Scholarships & Financial Aid
As we enter the financial aid filing season, some questions come up every year about filing the FAFSA. Further FAFSA questions can be made to the Federal Student Aid Programs at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/contact.htm. More information regarding the financial aid process is available on the Federal Student Aid website: www.studentaid.ed.gov.
Q: When should I file the 2021-2022 FAFSA?
A: Beginning October 1, 2020. The deadline has moved up! The FAFSA is filed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Please do not use any website that will charge you a fee to file the FAFSA for you. Remember that the first “F” in FAFSA stands for “Free.”
Q: How can I apply for the Cal Grant?
A: To be considered for a Cal Grant you must file the FAFSA by March 2, 2021 (should be done much earlier, it is open October 1, 2020). The California Student Aid Commission advises students to file as early as possible. In addition, a Cal Grant GPA must be submitted for each student that wishes to receive a Cal Grant. Beverly Hills HS will submit all Seniors' Cal Grant GPA to the California Student Aid Commission unless a student does not want BHHS to share this information.
After you submit your FAFSA, check the status of your Cal Grant here: https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/logon.asp.
**If you are a recent graduate and need BHHS to send your Cal Grant GPA, then please contact Michelle Redston at mredston@bhusd.org.
Q: How can I find out whether my college has an earlier financial aid and scholarship filing deadline?
A: Visit the college financial aid website. The federal and state program deadline will be the same at most schools but institutional scholarships frequently have deadlines in January.
Q: What tax forms will I use for the FAFSA?
A: 2019 tax forms (HINT: If you or your parents file a tax return with the IRS, you may be eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This is an easy way to provide accurate tax information, view and securely transfer information into FAFSA)
Q: What questions will I have to answer on the FAFSA?
A: The FAFSA questions are all on the FAFSA on the Web worksheet (a helpful tool that explains each section! Very user friendly!) The worksheet can be completed before sitting down to file the FAFSA. By completing the FAFSA on the Web worksheet, students and parents can have all of the answers ready.
Undocumented students Can NOT apply for financial aid using the FAFSA. You must complete the DREAM Act application. See the instructions listed below for the California Dream Act Application.
CSS /Financial Aid Profile: Seniors applying to private universities need to complete the online CSS Profile no later than November 1 for Early Decision and Early Action applications and no later than December 1 for Regular Decision applications. Check specific colleges for extended deadlines. The profile allows students to report their financial and family circumstance information in one streamlined application and submit it to all the colleges that require it for scholarship and grant consideration. Apply on-line at www.collegeboard.com. The fee is $25 for the PROFILE application and first college report and $16 for each subsequent college report. https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid-101/how-to-complete-the-css-financial-aid-profile.
Fee waivers are available for eligible applicants.
Q: Can I better predict how much aid a college will give me before I receive a financial aid package from the university?
A: Yes! Each college has a Net Price Calculator on their website. Go directly to a college's website's financial aid page and find the Net Price Calculator. There you will be able to input information and get a better sense of what type of aid the college will offer and college affordability overall.
Useful financial aid websites:
California Student Aid Commission - www.csac.ca.gov
Federal Student Aid - www.studentaid.ed.gov
Free Application for Federal Student Aid - www.fafsa.ed.gov
CSS PROFILE - https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
Ed Fund - www.edfund.org
FastWeb for scholarships - www.fastweb.com
Discus Awards scholarship list - http://www.discusawards.com/
College Scorecard - https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
Scholarships students to acquire throughout High School: https://www.raise.me/
Scholarships for Undocumented Students:
MALDEF Scholarship Resource Guide
