Navigating the Middle Class Scholarship at Sacramento State: Eligibility and Key Information

Sacramento State (Sac State) is committed to helping students finance their education through various forms of financial aid. While students and their families bear the primary responsibility for covering educational costs, the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office at Sac State offers assistance in identifying, applying for, and maintaining eligibility for different types of financial aid. These options include scholarships, grants (federal and state), Federal Work-Study, and loans (student and, in some cases, parent loans). A key component of this support system is the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS), a California grant program designed to help students with financial needs.

Understanding Financial Aid Eligibility at Sacramento State

Eligibility for financial aid at Sac State is determined by a formula: Cost of Attendance (COA) minus the Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is calculated based on the information provided in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Completing either of these applications accurately is crucial, as it determines a student's eligibility for all federal and state financial aid programs available at Sacramento State.

Several factors are reviewed during the financial aid application process, and before any disbursement is made, a student's enrollment status and academic progress are verified. Additionally, the university uses a set of federal and state-defined criteria to determine if additional documentation is needed to support the data reported on the FAFSA or CADAA. This process is known as verification, and students should regularly check their MySacState Student Center for any outstanding items on their "To Do List."

Financial aid awards are typically based on full-time enrollment, but some awards may be adjusted for students attending less than full-time.

Types of Financial Aid Available

Sacramento State offers a variety of financial aid programs, including:

Federal Pell Grant: Available to eligible undergraduates and students pursuing their first non-degree teaching credential.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): Available to eligible undergraduate students with significant financial need. Funding is limited.
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant: For students completing coursework to begin a career in teaching. Recipients must agree to teach full-time for at least four years within eight years of completing the program, as a highly qualified teacher, at a Title 1 school, in a specified subject area.
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Grant: Available to eligible undergraduate California residents admitted to Sacramento State through the EOP program. Due to limited state funding, not all EOP students receive this grant.
State University Grant (SUG): Available to eligible California residents to assist with tuition fees. Students can only receive one award designated for tuition fees. Priority for SUG is given to students meeting the eligibility criteria and who have filed their financial aid application by the March 2 priority deadline.
Cal Grants (Cal Grant A and B): Available to eligible undergraduate California residents. Eligibility is determined by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) for students meeting the March 2 priority filing deadline. Cal Grant A is designated for tuition fees. Students can only receive one award designated for payment of tuition fees.
Nursing Student Loans (NSL): Assist eligible nursing students (admitted into the nursing program) with a low-interest (5%) loan. At Sacramento State, NSL are restricted to students in their junior and senior year in school. Awards are not made to pre-nursing students or students in the first and second year of the nursing program.
Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: A long-term, fixed-interest rate loan for undergraduate students based on financial need.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: A long-term, fixed-interest rate loan for eligible undergraduate and graduate students, not based on financial need. Interest accrues from the time of disbursement.
Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Parent Loans): A long-term, fixed-interest rate loan for eligible parents of dependent students. The annual loan limit is the student’s cost of attendance minus other financial aid assistance.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans: A long-term, fixed-interest rate loan for eligible graduate students who demonstrate creditworthiness.
Federal Work-Study (FWS): A federally funded, need-based employment program offering eligible students the chance to earn money for educational expenses through various job opportunities on and off-campus.

Deep Dive into the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)

The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) is a state-funded program designed to make college more affordable for California's middle-class families. It is available to students attending the University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) systems.

Eligibility Requirements for MCS

To be eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship, students must:

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) by the specified deadline (typically March 2nd of each year).
Meet the income and asset requirements set by the state.
Be enrolled in at least 6 units of coursework required for their degree.
Meet their CSU campus' Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

For the 2023-2024 academic year, the family income and household asset ceiling was $217,000. It's important to note that these figures may change from year to year, so it's essential to consult the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) website for the most up-to-date information.

How the MCS Award is Determined

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) uses data from the FAFSA or CADAA, along with information from the universities, to determine MCS award amounts. The award amount is based on several factors:

The cost of attendance (COA) at the student's chosen school.
Any federal, state, institutional, or private grants and scholarships the student receives.
A self-help student contribution (which was $7,898 for all students).
A parent contribution for dependent students with a household income of over $100,000.

It's important to remember that MCS award amounts can vary significantly from student to student and from school to school.

Middle Class Scholarship 2.0

The Middle Class Scholarship program was modified, becoming Middle Class Scholarship 2.0, but retaining its original name.

Disbursement of the Middle Class Scholarship

Students can typically expect to receive their Middle Class Scholarship after the semester's census date. For the fall semester, this is usually after September 25th, and for the spring semester, it's after February.

Delays in disbursement can occur, as some students have experienced. In such cases, it's advisable to contact Sac State’s financial aid office located in the Student Service Center at Lassen Hall.

