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Financial aid for California students, step by step

The FAFSA or CADAA, the March 2 Cal Grant deadline, WebGrants, and how to read an aid offer, in order.

The UC application: dates, requirements, and what to expect

UC application dates for fall 2027, A-G requirements, Personal Insight Questions, fees, and what UC doesn't ask for.

Recommendation letters: who needs them and how to ask

Which applications ask for letters, how to ask a teacher or counselor, and a brag sheet to give your writers.

Questions families ask

Who writes these guides?

Ela Rubio, M.A., founder of Empowered Admissions, with dates checked against UC, the California Student Aid Commission, and Federal Student Aid.

Where these facts come from

• UC Admissions
• California Student Aid Commission

Dates change every year. We check them against the official sources above and update this page when they change.

More guides: Financial aid · The UC application · Recommendation letters