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• California College Promise Grant

California College Promise Grant

What is the California College Promise Grant (CCPG)?

The California College Promise Grant (CCPG) is a waiver applied to enrollment fees (currently $46 per unit) for California resident students, AB540 students and eligible AB1899 students as determined by Enrollment Services.

• CCPG is not a cash award; the waiver is applied directly to tuition fees for all students who qualify. CCPG is applied to tuition fees as a year-round entitlement, regardless of the number of units in which a student is enrolled. 
• CCPG also allows students to purchase campus parking at reduced rates each fall and spring semester. 
• CCPG does not pay for the mandatory fees, such as: Transportation (TSF) or Health fees, books, educational supplies/expenses or course material fees. You will be responsible for paying other student fees at the time of registration or risk being dropped from your courses.
• Make sure you check your registration statement and pay all applicable fees to complete your registration and prevent future holds on your account. 

Types of California College Promise Grant:

California College Promise Grant A 

Students must show proof (i.e., copy of a CA-7 with current or last month’s date, agency verification, etc.); 

• AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) 
• TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) 
• SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income) 
• General Relief 

Students must show proof (i.e., copy of a CA-7 with current or last month’s date, agency verification, etc.); 

Special Classifications 

• Be certified by the California Department of Veterans Affairs or the National Guard Adjutant General for eligibility for a dependent's grant; 
• Be eligible as a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor or as a child of a recipient or a dependent of a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Be eligible as a dependent of a deceased law enforcement/fire suppression personnel killed in the line of duty. 
• Have documentation from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that you been exonerated of a crime by writ of habeas corpus or pardon. 
• Have documentation of record that you are dependent/ spouse/ Registered Domestic Partner of a deceased physician, nurse, or first responder who died of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency in California. 

California College Promise Grant B 
 
Requirements 

• Meet income standards for a CCP Grant (or your parent's income, if you are a dependent student). Must show proof of income (i.e. Copy of IRS Tax transcript or IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter with copies of W-2). 

2024-2025 (income must be verified) 

California College Promise Grant C 

If you do not meet the above eligibility criteria, you need to complete a FAFSA or CA Dream Act application to be considered for the California College Promise Grant and have remaining "financial need" of at least $1,104. Many students are eligible for California College Promise Grant by completing the FAFSA or CA Dream Act application. 

To Apply:

The primary application for CCPG is the 2024-25 FAFSA or 2024-25 CADAA. 

• Once your FAFSA or CADAA is received, CCPG will be automatically awarded to eligible students based on the information provided in the primary application.
• You can view your award information on your Offer Letter in the Financial Aid section of your Self-Service account. 
• You must apply for CCPG using the FAFSA or CADAA before each summer semester. The applications are available beginning December 30th prior to the summer semester.
  • The 2024-2025 California College Promise Grant covers Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025.
• If you have been determined to be eligible for the CCPG after you have paid your fees during the current semester, you may be entitled to a refund. 
• A refund will be automatically processed for all applicable prior semesters. 
• Refunds will be issued in the original form payment was received within 30 days. 

Paper CCPG applications are a secondary application to be used for special circumstances as determined on a case-by-case basis by financial aid. Tax documents are required to verify qualifying income for the paper CCPG application. If the income requirements are not met, the student will be required to fill out the FAFSA or CADAA, which allows a higher qualifying income for CCPG eligibility. 

Students completing the FAFSA/Dream Act application will have their California College Promise Grant eligibility automatically determined. The California College Promise Grant will automatically appear in the student’s awards if eligible. When students register for classes, the $46/unit enrollment fees will be waived. An award notification will be sent by the Financial Aid Office once eligibility is determined. Students may also check their financial aid award status on their Financial Aid Checklist.

Refunds

If you paid for your courses out of pocket and have been awarded the CA College Promise Grant, you should automatically be rebilled.  The refund takes 3-4 weeks to be processed and issued back to the original method of payment.  If a debit or credit card were used, the funds will be returned to the same card.  If cash or money order were used, a check will be mailed to the address on file. 

Important California College Promise Grant changes

Grades will be used to determine CCPG eligibility. Students who are not meeting academic standards for two consecutive terms will lose eligibility for the California College Promise Grant.

How to maintain eligibility

In order to qualify, students must meet minimum academic standards: 

• Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above 
• Cumulative completion rate of  50% or above  

All grades will be used to determine CCPG eligibility.  Please note that for California College Promise Grant Fee Waiver eligibility is different from SAP eligibility standards for Federal and State aid programs. 

Loss of Eligibility for California College Promise Grant (CCPG)

A student shall become ineligible for CCPG if the student is placed on academic or progress probation, or any combination thereof, for two consecutive primary terms, resulting in a dismissal status.  Loss of eligibility shall become effective at the first registration opportunity after such determination is made. 

Students will be notified of their placement on academic or progress probation/dismissal no later than thirty days following the end of the term that resulted in the student’s placement on probation.  

How to regain eligibility

If a student loses eligibility for the California College Promise Grant, there are a few ways to have their eligibility reinstated:

• Improve GPA and/or Course Completion measures to meet academic and progress standards
• An approved appeal regarding extenuating circumstances with Enrollment Services 
  
• Not attend Mt. San Jacinto College for two consecutive semesters (Fall/Spring)

Criteria for appealing the loss of California College Promise Grant due to extenuating circumstances:

• Verified accidents, illness, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control
• Verified change in economic situation
• Evidence of inability to obtain essential support services
• Disability accommodations not received in a timely manner
• Special consideration factors for CalWORKs, EOPS, Accommodation Service Center (formerly DSPS), and veteran students

NOTE: Foster youth and former foster youth (age 24 years and younger) are not subject to loss of the California College Promise Grant Fee Waiver under these regulations.

How to appeal

Students meeting one of the above criteria would appeal by submitting a California College Promise Grant Fee Waiver appeal form with Enrollment Services. Complete the appeal form and attach a personal statement, supporting documentation and a current Comprehensive Educational Plan.

• Download the Petition to Appeal  the loss of California College Promise Grant and Enrollment Priority.
• Complete the above appeal and provide your statement explaining the reason your are appealing and why your appeal should be approved 
• Attached supporting documentation for the extenuating circumstance (if needed) 
• Attach a recent Education Plan from an MSJC Counselor 

Submit the fully signed and completed form online to the Enrollment Services Student e-Document submission HUB at:  https://msjc.edu/hub/  

How you will be notified of the appeal decision 

After the appeal is reviewed by the Appeals Committee, if approved, the student’s record will be updated to reflect the changes and the student will be informed of the outcome via email.  If denied, the student will be contacted.  Appeal outcomes are final. 
 
Please contact Enrollment Services regarding any questions pertaining to your Appeal and timeframe of appeal decisions.