For most types of Financial Aid, the first step is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act (for undocumented and nonresident students). Doing so connects you to all types of aid options — grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships — from federal, state, and Cuesta College sources. Even if you think you may not qualify, the FAFSA is completely free and can make a huge difference in college affordability.
The California Dream Act Application is available to undocumented students (including DACA recipients), U-Visa holders, and TPS individuals. U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, T-Visa holders, and eligible Non-Citizens must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Click on the following document to read about the changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA:
2024-2025 FAFSA Changes
How to Apply for Financial Aid Brochure
The FAFSA is financial aid application offered by the federal government.
The FAFSA is only available to:
To receive federal financial aid, you MUST:
To receive state funding, the California Student Aid Commission requires that you MUST:
Through submitting a FAFSA, you will be considered for the following types of aid:
Federal
State
Institutional
2023-2024 FAFSA: Apply from now to June 30th, 2024.
2024-2025 FAFSA: Apply from December 2023 to June 30th, 2025
*Submit the 2024-2025 FAFSA by the May 2nd, 2024 priority deadline to be considered for a Cal Grant award and other limited aid.
The California Dream Act is the name for two Assembly Bills (AB 130 and AB 131) that were passed into law in 2011. These Assembly Bills allow AB 540/AB 2000 students to apply for and receive state based financial aid and institutional scholarships. AB 130 became effective in January 2012, while AB 131 became effective in January 2013.
The CADAA is a financial aid application offered by the state of California.
The CADAA is only available to students who meet the criteria for an AB540 Nonresident Tuition Exemption.
Through submitting the CADAA, you are only eligible for state and institutional aid:
2023-2024 CADAA: Apply from now to June 30th, 2024.
2024-2025 CADAA: Apply from December 2023 to June 30th, 2025
*Submit the 2024-2025 CADAA by the May 2nd, 2024 priority deadline to be considered for a Cal Grant award and other limited aid.
When submitting the CADAA, you may have questions on the process. Please see the following tips:
AB 540 and its amendments AB 2000 and SB 68, are California Bills passed in 2001, 2014, and 2017 respectively. These bills allowed for students who are considered out-of-state residents in a CA public college or university to be considered a resident for tuition and financial aid purposes.
AB 540/AB 2000/SB 68 Eligibility Criteria:
To qualify, a student must meet the following requirements:
AND
The Cuesta College Scholarship Application is a single application offered by Cuesta College.
All Cuesta College students are eligible to submit a Cuesta College Scholarship Application.
There are over 100 institutional scholarships offered to students based on a variety of factors.
1. Visit cuesta.academicworks.com
2. Sign in using your myCuesta username and password
3. Submit the available Cuesta College Scholarship Application
2024-2025 Cuesta College Scholarship Application: Apply from now to April 2nd, 2024.
*Since some scholarships are based on need, students are encouraged to submit a FAFSA or CADAA if they are eligible.
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