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The California Dream Act of 2011 allows students who meet AB540 criteria to apply for and receive certain state and institutional financial assistance programs.
We recommend that all students complete their applications by March 2nd each year (May 2, 2024, for the 2024-2025 application cycle) because this is the priority deadline for both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA).
We also recommend that those considering graduate or professional programs complete the financial aid application by the March 2nd priority deadline, even if they are unsure of which institution they will attend. Completing the application is important because eligibility for financial aid resources can vary between universities.
The CA Dream Act is for
The student meet adhere to all of the following AB540 requirements
AB130 (Scholarships)
AB131 (Grants)
Assembly Bill (AB) 2000 and Dream Act Application
Senate Bill (SB) 68 - Expanding Assembly Bill (AB) 540
The Priority Application Filing period for the 2023-2024 academic year is from October 1, 2022 to March 2, 2023. Apply at dream.csac.ca.gov.
Students who wish to apply for the Cal Grant programs in addition to SUG and EOP Grants should apply between during the priority application filing period.
*State applications with deadlines that fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday will be accepted on the next business day.
Application Timeline
Change from Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to Student Aid Index (SAI)
Inclusion of Race/Ethnicity/Gender questions
AB 540 Affidavit inclusion
Parent Signature Process Changes
On Sep 13, 2023, the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees approved a multi-year tuition increase beginning the 2024-2025 academic year. Please note that the tuition increase will apply to all 23 CSU campuses. As part of the CSU system, CSU Domiguez Hills must also manage this increase for the next academic year.
For more information, please view the Multi-Year Revenue Sustainability plan.
The multi-year tuition increase will benefit current and prospective students in three important ways:
Full time undergraduate students will see a tuition increase of $342 for the 2024-2025 academic year, or $171 per term. The tuition increase will take effect in the 2024-2025 academic year. Your cost of tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year will not be affected. Visit the Multi-Year Tuition Increase FAQ website to view the new tuition rates from academic year 2024-25 through 2028-29.
Undergraduate students eligible for California state financial aid programs such as the State University Grant (SUG) and Cal Grant (CG) will see an increase of $342 for the 2024-2025 academic year to cover the total tuition increase. Meanwhile, the Middle-Class Scholarship (MCS) will cover a portion of the tuition increase. Students eligible for federal financial aid programs such as the Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) will not see an increase in these federal aid programs to accommodate the tuition increase. Pell Grant and FSEOG are federally funded, and do not cover increases to state tuition. In addition, please note that Pell Grant and FSEOG eligibility are based on your student need and enrollment status.
We encourage you to continue to apply for financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for the 2024-2025 application year which will open in December 2023. Please apply as soon as the applications become available so that your eligibility can be determined, and you receive the maximum amount of financial aid.