Grants

Generally, grants are either from the U.S. Department of Education (federal) or from the State of California (state). Students who are not residents of California should check with the higher education agency in their home state for information on grant eligibility.

Federal

Pell Grant

Awarded to eligible undergraduate students who are working on their first BA or BS. Eligibility for receiving the Pell Grant is limited to the equivalent of six years of full-time attendance.

Pell Grant awards vary depending on the Student Aid Index (SAI). The Pell Grant is prorated when a student is enrolled less than full-time.

Credential students must be enrolled in at least six units and not concurrently admitted to a master's degree program or enrolled in the Special Education Credential program* to receive a Pell.  For credential students, only courses required as part of the initial credential program will count toward the enrollment status in determining the amount of the Pell Grant each semester.  The School of Education determines which courses are required for each initial credential program.  This determination is made after the add/drop period each semester.  Therefore, disbursement of the Pell Grant to credential students is delayed until approximately four weeks after the first day of classes.

* Per federal regulations, a stand-alone credential program is not eligible for a Pell Grant if the institution also offers this same credential as part of a Bachelors program.  You can learn more about our Integrated Teacher Education Program in Special Education (ITEP-SE) on the College of Education, Counseling, and Ethnic Studies website.

SEOG Grant

The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded to undergraduates with exceptional financial need, who are working on their first BA or BS. These funds are limited and priority is given to students with the lowest SAI and the earliest FAFSA application dates.

State

State University Grant (SUG)

Awarded to eligible students who are California residents or have AB540 status, pay the Undergraduate, Credential Program, or Graduate/Post-baccalaureate Tuition Fee, and have an EFC of 6,000 or less. Funds are limited and priority is given to students with the earliest FAFSA application dates, although other factors can play a role in availability of funds. Students who are receiving a Cal Grant A, the fee portion of Cal Grant B, or a Cal Grant T, are not eligible for the SUG. Students enrolled in a degree or certificate program through Extended Education are not eligible for the SUG, because Extended Education course fees do not include the Tuition Fee.

Eligibility for receiving the SUG is limited by the total units completed in a student’s degree or credential program. For undergraduate students in majors that require 120 units for graduation, the maximum for completed units is 150. For master’s students in majors that require 30 units for graduation, the maximum for completed units is 38. For credential candidates, the maximum for completed units is 30. (Note: programs that exceed 120 units for the undergraduate degree and 30 for the master's degree have proportionally higher unit maximums.)

For undergraduate, initial credential, and first master's students enrolled half-time or greater, the amount of the SUG generally equals the Tuition Fee charged each semester. For undergraduate students and initial credential students, half-time or greater enrollment means 6 or more units. For master's candidates, half-time or greater enrollment means 4 or more units. For more information on mandatory registration charges, visit the Student Charges/Fees page on the Seawolf Service Center website.

Cal Grants

Cal Grants are awarded by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Eligibility for receiving the Cal Grant is limited to the equivalent of four years of full-time attendance for first-time first-year students awardees and two years of full-time attendance for transfer awardees.

Type A Fees and Type B Fees

Awarded to eligible students who are California residents or have AB540 status. Cal Grant A and B Fees recipients are not eligible for the SUG. For information on applying for a new Cal Grant, visit our Apply for a New Cal Grant page.

If a Cal Grant is included in a student's award offer, we must confirm eligibility prior to disbursement. If the student does not meet all eligibility requirements, we will remove the Cal Grant from the award and send a modified award offer notification.

The amount of the Cal Grant generally equals the Undergraduate or Credential Program Tuition Fee in effect each semester for students enrolled in 12 or more units. For undergraduate students enrolled in less than 12 units, Cal Grant amounts are prorated as follows:

Credential program Cal Grant A/B TCP awards are prorated in the same way, based on the Credential Program Tuition Fee. Prorations for Spring semester are rounded down, so your award may be slightly less.

These limits also apply to eligible undergraduates enrolled in Extended Education degree programs. For more information on mandatory registration charges, visit the Student Charges/Fees page on the Seawolf Service Center website.

The actual amount of the Cal Grant each semester will be determined by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Due to budgetary constraints, there is no guarantee that the Cal Grant will continue to equal the Tuition Fee.

Type B Access Award

Cal Grant B Access recipients may be eligible for a State University Grant during their first year when they typically only have the Access award. The Access award is a living allowance which is awarded with Cal Grant B. Recipients of Cal Grant B Access may request direct disbursement of the Access award. Contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@sonoma.edu or (707) 664-2389 to make this request. Stipend amounts are as follows:

Renewing the Cal Grant A or B

The Financial Aid Office certifies the renewal of the award. Students may receive a Cal Grant A or B award for up to four years of full-time enrollment if they receive the award as an entering freshman. In order to activate the renewal of the Cal Grant, students must file the FAFSA each year, meet CSAC's income and asset ceilings, complete their SSU financial aid file, have “unmet need” as defined by CSAC, and meet SSU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

Cal Grant TCP

Cal Grant A and B recipients who plan to enroll in a Teaching Credential Program (TCP) may be eligible to renew their Cal Grant award for an additional year. The additional year of payment is provided for students who are seeking an initial teaching credential and cannot be used for other graduate level programs.

Cal Grant T

This program is currently not being funded by the California Student Aid Commission.

Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG)

Awards up to $20,000 to students currently enrolled in a professional preparation program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and working towards earning their preliminary teaching or pupil personnel services credential.

Students must:

• Complete their program and obtain their credential within 3 years from the first distribution of GSTG funds.
• Commit to work at a priority school in California for 4 years within 8 years of completing their program.

For more information regarding this program, please visit California Student Aid Commission webpage.

Please Note: GSTG is contingent on fund availability.  Additional funding has not been approved for the 2024-2025 academic year, so, awarding will be on a first come first served basis until funding is exhausted.

Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)

Awarded to undergraduate students of the California State University with a family income threshold set by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) each award year. Visit CSAC website for listed income thresholds. Recipients must be a California resident and a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have AB540 status; not be incarcerated; not be in default on a student loan; maintain a 2.0 GPA; and meet certain income and other financial aid standards. The MCS amount will vary according to family income, funds made available by the state each year.  Students enrolled less than half-time (1-5 units) will not be eligible for MCS.

 MCS will disburse after the semester census date and awards may be reduced if students are not enrolled full-time or become eligible for additional federal, state, institutional awards or external scholarships after the initial awarding.

EOP Grant

Awarded to eligible undergraduate students who are admitted to the EOP program and have high need. Depending on grade level and housing option, awards typically range from $200 to $1,000. For more information on the EOP program, visit our Educational Opportunity Program website or call the EOP office at (707) 664-2427.

Professional Program Grant

Awarded to eligible students who are California residents, pay the Professional Program Fee, and have an EFC that does not exceed 60% of the standard cost of attendance for students in the state-supported MBA program. Funds are limited and priority is given to students with the lowest EFCs and with FAFSA application dates prior to the census date for each semester. Awards are determined on a semester-by-semester basis after the census date. Students enrolled in an MBA program through Extended Education are not eligible for the Professional Program Grant, because Extended Education course fees do not include the Professional Program Fee.