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State Programs

The State of California, through the California Community College Chancellor's Office and the California Student Aid Commission, sponsors financial aid programs which include the California College Promise Grant, Cal Grants A, B and C, Student Success Completion Grant, and Chafee Grants. For more information regarding these programs, contact the Financial Aid & Scholarships Department at (661) 763-7762.

California College Promise Grant (CCPG)

The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges adopted regulations to implement the Student Financial Aid Plan to ensure to the greatest extent possible no student who is eligible and desires to attend a community college is denied access as a result of the mandatory enrollment fee.

The enrollment fee will be waived for any student who is a California resident or has an AB540 status at the time of enrollment and:

1. is a recipient of or a dependent of a parent who is a recipient of CalWORKs, SSI, General Assistance; has certification from the California Department of Veterans Affairs indicating eligibility for a dependent's fee waiver; has certification from the National Guard Adjutant General indicating eligibility for a dependent's fee waiver; is eligible as a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, or as a child of a recipient; is eligible as a dependent of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack; is eligible as a dependent of a deceased law enforcement/fire suppression personnel killed in the line of duty, OR

2. is a surviving spouse or surviving child of a deceased person who meet all of the following requirements:

  1. The deceased person was a California resident.
  2. The deceased person was a licensed physician or nurse employed by, or under contract with, a health facility regulated and licensed by the State Department of Public Health to provide medical services or a first responder employed to provide emergency services as described in Section 8562 of the Government Code.
  3. The deceased person died of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency.
  4. The surviving spouse or child was a resident of California during the COVID-19 pandemic states of emergency.
  5. Documentation that the student's household annual income (including the parent's income for dependent students) does not exceed the maximum Cal Grant A income and asset ceilings, as set forth in Section 69432.7. OR

3. meets the annual household income (Standard published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) OR

4. is a homeless youth as defined in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and are under the age of 25.


Students must complete a CCPG application, a FAFSA, or a CADAA and may need to provide documentation to receive the grant.

All students pursuing a baccalaureate degree in Dental Hygiene at Taft College and applying for a California College Promise Grant must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) in lieu of completing the California College Promise Grant paper application.

Cal Grant Program

Cal Grants are financial awards for educational expenses which you typically do not have to pay back. You can use your Cal Grant at any qualifying college in California. Depending on the Cal Grant you receive, the money can be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, housing, food, and even transportation costs to and from class. You must submit your FAFSA or CADAA AND your verified Cal Grant GPA by March 2nd. Students who miss the March 2nd deadline AND who plan to attend a California Community College in the Fall, have until September 2nd to apply.

Taft College submits most GPA verifications electronically. Check with the Financial Aid & Scholarships Department to verify your GPA will be included in the submission. Otherwise, a GPA verification form completed by your high school or prior college would be required.

Cal Grant A or B Entitlement Grant for High School Senior

Starting with the 2000-2001 graduating class, every high school senior who meets the academic requirements may be eligible to receive a Cal Grant A or B Entitlement award.

Cal Grant A or B Entitlement award requirements:

  • 3.0 GPA for Cal Grant A
  • 2.0 GPA for Cal Grant B
  • Meet qualifying income and asset ceilings
  • Apply by March 2nd of your senior year in high school or the year following graduation.

Cal Grant A award does not payout to most students at a California Community College (CCC) unless they are enrolled in a bachelor degree program at select Community Colleges which offers bachelor's degrees or are awarded the Cal Grant A Access Award. Therefore, students awarded a Cal Grant A will have their award held in California Community College (CCC) Reserve status and can be held in reserve status for up to three years.

In addition, eligible students have an opportunity to compete for a limited amount of Cal Grant A or B Competitive awards. Of the awards set aside for competitive Cal Grant A or B, half are for community college students who apply by the second deadline of September 2nd.

Cal Grant A and B Entitlement Grant for California Community College Transfer

High school seniors who graduated after June 30, 2000, attend a California Community College and then transfer to a qualifying bachelor's degree granting college may be eligible for a California Community College Transfer Entitlement Award (Cal Grant Transfer Entitlement). This award is either a Cal Grant A or B. To qualify, you must have at least a 2.4 community college GPA, meet the Cal Grant eligibility requirements, be under 28 years of age as of December 31st of the award year and apply by March 2nd. You MUST transfer from a California Community College to a bachelor's degree granting school in the award year for which the award is offered.

