Scholarships and Financial Aid

 In the spring, community organizations provide detailed information pertaining to the current year's program.  Depending on the organzation, the application can be submitted online or via paper application which are available in the College and Career Center.

Most applications require short essays and other documentation as a way to get to know the student better. 

All seniors should apply for Financial Aid. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application by December 1, 2024.  

Due dates for some begin as early as February 1, others extend to as late as May 15. 

If you will be graduating prior to June, turn in the applications and provide your contact information to the College and Career Center so you can be notified of due dates, interviews, and award functions.

All seniors should apply for Financial Aid. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application by December 1, 2024.  

Click on the links below for more information about requirements and due dates.

• San Luis Coastal Teachers Association
• The Community Foundation Scholarip Program San Luis Obispo County
• The Silva Injury Law Community Scholarship Fund
• Friends of Santa Maria Valley Railroad
• The Monday Club Conservancy

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form you need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. Each year, over 13 million students who file the FAFSA get more than $120 billion in grants, work-study, and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education.

Many states and colleges also use the FAFSA to determine which students get financial aid—and how much they’ll get.

FAFSA Application

All seniors should apply for Financial Aid. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application. Application opens December 1, 2024.  

• Submitting the FAFSA is the most important thing you can do if you want financial aid.
• The FAFSA is free—you don’t need to pay anyone to prepare it for you.
• You need to submit a new FAFSA before each academic year in which you want to get aid. If you plan to apply for aid throughout college, you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA each year. 
• Be sure to use a permanent email address on the form, not your high school email, so you can use your FAFSA account throughout college.

All seniors should apply for Financial Aid. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application.  Application opens December 1, 2024.  

FAFSA must be completed and submitted online: 

• Online at studentaid.gov.

When you fill out the FAFSA electronically, you’ll be asked to create a federal student aid ID (FSA ID). To create your FSA ID, you will need your Social Security number, full name, and date of birth. You’ll use it to sign the electronic form. Because one of your parents also has to sign off on your FAFSA, they’ll need to create an FSA ID, too.

Understanding the FAFSA Applicaition

All seniors should apply for Financial Aid. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application,  Application opens December 1, 2024.  

The Cuesta College Promise is a scholarship program available to all San Luis Obispo County high school graduates. The Promise offers all local graduates, including undocumented students—who come straight to Cuesta following their graduation—two years of attendance fee-free (two consecutive fall and spring semesters). The Cuesta Promise will pay fees for students that are California residents or AB540 students.

The Cuesta Promise

In addition to the Cuesta Promise, Cuesta College offers over 100 institutional scholarships through the Cuesta College Foundation. To be considered for any of these scholarships, you must submit a Cuesta Scholarship Application.

 Cuesta College Scholarship Page

Find important information about financial aid resources and about how to contact the office directly. 

Cuesta College Financial Aid Office

Cuesta Cash for College Night

The Community Foundation’s Scholarship Program was established in 2000 by generous individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to ensure that students can pursue their educational dreams. We administer a variety of scholarships for high school seniors and college students. The program awards more than 65 scholarships totaling over $420,000. All scholarships have individual criteria, deadlines and requirements.

CFSLOCO Available Sholarships

The College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents benefit waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus. This program does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board. There are four plans under which dependents of Veterans may be eligible.

CALVET Fee Waiver

Every year, several hundred thousand students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. The victims of these scams lose thousands, if not millions, of dollars collectively on an annual basis according to multiple sources. Scam operations often imitate legitimate government agencies, grant-giving foundations, education lenders and scholarship matching services, using official-sounding names containing words like “National,” “Federal,” “Foundation,” or “Administration.”

Scholarship Scams

The California Dream Act Application allows students interested in attending eligible California Colleges, Universities, and Career Education Programs to apply for state financial aid.

Undocumented, AB 540 eligible students (nonresident students exempt from paying nonresident tuition)- should fill out a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) instead of the FAFSA form to apply for financial aid.

California Dream Act Application