The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) offers undergraduate students, including those pursuing a teaching credential, a scholarship to attend a UC or CSU university. Students with family income and assets totaling up to $201,000 may be eligible.
Requirements
Students must meet the following requirements:
- be a California resident attending a UC or CSU;
- be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or meet the requirements for non-resident tuition exemption*;
- meet certain income/asset and other financial aid standards;
- maintain satisfactory academic progress;
- not be in default on a student loan; and must not be incarcerated.
Beginning on October 1st through the March 2nd deadline, students may complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the CA Dream Act Application (CADAA). Students without a Social Security Number or who have a U or TPS visa or DACA (including those who lost DACA or never applied for DACA), should complete the CA Dream Act Application.
The new MCS program requires us to disclose any changes to a student’s enrollment, cost of attendance, or any awards they are receiving. The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) recalculates the MCS grant amount. Changes to these eligibility characteristics may result in reduced or lost eligibility for an MCS award. We will continue to revise student rewards this year in response to these developments.
There is no way to opt out of the program, and it is never in your best interests! MCS is free money that does not require repayment. We’ve received reports from a number of worried students that loan billbacks surpass their MCS Award amount.
The California Student Aid Commission will set the scholarship award levels. Award amounts will be determined by the cost of attendance and the following program requirements: other available gift aid for which the student is eligible (i.e. federal, state, institutional, or scholarship aid), a self-help student contribution of $7,898 (applicable to all students), and a parent contribution for dependent students with a household income of more than $100,000.
These three criteria are generally known as a student’s “available resources.” These amounts are subtracted from the student’s total cost of attendance to calculate the MCS award. Under this formula, award amounts will differ greatly between students, with each reward reflecting their costs and available resources.
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