Cal Grant A vs B

dodgersmom
Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:58:12 +0000

Okay, I still need to get more information, but after speaking with a supervisor at the California Student Aid Commission, here is what I now understand:

It is your choice to elect either A or B (assuming you’re qualified for both), but it is possible that the school is not required to cover your tuition freshman year if you switch from A to B. So, yes, you could switch to B if you want . . . but if UCI refuses to cover your freshman year tuition, there may be nothing you can do about it. The representative at CSAC made clear that it is NOT their problem . . . they are responsible for administering Cal Grants only. They have nothing to say about the institutional grants awarded by the individual schools, and they absolutely cannot force a school to award an institutional grant.

In your case, this really shouldn’t be a problem. Since Cal Grant A plus your UCI award of $3k is more than you’d ever get with Cal Grant B, you have no reason to switch. So take your Cal Grant A and your UCI grant . . . you got a great deal!