
How to Apply
Applying for Financial Aid
When applying for financial aid, a student needs to complete a FAFSA or the CA Dream Act application. Depending on how you answer the questions on the application, the Financial Aid Office will be able to determine your eligibility for the Types of Aid available at Cabrillo College.
FAFSA and CA Dream Act applications are available every year on October 1st.
Students must complete a financial aid application each year they are attending college if they wish to receive financial aid.
Cabrillo's school year begins with the Fall term, is followed by the Spring term, and ends with the Summer session. Ex: Fall 2021-Summer 2022
Priority Deadline
The priority deadline for submitting your financial aid application is March 2nd. Some types of funding are limited, so we recommend submitting your application as early as possible after October 1st. If you missed the March 2nd priority filing deadline you will still be eligible for aid but will not be considered for some funds.
School Budget
If you have additional expenses such as childcare, elder care, disability-related expenses (which are not paid by an outside funding agency), or uninsured medical or dental expenses, please let us know. Also, if you must purchase a computer or supplies required for programs that are in excess of the standard budget allowance, you may request adjustments to your budget.
*Enrollment fees are based on 15 units per semester at $46/unit and are subject to change. This includes the summer term. Non-Resident Tuition Fees are $307/unit and additional capital outlay fees for international students are $2/unit.

2021-2022 Budget | At Home | Away From Home |
---|---|---|
Enrollment Fees | 2,070* | 2,070 |
Health Fees | 60 | 60 |
Student Activity Card | 20 | 20 |
Student Center Fee | 10 | 10 |
Student Rep. Fee | 4 | 4 |
Student Transportation Fee | 80 | 80 |
Books and Supplies | 2,250 | 2,250 |
Room and Board | 9,081 | 21,096 |
Transportation | 1,575 | 1,719 |
Personal Expenses | 3,276 | 3,843 |
TOTAL | 18,426 | 31,152 |
2022-2023 Budget | At Home | Away From Home |
---|---|---|
Enrollment Fees | 2,070* | 2,070 |
Health Fees | 65 | 65 |
Student Activity Card | 20 | 20 |
Student Center Fee | 10 | 10 |
Student Rep. Fee | 4 | 4 |
Student Transportation Fee | 80 | 80 |
Books and Supplies | 2,250 | 2,250 |
Room and Board | 9,381 | 21,375 |
Transportation | 1,575 | 1,719 |
Personal Expenses | 3,348 | 3,924 |
TOTAL | 18,782 | 31,517 |
Financial aid eligibility is based on your financial need. Financial need is calculated by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the Standard Student Budget. Once your financial need is determined, Cabrillo College will work to create a financial aid package for you.
Your EFC is calculated each year by the data you provided the California Student Aid Commission(CSAC) and the Federal Processor after filling out a FAFSA or CA Dream Act ap. Your EFC is listed on the Student Aid Report (SAR) after your application has been submitted.
To receive federal financial aid you must:
- Prove financial need, financial need is determined by completing the FAFSA
- Have a high school diploma, a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or complete a high school education in a home school setting that is treated as such under state law
- Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Have a valid Social Security Number
- Register with the Selective Service if male between the ages of 18-25.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress throughout your enrollment
- Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant
You will be emailed a copy of your Student Aid Report SAR. As soon as you receive your SAR, look it over carefully to make sure your information is correct. Check the following:
The spelling of your name should match your social security card exactly
Social security number
Birthdate
Income information
Academic level/goal
If no corrections are necessary, keep the SAR for your records. If you need to make corrections please contact the Financial Aid Office right away. Additional documentation may be requested by the Financial Aid Office once your application has been received. You will receive an email from the Financial Aid Office with a link to log into your MyVerify account to complete the additional documents.
Before the Dream Act was passed, undocumented students were not eligible for federal, state, or university-funded financial aid. Under this law, undocumented students who qualify under Assembly Bill (AB) 540* criteria may now be eligible for certain types of financial aid. The California Dream Act Application is used to determine a student's eligibility for need-based financial aid. The Cabrillo Office of Student Equity has a Dream Resource Program that supports students who are aspiring citizens, including students who may or may not qualify for AB 540 or DACA status.
*For more information on AB 540 please visit CSAC
What aid does an AB 540 student qualify for?
AB 540 students are exempt from paying non-resident enrollment fees.
State financial aid like Cal Grants and Chafee Grants
Assistance from EOPS, CARE or CalWORKs
Privately-funded scholarships
What happens after you apply?
Your CADAA application will be processed by the California Student Aid Commission and sent to each college you listed on your application (Processing occurs continuously for new applicants throughout the academic year)
The Financial Aid Office will download your application and determine if you are eligible for a CCPG, Cal Grant, or SSCG.
What you need to do?
Create a Web Grants for Students Account to monitor your Cal Grant Award
Complete the California Nonresident Tuition Exemption eform and submit online to the Admissions and Records Office immediately after you graduate from high school.
Login to eforms using your college ID and Financial Aid Self Service password. In the Forms section complete and submit the following form. AR - California Nonresident Tuition Exemption. If you have any questions about this form, call or email Angelica Gomez-Patino at angomez@cabrillo.edu or (831) 479-6208.
Submit any requested financial aid forms to the Financial Aid Office through MyVerify
For assistance please contact us at financial.aid@cabrillo.edu or (831) 479-6548
Cabrillo's School Code is 001124
Have all the necessary documents on hand when completing the FAFSA
Create an FSA ID so you can sign the FAFSA electronically
Dependent students will need to have a parent create an FSA ID
The FSA ID can also be used to make corrections to your FAFSA
Read the questions carefully
Do not leave any blank fields
Use a zero if the question does not apply to you
Remember to sign the FAFSA and obtain all other required signatures
You cannot receive aid without the required signature(s)
If you will have a child born before or during the award year (Fall through Summer sessions) who will be your legal dependent, the child should be counted as a member of the household
If you do not have access to a computer, you can attend a workshop or use a computer on campus to file your FAFSA
Important: The FAFSA application is submitted to the Federal Processor. The Cabrillo Financial Aid office does not process your FAFSA application.