Sonoma State University

Apply for New Cal Grant

Applying for a new Cal Grant A or B is a two-part process. First, you must complete and submit the FAFSA or California Dream Application starting October 1 and no later than the postmark deadline of March 2, 2025. Second, you must also submit a verified GPA to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by the March 2, 2025 deadline. You can submit your verified GPA before you complete your FAFSA or California Dream Application, beginning in October. For information on GPA reporting, please visit CSAC's website.

GPA Reporting to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) for the 2025-2026 Competition

Electronic GPA Verification

Your GPA will be electronically reported to the California Student Aid Commission by March 2, 2025 if ALL the following are true:

  • You are enrolled for Spring 2025 as an undergraduate student at SSU
  • You are in good academic standing (including Academic Probation)
  • You have at least 24 semester units of college work completed by the end of Fall 2024 (including SSU coursework and transfer credit that has been posted to your SSU academic record —this does not include units awarded for test credit such as Advanced Placement exams)
  • You attended SSU for at least one of these terms: Fall 2023, Spring 2024, or Fall 2024
  • SSU has received the results of your 2024-25 or 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Application. You must also file the 2025-26 FAFSA or California Dream Application by March 2, 2025 to be considered for a new Cal Grant!

Manual GPA Verification

If your GPA will not be electronically reported for one of the reasons listed above, you may submit a paper Cal Grant GPA Verification Form to the SSU Financial Aid Counter on the first floor of Salazar Hall as long as you have at least 24 semester units of college work completed by the end of Fall 2024 (including SSU coursework and transfer credit that has been posted to your SSU academic record, and excluding units awarded for test credit). The deadline to submit the form to the SSU Seawolf Service Center Counter is 4:30 pm on Friday, February 24, 2025. Cal Grant GPA Verification forms can be downloaded from CSAC's website.

Remember! Applying for a New Cal Grant Takes 2 Forms!

FAFSA or California Dream Application + verified GPA = complete Cal Grant application. You must file the 2025-26 FAFSA or California Dream Application by March 2, 2025 to be considered for a new Cal Grant.

If You Don’t Have 24 or More Semester (excluding test credit) Units of College Work Completed and Posted to Your SSU Academic Record:

Students who are freshmen during the 2024-25 academic year must contact their high school to have their high school GPA reported to CSAC. Units awarded for test credit, such as Advanced Placement exams, do not count as college work completed for the purpose of the Cal Grant GPA Verification process because those units do not have an associated grade point average. Students who attain sophomore standing after Fall semester because of units from test credit must still contact their high school to have their high school GPA reported to CSAC.

Other students who do not have 24 or more semester units of college work completed at SSU or whose transfer credit has not yet been evaluated and posted to their SSU academic record must either:

  • Contact their high school to have their high school GPA reported to CSAC, even if they graduated from high school long ago and even if their high school is not located in California, OR
  • Contact their previous college or university to have that institution report their college GPA (this GPA still has to include at least 24 semester units or 36 quarter units), OR
  • Refer to the CSAC's website for instructions on submitting test results in lieu of a GPA.