Do I have to fill out a FAFSA to get financial aid?

Yes, all federal financial aid programs, including Direct Loans, require the FAFSA. Students who only want to apply for a fee waiver, can fill out a simpler form, but we recommend that such students also fill out a FAFSA to apply for other aid.

When should I file my FAFSA?

You should file your FAFSA every year between January 1st March 2nd (the priority Cal Grant deadline) every year for the following Fall. If the March 2nd deadline has passed, you should file the FAFSA as soon as possible. Click on Dates and Deadlines (to the left), for more information.

Once I file my FAFSA, what happens next?

If you fill out your FAFSA online (highly recommended), your Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to you by email in about three days. If you file the paper FAFSA, 4-6 weeks later you will receive your SAR in the mail. About two weeks after that, you should get a Missing Information Letter in the mail from the LBCC Financial Aid Office. Be sure to respond to everything in that letter.

Are there any other forms I need to fill out in order to apply for financial aid?

The FAFSA is the only form you need to apply for all of the financial aid at Long Beach City College--except for the Scholarship Program. They have a separate application.

Once your FAFSA has been processed, you may receive some additional forms in the mail from the Financial Aid Office and from the EOPS Office. These forms are needed to complete your file.

If you submit your FAFSA by March 2nd, your application will also be forwarded to the California Student Aid Commission for consideration for a Cal Grant. If you have completed 16 or more units and all of them were at Long Beach City College, you need do nothing else. Otherwise, you must fill out a GPA Verification Form (available in the Financial Aid Office). The GPA Verification Form must be certified by your high school, if you have less than 16 total college units completed, or by LBCC Admissions if you have completed at least 16 units, but some of those are from other colleges. (You must have sent transcripts from your other colleges to Admissions ahead of time.) If you need to have the GPA Verification Form certified, be sure to plan ahead, it can take up to a week.