Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, High School Principals, and High School Counselors:

Student Financial Aid Deadline is March 2, 2019

The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) invite you to participate in the statewide campaign to encourage all California high school seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Filing financial aid applications is the first step toward college success and helps eligible students qualify for federal, state, and campus-based aid as well as some private scholarships. 

The Cal Grant deadline is March 2, 2019, and statewide participation is essential. Each high school, district, and county is encouraged to remind students to submit a FAFSA or CADAA before the deadline passes. Students should apply at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa for the FAFSA or at https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-dream-act for the CADAA.

Last year more than 2.7 million applications were received, with over 1 million students filing after March 2. However, the FAFSA and CADAA are open year-round to allow students to apply for various financial resources. Please help students who dream of pursuing higher education to take that first step of completing financial aid applications by reminding them of this important March 2 Cal Grant deadline.

If you have any questions or if students or their parents need any additional information, please contact the CSAC toll-free at 888-294-0153 or contact the CDE College Preparation and Postsecondary Programs Office, Career and College Transition Division, at 916-323-6398.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Lande Ajose, Ph.D.
Commission Chair, CSAC

TT/LA
2019-01198