FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid
To apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Completing and submitting the FAFSA form is free and must be done each year. The FAFSA is the most appropriate financial aid application for students who are U.S. Citizens and eligible noncitizens. The most common category of eligible noncitizen is that of permanent resident, but there are other categories as well as described here.
Additionally, the State of California and Woodland Community College may use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.
For more information regarding the FAFSA application, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA information page.
FAFSA tutorials are available by clicking on the appropriate link under the tutorial list on the left side bar of this page. These tutorials provide a detailed description of items included on the FAFSA for both current award years for new and renewal filers.
CADAA – CAlifornia Dream Act Application
The California Dream Act Application allows students enrolled in eligible California Colleges, Universities, and Career Education Programs to apply for state aid. This application is unrelated to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The CADAA is the most appropriate financial aid application for students who are residents of the State of California that do not qualify to complete the FAFSA application.
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) maintains the California Dream Act Application and application process. For more information regarding the California Dream Act and the CADAA, visit the CSAC Dream Act information page.
The California Student Aid Commission has strict security and confidentiality policies and procedures in place to protect the integrity and confidentiality of student records.The California Student Aid Commission has not now, or in the past, shared any information which would indicate a student’s immigration status, either documented or undocumented. The California Student Aid Commission also adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99), a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
CADAA tutorial is available by clicking on the appropriate link under the tutorial list on the left side bar of this page. This tutorial provides a detailed description of items included on the application.