Filing FAFSA? Sacramento County students can claim $73 million in scholarships
The spring semester is a busy time for high school seniors prepping for college — waiting anxiously for acceptance letters, filling out financial aid forms and choosing a school.
Amid the chaos and excitement of the season, some families may not know they are eligible for a scholarship through the California Kids Investment and Development Savings program. There are $73 million of funds available to claim for Sacramento County students, which can be done online.
The program, known as CalKIDS, launched in 2022 to help students build college savings accounts early. In a news release Wednesday, the program encouraged high school seniors to claim their scholarship account before the March 2 California financial aid priority deadline.
“CalKIDS was created to support students at moments when financial decisions can feel overwhelming,” said State Treasurer Fiona Ma in a news release. “Having scholarship support already in place can empower students and families to make confident financial choices as they plan for college or career training.”
Here’s how to collect a CalKIDS scholarship:
Who is eligible for a CalKIDS scholarship?
Eligible California public school students can claim an account with up to $1,500 in university or trade school funds, while all children born in the state on or after July 1, 2022, can receive up to $175.
According to the news release, more than 60% of California public school students fall within eligibility guidelines. It is the largest child development account program in the country.
Current public school students must have been enrolled in within the state at the start of the school year, and must be identified as an English language learner or low-income student to be eligible. These students will automatically have a $500 account created in their name.
If eligible students are identified as being in the foster system, they will get an additional one-time $500 contribution. Students who are homeless will also get this contribution, for a combined total of up to $1,500 per student.
Public school students who were enrolled in grades first through 12th in the 2021-2022 academic year were immediately able to claim their account. For students enrolled in first grade in the 2022-2023 academic year and later, accounts become accessible starting in the second grade.
How can my student claim their CalKIDS account?
CalKIDS funds may be obtained through the program’s website, CalKIDS.org. Online, students may confirm their eligibility and file an account claim.
To access their account, students must provide the county they attended school in as of the start of the 2021-2022 academic year, their birthdate and their 10-digit Statewide Student Identifier.
Students can find their Statewide Student ID by contacting their school or on the CaliforniaColleges.edu website, the program’s news release said.
According to the CalKIDS website, funds may be used for qualified education expenses including tuition and fees, room and board, books, computer equipment and other school supplies.
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