Recently, at a church meeting, a member shared that last year they submitted their child's FAFSA, but they didn't receive any Cal Grant funds.

They met the income criteria and their grades weren't bad, so why did this happen? It turned out that one document was missing.

I was genuinely surprised to hear this. There are quite a few Korean families around who think that just submitting the FAFSA automatically takes care of state grants.

So today, I want to outline key points that families preparing for the 2027-28 Cal Grant should check. Now is the perfect time.

First, let's look at the timeline. The FAFSA for the 2027-28 academic year and California's own application, the CADAA, opened on October 1, 2026.

The Cal Grant deadline is March 2, 2027. This date is also listed on various UC and community college financial aid guides.

There was a time when the deadline was extended, but that was an exception due to issues with the federal FAFSA system, and it's not something we should expect every year.

So what was missing for that member? The key is the GPA.

The Cal Grant process doesn't end with just the FAFSA or CADAA. The GPA verified by the school must match with the application submitted to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to be considered for review.

According to the AB 2160 law passed in 2014, California public high schools must electronically submit the GPA of 12th-grade students to CSAC. This is the case unless the student opts out.

CSAC guidelines state that the senior GPA must be submitted by October 1 of the senior year. So if you're attending a public school, it should already be submitted by now.

The problem arises with private schools, homeschoolers, and students from out-of-state schools. In these cases, the GPA won't be submitted automatically, so you need to obtain the G-4 form from the school representative and take care of it yourself.

The member's child was exactly in this situation. Since they attended a private high school, their GPA was never submitted. This is something that can easily be overlooked if no one informs you.

There's also a reason not to be complacent just because you're in a public school. Even if the GPA is submitted, if it doesn't match with the application, you won't be able to receive Cal Grant funding.

This can happen if the name or date of birth is entered differently in the school records and the application. Many families change the order of their Korean names, so this is something I worry about the most.

So there's one important task to do. The student should create a CSAC WebGrants 4 Students account to check their application status directly.

By logging in, they can see if their application has been received and if their GPA has been submitted. If anything is missing, they should contact their school counselor immediately.

Let's also touch on the amounts involved. According to the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) data, the maximum tuition support for new full-time undergraduates for the 2026-27 academic year was $15,588 for UC and $6,838 for CSU.

Private nonprofit colleges are listed at $9,358. If you think about receiving this over four years, it's a truly legendary amount.

Cal Grant B provides an access award of up to $1,648 per year, separate from tuition. Students with children or those from foster care can receive up to $6,000.

The amounts for the 2027-28 academic year will be determined once the state budget is finalized. Since income and asset criteria are adjusted annually, it's safest to check the numbers on the official CSAC website.

Also, families who think they might not qualify for Cal Grant due to higher income should still submit the FAFSA. Other state programs like the Middle Class Scholarship are also reviewed with the same application.

However, MCS is a program that had proposals to reduce support rates in the 2026-27 governor's budget, so the amounts could vary significantly. It's realistic to lower your expectations for this.

Here's the checklist I've put together. First, submit the FAFSA or CADAA well before March 2.

Second, ask the school counselor if the GPA has been submitted. If it's a private school or homeschool, make sure to take care of the G-4 form.

Third, visually confirm on the WebGrants 4 Students account that both the GPA and application are recorded. These three steps are sufficient.

Personally, I believe that checking things myself is much more reassuring than just waiting for government support. A single missing document can mean tens of thousands of dollars.

Since each family has different school types and income situations, if you're unsure, definitely check with your school counselor or the financial aid office of the college you're applying to. I hope everyone can receive all the support they deserve this year without missing out.