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What happens if my classes start late?

Updated

Late start classes can affect the timing and/or amount of your financial aid disbursements. This is because late start units are not counted towards your financial aid eligibility until the late start class in question begins.

There are several awards that are dependent on meeting certain minimum unit requirements (e.g., Solano Promise requires students to be full-time) and other awards for which eligibility is based on enrollment intensity (e.g., Pell and Cal Grant).

For awards which have minimum unit requirements, students will only become eligible once their late start classes begin and their late start units begin to count towards their financial aid. For awards which are based on a student's enrollment intensity—primarily Pell and Cal Grant—students may or may not receive additional disbursements due to late start units.

 

How will my Pell be affected by my late start units?

  1. If ALL your classes are late start, you will not be disbursed Pell at the regular two Pell disbursement dates, like most students. You will be disbursed the entirety of your Pell on the first disbursement date after your late start classes begin.
  2. If you have 0.5–11.5 units that are not late start and at least 0.5 late start units, you will be disbursed part of your Pell at the regular two Pell disbursement dates. You will then have the remainder of your Pell disbursed on the first disbursement date after your late start classes begin.
  3. If you have 12 or more units that are not late start and at least 0.5 late start units, you will be disbursed all of your Pell at the regular 2 Pell disbursement dates. You will not have any Pell disbursed after your late start classes begin.

 

How will my Cal Grant be affected by my late start units? 

Unlike the Pell Grant, the Cal Grant requires that students are attending at least 6 units. This changes the way in which late start can affect Cal Grants.

  1. If ALL of your classes are late start (and you are taking at least 6 units), you will not be disbursed Cal Grant at the regular disbursement date for Cal Grant, like most students. You will be disbursed your Cal Grant on the first disbursement date after your late start classes start.
  2. If you are taking 0.5–5.5 units that are not late start and at least 0.5 late start units, you will not be disbursed Cal Grant at the regular disbursement date on the freeze date, like most students. You will be disbursed your Cal Grant on the first disbursement date after your late start classes start.
  3. If you are taking 6–11.5 units that are not late start and at least 0.5 late start units, you will be disbursed part of your Cal Grant on the regular disbursement date on the freeze date. You will then have the remainder of your Cal Grant disbursed on the first disbursement date after your late start classes begin.
  4. If you are taking 12 units that are not late start and at least 0.5 late start units, you will be disbursed the entirety of your Cal Grant on the regular disbursement date on the freeze date. You will not have any Cal Grant disbursed after your late start classes begin.

 

For more information, or if you have any questions, please contact the Financial Aid Office.