California Scholarship Scheme: Who is eligible for up to $3,000 in additional education funding?

From next year, more Californian students will be able to access cheaper tertiary education thanks to the expanded Middle Class Scholarship program. The program was created last year to bridge the gap between the lower-income students who qualify for significant financial aid and the higher-income students who have the resources to pay for their education.

An additional $227 million will be allocated to make the budget $859 million; 360,000 students will benefit from $1,000 to $3,000 to fund their studies.

Data from CalMatters reveals that in the 2019-20 academic year, the average amount borrowed by students who graduated from the UC and CSU systems and obtained federal loans was around $15,000. Students from community colleges are not eligible.

The Middle Class Scholarship program is administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). It provides scholarships to undergraduate students attending eligible public and private colleges and universities in California.

Qualifying for the Middle Class Scholarship

To be eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship, students must meet certain criteria. These criteria may include being a California resident or meeting AB 540 criteria, maintaining satisfactory academic progress, not exceeding certain income and asset ceilings, and being enrolled at least half-time in an eligible institution.

The scholarship amount varies depending on the student’s family income and the availability of funds.

The program aims to cover a percentage of the student’s tuition and fees, with the percentage decreasing as family income increases. The scholarship is typically applied directly to the student’s account at their college or university.