State Grants

Several states, including the state of California, offer grant aid to students who qualify.

Cal Grant Program

Administered through the California Student Aid Commission, the Cal Grant Program provides need-based grants to California residents attending California colleges and universities who are U.S. citizens and permanent U.S. residents. Effective January 1, 2013, undocumented students may also qualify for the Cal Grant by submitting the California Dream Act Application. In recent years, the maximum Cal Grant for incoming Harvey Mudd students has been $9,358.

All California resident financial aid applicants are required to apply for the Cal Grant Program by completing the FAFSA or, if applicable, the California Dream Act Application, as well as the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form (PDF). If you don’t receive the Cal Grant due to an incomplete, an inaccurate or a late application, the Office of Financial Aid cannot guarantee the equivalent in Harvey Mudd Scholarship assistance.

The deadline for applying is March 2. If you do not receive a Cal Grant Entitlement Award during your first year or you are disqualified based on not meeting income, asset and financial need requirements, you must reapply for a Competitive Cal Grant for your second, third and fourth years.

Cal Grant awards are announced and finalized in late spring. If, at that time, we learn that you are eligible for a Cal Grant award, and Cal Grant aid had not been included on your financial aid award letter, your Harvey Mudd scholarship will be reduced by the amount of your Cal Grant award.

Continuing Cal Grant recipients do not need to submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form. However, based on California Education Code section 69432.7(k) effective March 24, 2011, Cal Grant eligibility is reevaluated annually. Cal Grant recipients must continue to meet income, asset and financial need requirements every year studying at Harvey Mudd. For this reason, continuing students must continue to submit a FAFSA or California Dream Application every year on or before the March 2 deadline.

A Cal Grant award is limited to four academic years. A student needs to take 16 credits per semester or an average of 32 credits per academic year in order to graduate within four years.

Other California Student Aid Commission Awards

Applicants who are California residents should also consider applying for these awards sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission:

  • Law Enforcement Personnel Dependents Scholarship Program (LEPD): grants for dependents and spouses of law enforcement officers and employees
  • California Chafee Grant for Foster Youth: a grant designed to help students who are or were in foster care between the ages of 16 and 18 as a dependent or ward of the court and have financial need, qualify for up to $5,000 a year for career and technical training or college. Also, this grant is designed to help pay for child care, transportation and rent while students are in school.
  • Graduate Assumption Program of Loans for Education (APLE): competitive teacher initiative program designed to encourage outstanding students, district interns and out-of-state teachers to become California teachers in subject areas where a critical teacher shortage has been identified or in designated schools meeting criteria specified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Grants from Other States

The following states offer grants to resident students attending California colleges and universities:

  • Alaska
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Territories of Guam and the Pacific Islands

For more information, please contact the state agency that delivers funds in your state. A list of addresses and phone numbers of state agencies can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Education.