Things to Know

If you’ve borrowed federal student loans, repayment rules will change beginning July 1, 2026, under federal law. These changes may affect available repayment plans and loan terms.

Before you graduate, we recommend that you:

• Log in to StudentAid.gov to review your loan balance
• Complete your Loan Exit Counseling
• Explore repayment plan options and estimate your monthly payment
• Plan how repayment fits into your post-graduation budget

For more information, visit the CSU Federal Student Aid Updates page:
https://www.calstate.edu/apply/paying-for-college/financial-aid/Pages/federal-student-aid-updates.aspx

Starting with the 2026–2027 academic year, federal regulations require Direct Loans to be adjusted based on a student’s unit load. Students enrolled less than full-time may receive a reduced loan amount. Half-time enrollment is still required for loan eligibility. 

Enrollment is reviewed at the time of each disbursement. If you change your enrollment, your loan eligibility may also change.

For more information about how your enrollment can affect your loan eligibility, please visit the Enrollment page on our site.

If you or your family’s financial situation has changed significantly from what is reflected on your federal income tax return (for example, if you’ve lost a job or otherwise experienced a drop in income), you may be eligible to have your financial aid adjusted. After completing the FAFSA questions as instructed on the application (including the transfer of tax return and income information), contact the Financial Aid Office at Sonoma State. Additional information can be found on the Special Circumstances Appeal page.

The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) is a state-funded grant program administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Students selected to receive an MCS award will be notified directly by CSAC via email in late August.

Sonoma State University will add MCS awards to eligible students’ financial aid packages in mid to late September, and students will receive a revised award notification once the update is made. MCS awards will disburse in October, after the semester census date.

Award amounts may be reduced if a student is not enrolled full-time or becomes eligible for additional federal, state, institutional, or external aid after the initial award is made.

If adjustments are required due to exceeding a student’s financial need or cost of attendance, loans will be reduced first, with grants and scholarships adjusted only if necessary.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CA Dream Act Application (CADAA) are now open. To receive the maximum aid, be sure to apply by the priority deadline of March 2, 2026.

Filing the FAFSA is FREE. There are companies that may solicit payment from you to file the FAFSA on your behalf, but in most cases this is a waste of your money. If you are asked to give a credit card number or make any kind of payment to complete or file the FAFSA, beware. More information on filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid can be found in the How to Apply section of our website.

WebGrants4Students is your portal for Cal Grant, Chafee and Middle Class Scholarship awards. The California Student Aid Commission contacts students via email so it is critical that you keep this information current on your WGS account. California residents and AB540 students are potentially eligible for these programs.