Financial Aid
Federal and state financial aid is available to qualifying students planning to attend college or career /technical school. There are a variety of options available, and all LMA seniors are strongly encouraged to apply for financial aid to actively set up options for their future after high school.
- More information of federal aid at https://studentaid.gov/
- More information on California student aid at https://www.csac.ca.gov/students
NOTE: Information on financial aid provided on the LMA website is provided only for general reference. Students and their families are urged to explore each of the options thoroughly, then determine which financial aid resources are best suited to their individual situations.
NOTE: These applications are FREE. Students should NOT PAY to apply for financial assistance to attend college or career/technical school.
FSA ID
Families can begin early by creating FSA ID accounts. This identification serves as the login and signature for the application for financial aid (FAFSA). Both the student AND a parent/guardian need their own FSA ID and it is used again in the next few years to apply again. To create an FSA ID, a social security number and mobile phone number and/or email address is required. Additionally, both the student and parent/guardian need to have their own FSA ID.
FAFSA
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and is how students apply for financial aid for both federal and California programs. Students must complete the application each year, which opens October 1 for the following year. To be eligible for California financial aid programs (CalGrants), the FAFSA must be submitted before March 2, but LMA recommends earlier so students and their families will have the financial information when choosing a college and signing up for the fall. Since the FAFSA includes questions about personal financial situations, here are some documents to have on hand to assist in completing the form:
- Social Security numbers (student & parent/guardian)
- Driver’s license, Alien Registration number, or other government identification
- Federal tax information (Ex: IRS 1040, W-2, untaxed income, etc.)
- Assets (Ex: Information on bank account balances)
IMPORTANT! The FAFSA is also the application for CalGrants. Leadership Military Academy will submit GPAs to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) for all grade 12 students by October 1 (unless they have opted-out in writing). A student’s GPA is then matched to the FAFSA, so it is important to make sure the information entered on the FAFSA and LMA records match to avoid any errors or delays in processing the FAFSA.
CADAA
The CADAA is the California Dream Act Application, which provides students who are undocumented opportunities to receive financial aid for college. Undocumented students do NOT obtain an FSA ID nor complete the FAFSA. The CADAA is unrelated to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Chafee Grant
The Chafee Grant is specifically for Foster Youth and has a separate application in addition to the FAFSA or CADAA. If a student was in foster care for at least one day, between the ages of 16 and 18 as a dependent or ward of the court they may be eligible for up to $5000 per year toward college or career/technical school.
WebGrants 4 Students
When students apply using the FAFSA or CADAA, they must register at WebGrants 4 Students (WG4S) to monitor and manage their CalGrant and/or Chafee application status. It is also how students will learn if their FAFSA has not successfully been matched to their GPA. If this is the case, please contact LMA.
Scholarships
NOTE: Scholarships are based on merit and do not have to be paid back. Similarly, students SHOULD NOT PAY to apply for scholarships.
The following resources on scholarships are from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) Cash for College resource, Private Scholarships.