While applying for FAFSA, students can also apply for Cal Grants. There are four different Cal Grants A, B, C, and T. Cal Grant A helps students pay for a tuition and fees at a four-year college. Cal Grant B provides a living allowance for low-income students, and Cal Grant C helps students in occupational or career programs. Lastly, Cal Grant T provides financial aid to students who plan to attend a teaching credential program.

Cal Grants aren’t the only financial aid program students may apply for. Students may be eligible for loans.  Students can receive up to $2,625 that they may pay off over the course of ten years. Parents can also apply for the Federal PLUS loan with an interest rate of 9% available through local banks.

The Governor’s Math and Science Award rewards students who receive high scores on Advanced Placement Math, Science Exams and STAR Exams up to $2,500.  Students who score in the top 10% in their grade level on the standardized exams can receive $1000 in scholarship money.

Students may also visit www.students.gov to find out more information about how to finance college through military funding, loans and scholarships. The website also offers advice on how to finance study abroad sessions along with other useful information.

With so many scholarship search engines on the web students may be confused as to which site actually provided relevant information.  To avoid scams the Federal Trade Commission advises students to stay away from the following telltale lines a website may give:

l         “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”

l         “We’ll do all the work.”

l         “You’ve been selected by a ‘national foundation’ to receive a scholarship”

l         “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.”

For more information about scholarship fraud or to file a complaint, visit www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams.