you get, though, will depend on
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your Student Aid Index (2024-25 FAFSA form),
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the cost of attendance,
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your status as a full-time or less than full-time, and
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your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.
A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances.
Here are some examples of why you might have to repay all or part of a federal grant:
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You withdrew early from the program for which the grant was given to you.
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Your enrollment status changed in a way that reduced your eligibility for your grant (for instance, if you switch from full-time enrollment to part-time, your grant amount will be reduced).
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You received Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is awarded to undergraduate students who have exceptional financial need and who have not earned a bachelor’s degree to help pay for their education.
Priority is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients with the greatest need and those who have completed their FAFSA by the California priority deadline. These funds are awarded directly by Cal Maritime and limited to the total amount allocated to the university by the U.S. Department of Education.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must submit a FAFSA application (CADAA applicants are ineligible) no later than the priority deadline.
- Must be Pell Grant eligibe.
- Priority will be given to students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) of -$1,500. Students with higher SAI will be awarded on a sliding scale based on availability of funds.
- Grant will be awarded during fall and spring semester primarily. Summer awards will be made based on funds available and as long as a student has not received the maximum annual amount of $700 already during fall/spr semesters.
Federal SEOG Grant Amount
At Cal Maritime, students will be awarded $700 for the 2024/2025 academic year or $350 per semester. Federal Pell Grant recipients receive priority.
- Full Award for the Academic Year = $700.00
- Semester award amount = $350
Assuming a student meets all other applicable eligibility requirements, he or she may receive FSEOG funds at any enrollment status. There is no minimum required enrollment level.
Cal Grant A
Provides need-based grant assistance to low- and middle-income California resident
students to offset tuition fee costs for high school graduates with at least a 3.0
grade point average (GPA). Recipients must also meet financial requirements. Students
must file the FAFSA or CADAA by May 2, 2024 and the Cal Grant GPA verification form by March 2, 2024.
For 2024-2025, the estimated maximum Cal Grant A award for California State University
students is $6,084 for undergraduates. These awards are limited to the total amount
of the CSU State Tuition Fee for full-time students.
The Cal Grant A is only available up to four years. The Cal Grant program is administered
by the California Student Aid Commission. Visit www.csac.ca.gov for more information.
Cal Grant B
Provides need-based grant assistance to high-potential California resident students
from low-income, disadvantaged families to help offset tuition fees and other costs
for high school graduates with at least a 2.0 grade point average. Recipients must
also meet financial requirements. Students must file the FAFSA or CADAA by May 2, 2024 and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form by March 2, 2024.
For 2024-2025, the maximum access grant is $1,648 and the tuition fee awards are the
same as Cal Grant A ($6,084) for student enrolling at CSU campuses.
The Cal Grant B is only available up to four years. The Cal Grant program is administered
by the California Student Aid Commission. Visit www.csac.ca.gov for more information.
State University Grants (SUG)
Provides need-based awards to cover a portion of the California State University Tuition Fee for eligible undergraduate students who are California residents or are otherwise determined as eligible. System-wide, the priority is to award a SUG at least equal to the amount of the State Tuition Fee of $6,084 to eligible, first-time undergraduate students.
In order for students to be eligible for SUG awards, they must meet the following:
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Students must be enrolled at least half-time
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Students must not have accumulated more than 125% units earned in their CSU undergraduate careers
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Students pursuing a second bachelor's degree are not SUG eligible (the CSU will only fund the first degree)
Middle Class Scholarships 2.0
The Middle Class Scholarship 2.0 is a grant to help undergraduate California resident students with family incomes up to $226,000 and family assets up to $226,000. Students must file the FAFSA or CADAA by May 2, 2024. The Middle Class Scholarship 2.0 program is administered by the California Student Aid Commission. Visit www.csac.ca.gov for more information.
Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship
Effective with the 2024-25 award year, as part of the FAFSA Simplification Act, the Special Rule for Pell Grants replaces the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) and the Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Scholarship with new or modified eligibility criteria for a student who is less than 33 years old as of the first January 1 of the FAFSA award year and whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while:
- Serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001 (i.e., IASG); or
- Actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer (i.e., CFH).
Instead of an IASG or a CFH award, eligible students will receive a maximum Pell Grant
regardless of their SAI (adjusted for enrollment intensity as needed).
CSU Mandatory Fee Waivers
Established by the California Legislature and required by Education Code, CSU campuses must honor these waivers for qualifying students.
Please visit the Chancellor's website for information on these programs.
Students who receive a tuition-specific grant or fee waiver may not use multiple grants/fee waivers that are tuition-specific.
Download the eligibility matrix, broken down by degree
The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS)
CalKIDS gives money for college or career training to eligible students in California. There are two eligible groups:
- Low-income* public school students enrolled in grades 1-12 during 2021-2022 academic year
- Low-income* public school students enrolled in the 1st grade during 2022-2023 academic year and every year thereafter
Award Amounts:
- $500 for low-income public school students
- $500 more for foster youth
- $500 more for homeless youth
To be eligible, your child must have been enrolled on Fall Census Day** and must also be identified as English Learner or low-income by the Local Control funding Formula. And, that information must be reported to the California Department of Education.
*Eligibility determined by Local Control funding Formula
**Fall Census Day is the first Wednesday in October of the academic year