Resources for Low-Income Families

You don’t have to prove anything to use this page. If money is a concern, assume you might qualify and check.

Do I count as low-income?

There is no single income line. Colleges most often go by whether you qualify for a federal Pell Grant, and each program below sets its own limit.

Claim money that may already be yours

•     CalKIDS: California sets aside $500 to $1,500 for eligible low-income public school students. You have to claim it online with your Statewide Student ID, which you can get from the school office. It can be used at community colleges, universities, and vocational schools.

Apply to college for free

•     UC: the application waives the fee for up to four campuses if you qualify. Enter your family size and income and it tells you right away.

•     CSU: Cal State Apply checks you automatically and waives the fee for up to four campuses. CSU does not accept College Board fee waivers. See CSU fee waivers.

•     Common App: fill out the Common App Fee Waiver section in your Profile.

•     CSS Profile: free if your family income is up to $100,000, or if you qualified for an SAT fee waiver. See CSS Profile fee waivers.

•     SAT and ACT: ask Ms. Wuerthner about test fee waivers.

Grants you don’t pay back

•     Pell Grant and Cal Grant. The FAFSA is how you get a federal Pell Grant. The FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application is how you get a Cal Grant. File by March 2, 2027.

•     California College Promise Grant. Waives tuition and fees at California community colleges for lower-income students. You apply through the same financial aid form.

•     Help with the forms. 10,000 Degrees offers free financial aid support for Sonoma County students.

Programs that open doors

•     EOP (all CSU campuses and some UCs): admission, academic, and financial support. For a CSU, answer “Yes” to the EOP question inside Cal State Apply. You need two letters of recommendation, and you have to apply when you apply for admission. See Sonoma State EOP.

•     EOPS (community colleges): counseling, priority registration, and transfer help. See Santa Rosa Junior College EOPS.

•     QuestBridge: full four-year scholarships at 55 selective colleges for high-achieving students, typically from families earning under $65,000 for a family of four. Juniors: apply to the College Prep Scholars Program, due in March.

•     Fly-in programs: colleges that pay for you to visit campus.

Free one-on-one help

•     ScholarMatch: Destined for College: free virtual college coaching for first-gen juniors and seniors from low-income backgrounds.

•     UStrive: a free online mentor for college, financial aid, and scholarship applications.

•     Matchlighters Scholars Program: free one-on-one help with essays and building a college list.

Keep going

Go back to Paying for College for the four steps every senior should take and the list of colleges that cover tuition by income.

First in your family to go to college? See the First-Gen Students page.