(a)Commencing with the 2021–22 academic year, a student who was not awarded a Cal Grant A or B award pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 69434) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 69435) at the time of the student’s high school graduation but will be enrolled at a California community college during the award year and meets all of the criteria set forth in subdivision (b) shall be entitled to a Cal Grant A or B award.
(b)
(1)To receive a Cal Grant A award under this article, an applicant shall be enrolled at a California community college during the award year and meet all of the requirements of Article 2 (commencing with Section 69434), with the exception of paragraphs (1) and (8) of subdivision (b) of Section 69434. However,
in lieu of meeting the grade point average
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(a)
Commencing with the 2021–22 academic year, a student who was not awarded a Cal Grant A or B award pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 69434) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 69435) at the time of the student’s high school graduation but will be enrolled at a California community college during the award year and meets all of the criteria set forth in subdivision (b) shall be entitled to a Cal Grant A or B award.
(b)
(1)
To receive a Cal Grant A award under this article, an applicant shall be enrolled at a California community college during the award year and meet all of the requirements of Article 2 (commencing with Section 69434), with the exception of paragraphs (1) and (8) of subdivision (b) of Section 69434. However,
in lieu of meeting the grade point average requirement set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 69434, an applicant may submit a community college or college grade point average of at least 2.4 on a 4.0 scale.
(2)
To receive a Cal Grant B award under this article, an applicant shall be enrolled at a California community college during the award year and meet all of the requirements of Article 3 (commencing with Section 69435), with the exception of paragraphs (1) and (8) of subdivision (a) of Section 69435.3. However, in lieu of meeting the grade point average requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 69435.3, a student may do either of the following:
(A)
Demonstrate attainment of a community college or college grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
(B)
Reestablish the
student’s grade point average by completing at least 16 cumulative units of credit for academic coursework at an accredited California community college, as defined by the commission, by regulation, with at least a 2.0 community college grade point average.
(c)
(1)
The commission shall use the standardized student financial aid application described in Section 69432.9.
(2)
An official financial aid application shall be submitted pursuant to Section 69432.9 and submitted or postmarked no later than September 2 of the academic year for which funds would be applied.
(d)
Cal Grant A and B awards shall be used only for the purposes set forth in Article 2 (commencing with Section 69434) and Article 3 (commencing with Section 69435), respectively.
(e)
(1)
A student who receives an award under this article may subsequently transfer to a University of California or California State University campus and remain eligible to receive the award, if the student meets all other requirements of this article and the general Cal Grant eligibility requirements set forth in Article 1 (commencing with Section 69430).
(2)
A student who receives an award under this article and subsequently transfers to an independent institution of higher education or a private for-profit postsecondary educational institution shall not remain eligible to receive an award under this article. The student shall remain eligible to apply for a California Community College Transfer Entitlement Award under Article 4 (commencing with Section 69436) or a Competitive Cal Grant A or B award under Article 5 (commencing with Section 69437), if the student meets all requirements of the relevant
article and the general Cal Grant eligibility requirements set forth in Article 1 (commencing with Section 69430).
(f)
(1)
An individual selected for a Cal Grant A award who enrolls in a California community college may elect to have the award held in reserve for a period not to exceed two academic years, except that the commission may extend the period in which the individual’s award may be held in reserve for up to three academic years if, in the commission’s judgment, the rate of academic progress has been as rapid as could be expected for the personal and financial conditions that the student has encountered. The commission shall, in this case, hold the award in reserve for the additional year. Upon receipt of a request to transfer the award to a University of California or California State University campus, the individual shall be eligible to receive the Cal Grant A award previously held in reserve if, at the time of
the request, the individual meets all of the requirements of this article. Upon receipt of the request, the commission shall reassess the financial need of the award recipient. The commission may prescribe the forms and procedures to be used for purposes of this section. A recipient’s years of eligibility for payment of benefits shall be based upon the recipient’s grade level at the time the award is transferred to the tuition or fee-charging qualifying institution.
(2)
(A)
Individuals selected for a Cal Grant A award that is held in reserve pursuant to this subdivision who meet the qualifying criteria pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 69465 shall receive an award for access costs pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 69465).
(B)
The access award referenced in subparagraph (A) shall be provided annually to qualifying individuals during the
period of time that their Cal Grant A award is held in reserve and upon transfer to a tuition or fee-charging qualifying institution, provided that the individual continues to meet the qualifying criteria pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 69465.
(3)
(A)
Individuals selected for a Cal Grant A award that is held in reserve pursuant to this subdivision who are not receiving an award for access costs pursuant to paragraph (2) and meet the qualifying criteria pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69470 shall receive an award for access costs pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 69470).
(B)
The access award referenced in subparagraph (A) shall be provided annually to qualifying individuals during the period of time that their Cal Grant A award is held in reserve and upon transfer to a tuition or fee-charging qualifying institution, provided that
the individual continues to meet the qualifying criteria pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69470.
(g)
This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2024, and, as of January 1, 2025, is repealed, only if General Fund moneys over the multiyear forecasts beginning in the 2024–25 fiscal year are available to support ongoing augmentations and actions, and if funding is provided in the annual Budget Act for this purpose.