Addition requirements: Completion of the G-6 Transfer Entitlement Form, if identified as potentially eligible. 

Cal Grant C

Students who are vocationally oriented, enrolled at least half-time in a program of study to acquire marketable job skills in a recognized occupational program, falls within the established income and asset ceilings, and applies by the deadline may be eligible to receive a Cal Grant C award.

General Cal Grant Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a Cal Grant, a student must:

  • submit the FAFSA or CADAA and your verified Cal Grant GPA by the deadline;
  • be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen or meet AB540 criteria;
  • be a California resident when you graduated from high school or meet AB540 criteria;
  • attend a qualifying California college;
  • be in a program leading to an undergraduate degree or certificate, and not currently have a bachelor's or higher degree;
  • have financial need at your college;
  • have family income and assets below the established ceilings;
  • meet a minimum GPA requirement;
  • be attending school at least half-time;
  • have registered with the US Selective Service, if required;
  • not owe a refund on any state or federal educational grant;
  • not have a delinquent or defaulted federal student loan;
  • not be incarcerated; and
  • maintain Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Cal Grant Access Awards for Students with Dependent Children

Cal Grant students with dependent children attending a University of California, California State University, or California Community College campus may be eligible for an access award of up to $6,000 for qualifying Cal Grant A and B recipients and up to $4,000 for eligible Cal Grant C recipients. Dependent children must be under 18 years of age and receive more than 50 percent of their support from the student.

Cal Grant funding is limited to 4 years. In order to obtain a Bachelor's degree in 4 years, students must complete 15 units or more per semester or the equivalent in quarter units. Create a plan with a counselor to streamline the transfer eligibility to meet the 4 year time frame.

Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG)

The purpose of the SSCG is to provide the student with additional financial aid to help offset the total cost of community college attendance, and to encourage full-time attendance and successful on-time completion.

A maximum of $1,298 annually at six hundred forty-nine dollars ($649) per semester, or quarterly equivalent, for eligible students who enroll and attend 12 through 14.99 units per term. A maximum of $8,000 annually at two thousand dollars ($4,000) per semester, or quarterly equivalent, for eligible students who enroll and attend 15 units or more per term. Total grant amount cannot be more than a student's unmet need.

To qualify for the SSCG, a student must:

  • be eligible for and disbursed a Cal Grant;
  • meet Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP);
  • have unmet need; and
  • maintain full-time attendance.

Chafee Grants

If you are or were in foster care for at least one day, between the ages of 16 and 18 as a dependent or ward of the court and have financial need, you may qualify for up to $5,000 a year for career and technical training or college. You don't have to pay this money back. You may also be able to use your grant to help pay for childcare, transportation and rent while you're in school. You can use your Chafee Grant at any eligible California college or university or career or technical school, as well as schools in other states.

The following forms must be submitted:

  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid or CA Dream Act Application
  • Chafee Grant Application (for first time applicants only)

Chafee Foster Youth Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Not have reached your 26th birthday as of July 1st of the award year.
  • AND
  • Be a current or former foster youth who was a dependent or ward of the court, living in a out-of-home foster care placement, between the ages of 16 and 18.
  • OR
  • Be a youth who was placed in out-of-home care by a tribe or tribal organization between the ages of 16-18.

Youth who are/were in Kin-GAP, a non-related legal guardianship or were adopted are eligible only if the youth was a dependent or ward of the court, living in foster care, at some point between the ages of 16 and 18.

In accordance with California Education Code 69519, a student's receipt of a Chafee grant award shall not exceed five years (whether or not consecutive).

Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2506, starting with the 2017-18 award year, you can only receive your Chafee Grant if you attend a school that is either of the following:

  • A qualifying institution that is eligible for participation in the Cal Grant Program.
  • An institution that is not located in California with a three-year cohort default rate that is less than 15.5 percent and a graduation rate greater than 30 percent.

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