The state of California offers two types of direct aid to students through Cal Grants and the Middle Class Scholarship program. Further, there exist numerous opportunities from public and private sources that can help students and families both afford and plan for college.
FOR STUDENTS
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) provides a wealth of information for students on schools eligible for Cal Grants or the Middle Class Scholarship and to find other opportunities to pay for school offered by individual universities or other programs.
www.csac.ca.gov
The federal government also supplies a wealth of information about different opportunities to pay for your college education. Some, like Pell Grants, do not have to be paid back. More information is available at http://studentaid.ed.gov
Loan Forgiveness
If you have incurred considerable debt to pay for your education, a career in public service may alleviate some of your financial burdens through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Administered through Federal Student Aid - an office within the U.S. Department of Education - the debt forgiveness service is available to all Californians who meet the requirements.
The PSLF program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full-time in public service jobs. Under this program, you may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance due on your William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments on those loans while employed full-time by certain public service employers. More information is available at http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/charts/public-service.
FOR PARENTS
Scholarshare
Most useful for families getting an early start on saving for college, the California-affiliated Scholarshare program proves that saving even a little at a time can make a big difference in the ability of a family to afford higher education.
All withdrawals from 529 plans for qualified education expenses will remain free from federal income tax.
www.scholarshare.com
Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)
Certain low-income parents with school-age children may qualify for the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) program offered in partnership with the California State University System (CSU). It is designed to connect families, schools and communities as partners to advance the education of every child through parent engagement.
PIQE’s signature service is the Parent Engagement Education program, a nine-week curriculum offered in the regions of the 23-campus CSU system. It is delivered to parents in their primary language, aimed at helping them become education advocates for their students.
Provided that they meet the requirements, each child of a PIQE graduate will receive automatic admission to the CSU campus nearest their home.
More information is available www.piqe.org
Loan Forgiveness
If you have incurred considerable debt to pay for your child’s education and work in the public service sector, your loan may qualify for forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)program administered through Federal Student Aid, an office within the U.S. Department of Education.
The PSLF program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full-time in public service jobs. Under this program, you may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance due on your William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments on those loans while employed full-time by certain public service employers. More information is available at http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/charts/public-service.
