To be considered for financial aid a student must complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) and must generally meet the following minimum requirements:
The (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), or FAFSA, is the first step in the financial aid process. Use it to apply for federal and state student financial aid, such as grants, student loans, and college work-study. Most states and schools use FAFSA information to award their financial aid. Be sure to list MJC's Federal School 001240 in step six of the FAFSA.
*If this is your first time filling out the FAFSA, and you haven't applied for an FSA ID, you should do so now. Your FSA ID is what allows you to complete the FAFSA; you use your FSA ID to electronically sign your application. You'll also need your FSA ID to make online corrections to your FAFSA, including changing your name and address, or adding/changing the name of a school to receive your application data. An FSA ID can be obtained at Federal Student Aid website. If you are a dependent student, also get an FSA ID for your parent.
If you are not eligible to file a FAFSA you can apply for the California Dream Act Application or CADAA.
The California Dream Act of 2011 was passed into laws AB 130 and AB 131. These laws allow AB 540 eligible students to apply for and receive several types of financial aid, including:
An AB 540 student is either a U.S. citizen or undocumented student who has attended
and graduated from a California high school, but does not meet state residency requirements.
You are an AB 540 student, and exempt from paying non-resident enrollment fees, if
you meet the following criteria:
Please contact the financial aid office with any questions.
*If you are applying for a Cal Grant, you may also need to complete and file a GPA Verification Form by the March 2nd deadline (or September 2nd for students attending a community college).
MJC will automatically submit GPA's for current students who have completed 16 or more degree-applicable units prior to each deadline. Students who have not attended MJC within the last 5 years, will need to submit a request to have their GPA submitted. Contact the Student Financial Services Office for assistance.
Students who have completed less than 16 degree-applicable units will need to submit their High School GPA. Most high schools are sending GPA's electronically for recent high school graduates; however, check with your high school for confirmation of the submittal.
To learn more on other ways students may qualify for a Cal Grant, visit the California Student Aid Commission website. The FAFSA must be completed before September 2.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must apply for or renew your financial aid each school year. Financial aid is not continued automatically from one year to the next, nor is it automatically transferable from one college to another. If you plan to transfer to MJC from another school, check with our Student Financial Services Office for information about application requirements.
Formerly known as Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
MJC Net Price Calculator is designed to allow high school and college students to estimate student financial aid eligibility information. Click here to access the: Net Price Calculator. By completing this worksheet the student will receive information about his/her Student Aid Index (formerly known as Expected Family Contribution (EFC)), and estimated eligibility for grants at Modesto Junior College.
Most financial aid is awarded based on your financial need, which is also known as your financial eligibility. Federal Student Aid uses the data on your FAFSA to calculate a Student Aid Index (SAO) (formerly known as Expected Family Contribution (EFC)) whereas for AB540 students, data provided on the California Dream Act Application is used. The SAI is an indicator of your (and your family's) financial ability to pay for college.
Financial Need is determined by taking the Cost of Attendance (COA) minus Student Aid Index (SAI) minus Other Financial Assistance (OFA) equals your Financial Need.
COA – SAI – OFA = Financial Need
| + Tuition and fees |
| + Books and supplies |
| + Room and board |
| + Personal and travel |
| + Dependent care |
| - Student Aid Index (SAI) |
| - Parents' Contribution |
| - Student's Contribution |
| - Other Financial Assistance |
| = Financial Aid Need |
The income information provided on the FAFSA is for the previous calendar year. What if a family's income changes because of a loss of employment, an accident, or an illness? There may be a loss of benefits such as child support or social security. There could be a death, a divorce, or a disability that changes the family's ability to pay for college.
A FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be on file before a special circumstance is considered. You can print out a Special Circumstance Request form.
Do you have questions about completing the form? Join us on one of our in-person workshops.
Prior to attending please:
For assistance with the FAFSA submission, please have available:
If you are a dependent student, then you will need most of the above information for your parent(s) as well.
To determine if you need to report parental information on your FAFSA visit the Do I Have to Provide My Parents' Information on the FAFSA Form? webpage.
For assistance with the CADAA submission, please have available:
If you are a dependent student, then you will need most of the above information for your parent(s) as well.
In order to be eligible for financial aid funding, students must be enrolled in an AA/AS degree program, transfer program, or one of the approved certificate programs listed in the MJC Course Catalog. Students enrolled in ONLY Skills Recognition courses would qualify for the Board of Governors fee waiver ONLY, and would not be eligible for any other types of financial aid.
* Denotes program is a college Gainful Employment Program, in accordance with federal guidelines.
