Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)

The California Student Aid Commission uses data from SDSU,  the FAFSA or CADAA to make awards. Any federal, state, institutional, or private grants and scholarships received will affect the value of your Middle Class Scholarship. Students who are eligible will see Middle Class Scholarship included in their awards.

To apply

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a California Dream Act Application (for Dream Act-eligible students) by March 2 each year.

Scholarship award amounts will vary by student and by school. 
Award amounts will be based on the cost of attendance for the school of the student’s choice and the following program requirements: federal, state, institutional and private scholarship aid, a self-help student contribution of $7,898 (applied to all students), and a parent contribution for dependent students with a household income of over $100,000. Under this formula, award amounts will vary widely among students, with each student’s award reflecting their costs and available resources. 

*Outside fee paying resources will impact your award, and can cause it to be cancelled completely.

Scholarship award can be adjusted throughout school year
It is important to note that a student’s MCS award amount may be adjusted multiple times throughout the school year, before and/or after funds have been disbursed, based on other financial aid (including but not limited to scholarships) the student may be receiving.

First Time Freshmen deciding between campuses:
Newly admitted students deciding between campuses may be offered Middle Class Scholarship 2.0 awards that are different values at each campus because each campus has their own unique cost of attendance. For more information about what is included in your cost of attendance see Cost of Attendance Tables.  

Credential Students
Students enrolled in an eligible teaching credential program may be eligible for up to one-year of Middle Class Scholarship 2.0. 

Enrollment and Satisfactory Academic Progress 
To be eligible for a Middle-Class Scholarship award, students must be enrolled in at-least 6-units of coursework required for your degree. Students must also meet SDSU Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. 

Withdrawing
Students who withdraw from coursework may be subject to return all or part of their Middle-Class Scholarship award in addition to any other federal, state, or institutional aid received. Withdrawing from coursework may also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students considering withdrawing from all or some of their courses should visit the Cal Coast Student Financial Center help desk for guidance and resources.

Additional Information

Each year’s amount will be based on the number of students that are eligible and the amount of funding allocated by the State Budget.

Students are limited in terms of time they can receive the award and it is based on the student’s grade level at SDSU.

To see how enrollment affects aid, please visit this page.

Availability of funds

Funds may be delayed or reduced depending on action of the Governor and the California State Legislature.

Each year’s amount will be based on the number of students that are eligible and the
amount of funding allocated by the State Budget.

More Information

Visit the California Student Aid Commission website to learn more.