Impact of Withdrawing from Courses

Students who withdraw from coursework may be required to return all or part of their Middle Class Scholarship 2.0 award, in addition to any other federal, state, or institutional aid received.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

Besides the Middle Class Scholarship, Sacramento State offers numerous other scholarship opportunities:

Read also: Affording Chaminade Middle School

Institutional, Departmental, and Community Scholarships: These scholarships are administered by the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office. Students can apply for most of these scholarships by completing a single general application accessible through My Sac State > Student Center. Eligibility requirements and award amounts vary.
ASI Scholarships: All ASI Scholarships are reported to Financial Aid.
Teacher Residency Programs: Sac State has three Teacher Residencies that offer a scholarship to pay tuition and a stipend to a candidate, as well as a year-long apprenticeship with a skilled mentor while they complete their teaching credential. In return, Teacher Residents must commit to teach for 4 years in California out of the next 8 years after they graduate.
CTA Martin Luther King Jr. Mark A.
Alan Pattee Scholarships (Section 68120): For the surviving spouse or child of a deceased California resident who was employed by a public agency or was a contractor, or an employee of a contractor, performing services for a public agency, or was a firefighter employed by the federal government whose duty assignment involved the performance of firefighting services in this state. The deceased person's principal duties consisted of active law enforcement service or active fire suppression and prevention, and was killed in the performance of active law enforcement or active fire suppression and prevention duties.
Section 68120.3: Surviving spouse (until January 1, 2033) or surviving child (until attaining the age of 30) of a deceased California resident who was a licensed physician or licensed 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. The deceased person's principal duties consisted of providing medical services or emergency services during the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency (started March 4, 2020, until the Governor lifts the state of emergency), and the deceased person died of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency.

Loan Options at Sacramento State

Sacramento State provides a range of loan programs to assist students in financing their education. It is important to remember that all loans are borrowed funds and must be repaid after graduation, leaving school, or dropping below half-time enrollment. The university offers:

Nursing Student Loans (NSL): These loans assist eligible nursing students in their junior and senior years with a low-interest (5%) loan.
Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: This is a need-based, long-term, fixed-interest rate loan for undergraduate students.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: This loan is available to eligible undergraduate and graduate students and is not need-based. Interest begins accruing at the time of disbursement.
Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Parent Loans): These loans are for eligible parents of dependent students and have a long-term, fixed-interest rate.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans: These loans are available to eligible graduate students who demonstrate creditworthiness and also have a long-term, fixed-interest rate.

Before receiving loan funds, borrowers must complete the required Direct Loan Entrance Loan Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN).

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To maintain eligibility for financial aid each year, students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree. SAP is reviewed annually each spring after grades have been posted.

The SAP review considers all graded coursework, including transfer units, repeats, in-progress courses, and withdrawals. It also incorporates all unsuccessful coursework attempted at Sacramento State (e.g., "F," "I," "NC," "W," "WU"). Students who have completed 120 percent of attempted coursework will receive a warning notification.

Students who disqualify from receiving financial aid will be notified via MySacState Student Center and provided instruction on the appeal process. Students who disqualify due to exceeding 150% of the required units for their program must submit an Academic Plan with their appeal and indicate required courses needed to complete undergraduate degree.

Return of Title IV Funds

Students who receive financial aid and then drop units, withdraw, drop out, or are expelled may be required to return a portion of the financial aid they received. This is determined by the Federal Title IV Return of Title IV Policy, which calculates the percentage of aid earned based on the number of days attended during the semester.

Federal regulations require the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office to calculate a Return of Title IV Funds for students who withdraw during the semester. The earned portion is calculated on a daily basis using calendar days from the first day of instruction. Return policies apply to students that withdraw on or before the 60% point of the term.

If a student owes a repayment, their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) record will be flagged, making them ineligible for Financial Aid at any other institution until the issue is resolved.

Additional Resources and Considerations

CA Dream Act 2025-2026 (CADAA): DACA and Undocumented students can complete the CA Dream Act application to apply for financial aid.
Foster Youth: Financial aid is available for foster youth for college or career education at any eligible California college or university, as well as schools in other states.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness: Those who teach for five consecutive years in a Title I school may be eligible to have up to $17,500 in student loans forgiven, especially for those teaching special education, math, or science.
Student Housing Assistance: Sacramento State offers up to 30 days of housing in the residence halls located at North Village of campus for students experiencing brief, unexpected housing crises.
Open University Students: Open University students are not eligible for financial aid.
Unofficial Withdrawal: Sac State Financial Aid and Scholarships reviews posted grades every semester. If a student receives all non-passing grades and there is no record of academic activity, they are determined to have unofficially withdrawn.

Understanding the Cost of Attendance (COA)

Student budgets, also known as the Cost of Attendance (COA), are designed to provide students with a projection of reasonable costs to attend school for a 9-month period. The COA includes direct costs (actual tuition and fees charged and, if applicable, on-campus housing charges) and indirect costs (allowances for books and supplies, food and housing for those living off-campus or with parents, transportation costs, and personal items).

It is important to note that budget figures are subject to change without notice. The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum, but fees may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate.

Seeking Assistance

Students can inquire about any financial aid problems at Sac State’s financial aid office located in the Student Service Center at Lassen Hall. Students who received financial aid funds should consult with the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office prior to dropping a course or withdrawing from the University to determine the impact on the financial aid received for that semester. Students can meet with an advisor at the Student Service Center during office hours to discuss their file.

tags: #middle #class #scholarship #eligibility #Sac #State