General Eligibility

♦ Demonstrate financial need. Financial need is the difference between the cost of attending Cerritos College and the amount of resources you expect to contribute toward your education as determined by the Federal Methodology.

♦ Be a Citizen/Eligible Non-citizen: You must be one of the following to receive student aid:

U.S. Citizen
U.S. National (includes natives of American Somoa or Swain's Island
U.S. Permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551c (Alien Registration receipt card) If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible: Refugee, Asylum Granted, Indefinite Parole and/or Humanitarian Parole, Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending)
If you're in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you can not get student aid. Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible for student aid.

♦ Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program. A regular student is defined as a person who enrolls for the purpose of obtaining a degree, certificate of achievement, or a transfer program.

♦ Declare an EDUCATIONAL GOAL at the Office of Admissions and Records, and be taking courses towards an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, Certificate of Achievement, or a Transfer Program. It is your responsibility to know your educational goal and the requirements to meet that goal. The Financial Aid Office does not provide academic advisement to students.

♦ Have a High School diploma or equivalency. This includes passing the CAHSEE for Class of 2006 and after. The ability-to-benefit test is considered equivalent for financial aid purposes. You can take the ability-to-benefit test at the Assessment Center.

♦ All males born after December 31, 1959, must register with Selective Service. If you believe that you are not required to be registered, call the Selective Service office at 1-847-668-6888 for information regarding exemptions. You can register on-line at www.sss.gov

♦ You don't owe a refund on any grant received at any institution or be in default on any student loan, such as the Perkins Loan or Stafford Loan.

♦ Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

♦ Submit some or all of the following documentation:

You and/or your parents IRS 1040 tax return for the prior year or you and/or your parents Income Certification, (if they or you did not file) including W2's.
Veteran's Benefits Verification
Financial Aid Agreement and Satisfactory Academic Progress Form
Social Security Card
Other information may be requested by the Financial Aid Office

There are some general requirements that must be met to be eligible for financial aid:

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can complete the FASFA on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov
Demonstrate financial need. Financial need is the difference between the cost of attending Cerritos College and the amount of resources you expect to contribute toward your education as determined by the Federal Methodology.
Be a Citizen/Eligible Non-citizen: You must be one of the following to receive student aid:

U.S. Citizen
U.S. National (includes natives of American Somoa or Swain's Island
U.S. Permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551c (Alien Registration receipt card) If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible: Refugee, Asylum Granted, Indefinite Parole and/or Humanitarian Parole, Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending)
If you're in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you can not get student aid. Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible for student aid.

4.Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program. A regular student is defined as a person who enrolls for the purpose of obtaining a degree, Certificate of Achievement, or a Transfer Program offered by the institution.

You must therefore declare an EDUCATIONAL GOAL at the Office of Admissions and Records, and be taking courses towards an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, Certificate of Achievement, or a Transfer Program. It is your responsibility to know your educational goal and the requirements to meet that goal. The financial Aid Office does not provide academic advisement to students.

You must have a High School diploma or equivalency. This includes passing the CAHSEE for Class of 2006 and after.

All males born after December 31, 1959, must register with Selective Service. If you believe that you are not required to be registered, call the Selective Service office at 1-847-668-6888 for information regarding exemptions. You can register on-line at www.sss.gov

You don't owe a refund on any grant received at any institute or be in default on any student loan, such as the Perkins Loan or Stafford Loan.

You must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as described in the Financial Aid Policies and Procedures Manual/Handbook.

You may also be requested to submit some or all of the following:

You and/or your parents IRS tax return for the prior year or you and/or your parents Income Certification, (if they or you did not file) including W2's.
Veteran's Benefits Verification
Financial Aid Agreement and Satisfactory Academic Progress Form
Social Security Card
Other information may be requested by the Financial Aid Office