Frequently Asked Questions
In addition to tuition, students pay for basic needs that comprise their full educational expenses. According to the ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ Student Aid Commission, ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ college students who live off-campus spend close to $30,078 per year on necessities including food, housing, transportation, books, and supplies per year (9-month academic calendar). Of note, housing costs can differ substantially by region in ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ.
According to the ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ Student Aid Commission, in the 2023-24 academic year, approximately 900,000 CCC students submitted a Free Application for Federal Students Aid (FAFSA) or ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ Dream Act Application (CADAA).
Some financial aid programs, such as the ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ College Promise Grant and other institutional aid programs, do not require students to complete a FAFSA or CADAA.
In 2023-24, approximately 24% of ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ community college students received a Pell Grant, 9% received a Cal Grant, and 47% received a ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ College Promise Grant.
In 2023-24, 1.5% of students received a loan (including federal, institutional, and private loans).
Source: DataMartAccording to the 2023 #RealCollege survey conducted by The RP Group and the Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Affordability, Food & Housing Access Taskforce, a significant proportion of students at ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ Community Colleges face basic needs insecurities. In 2023, 68% of survey respondents reported experiencing at least one form of basic needs insecurity. Among these, 47% faced food insecurity within the past 30 days, 58% experienced housing insecurity over the past year, and 24% were homeless at some point during the previous year, which shows an increase from 19% in 2019.