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FAFSA and CADAA - Cash for College

FAFSA 2026–2027 Updates

CUHSD wants to share an important update from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you plan to attend a college, community college, or trade school in 2027, you'll need to apply for financial aid.

Date Important Timeline

The 2027–2028 FAFSA Application (opens in new tab) is officially scheduled to open on October 1, 2026.

Please note: CUHSD recommends that you launch your FAFSA and CADAA applications from CaliforniaColleges.edu (CCGI). Information about CCGI and applications will also be available in the fall.

Action New This Year: Gov Photo ID Requirement

The FAFSA has introduced a new financial aid process (opens in new tab) and may now require a government-issued photo ID to process your application.

If you don't have an ID, it could hold up or delay your financial aid. This summer is the time to get it—before the fall rush.

You can make an appointment locally at the California DMV San Jose Field Office (opens in new tab).

Options Undocumented Students

Check if you qualify for the California Dream Act Application (opens in new tab) (CADAA) instead. This application does not require a government-issued ID. More information will be available in the fall.

Download FAFSA Updates Resource PDF (opens in new tab)

For questions, please reach out to your school site’s College & Career Specialist.

CUHSD hosts Cash 4 College and Financial Aid workshops with application support open to all district families. At the Cash 4 College workshops families will receive one to one support from trained financial aid professionals to complete the FAFSA or CADAA.  Financial Aid Nights are where families receive information regarding financial aid.  The 2026-2027 FAFSA application opens October 1, 2025.
What To Bring to Financial Aid Night:
Bring your computer or notebook
 
What To Bring to Cash 4 College:
Computer or tablet (please make sure it is charged)
FSA ID (For FAFSA filers ONLY)
Driver's License, if you have one
Social Security Card, if you have one
Alien Registration Card, if you have one
ITIN, if you have one
List of Colleges you are interested in
Most current bank statements
Any records of untaxed income
Prior-prior year tax information (1040s and W2s)
 
 
2025-2026 FAFSA/CADAA for College Workshops

Financial Aid Presentations

School Location Date Time Language
Del Mar High School Cafeteria September 16, 2025 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm English
Del Mar High School Cafeteria September 16, 2025 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Español
Westmont High School Virtual September 16, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm —
Branham High School Virtual September 30, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Leigh High School — September 30, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm English
Leigh High School — October 2, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Español
Prospect High School Virtual October 23, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Boynton High School — November 4, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm English
Boynton High School — November 5, 2025 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Español
 

Cash 4 College Workshops

School Location Date Time Notes
Leigh High School Library October 15, 2025 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm —
Del Mar High School Cafeteria October 21, 2025 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Del Mar High School Library November 19, 2025 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Prospect High School CCC December 3, 2025 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm —
Branham High School CCC December 11, 2025 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Boynton High School — December 16, 2025 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Boynton Students Only
Leigh High School Library January 13, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm —
Westmont High School Academic Center January 13, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Branham High School CCC January 20, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Leigh High School Library January 27, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm —
Del Mar High School Cafeteria February 3, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm —
Prospect High School CCC February 11, 2026 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm —
CAL Grant 
The State of California seeks to expand access to financial aid to students and families who may otherwise not be aware of the opportunities. Continuing from last academic school year, all 12th grade students and their parents will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) per the recently passed California AB 469.

Important reasons why you would want to complete the FAFSA/CADAA application by the March 3rd, 2025 deadline:
  •  March 3rd, 2025 is the priority deadline for Cal Grant consideration
  • Receive priority for money for education, trade school, community college and/or college
  • FAFSA/CADAA may be required for college scholarship consideration
  • Receive financial aid offers from multiple schools before making a decision

Visit the Federal Student Aid Website
Visit the CADAA Website
Federal Student Aid Youtube Resources

Register as a Parent/Guardian for the California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI) 
To register as a parent for the California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI), you can follow these steps:
  • Go to CaliforniaColleges.edu 
  • Click Register Your Account
    Select I am a Parent/Guardian from the dropdown menu
  • Enter your child's school district and school name
  • Enter your child's first and last name, student ID number, and date of birth
  • Click the checkbox to certify that you are a parent
  • Click Next to continue
  • You will be brought to the Family Dashboard
 
Your parent account will be linked to your child's account. You can add additional students to your account by clicking Add Another Student under My Students.

CaliforniaColleges.edu is a free platform for California 6th–12th grade students, their parents, and educators. It provides resources and tools to help students plan for college, careers, and financial aid. 
 
If you are having trouble registering, you can check that you entered your information correctly. If you are still having trouble, you can contact your school counselor.

Free Tutorials for FAFSA/CADAA by California Colleges Guidance Initiative (CCGI)

Californiacolleges.edu Offers Free Tutorials on Filling out the FAFSA/CADAA
All CUHSD students can access this platform through their Google Single Sign On
Visit californiacolleges.edu to get started

12 STEPS

1. Read the slide for more information.

Click the right arrow below the tutorial to advance to the next slide.

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2. Sign in to CaliforniaColleges.edu.

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3. Click the My Financial Aid Plan button to access the financial aid modules.

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4. Click on a module to bring up lessons to explore.

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5. Your modules will include To-Do lists for you to complete as you advance.

Click the yellow box under the Completed To Do's column to view your To-Do List.

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6. You can also access your To-Do List through the dropdown menu at the top of the page. Clicking Mark as Done checks off each item. Once all are done, the lesson is marked as Complete.

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7. Click the pages icon (📄) to explore resources related to each lesson.

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8. Click one of the links to navigate to a detailed guide on each topic.

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9. Click the X to close.

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10. Click on a lesson to open it.

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11. If you need to stop before completing a lesson, you can close it by clicking the X button at the top right of the slide. Your lesson will be marked as In Progress, but you will need to start from the beginning when you come back to it.

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12. When you finish all the slides in a lesson, click Complete Slides. Once the lesson is complete, future lessons will be unlocked.

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Here's an interactive tutorial

** Best experienced in Full Screen (click the icon in the top right corner before you begin) **

https://www.iorad.com/player/2185285/How-to-Use-the-Financial-Aid-Lessons-for-12th-Grade-Students?lang=en