How to pay for college · Updated September 29, 2026
The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) is a California state award for low- and middle-income undergraduates, including teaching credential students, at a UC, a CSU or a California community college bachelor’s degree program. For 2026-27, families with income and assets up to $250,000 can qualify. There’s no separate application: you’re considered when you file the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by the state deadline, which was March 2-3, 2026, for the 2026-27 year.
The Middle Class Scholarship is run by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). It doesn’t have to be repaid, and it’s designed to cover part of the cost of college that’s left after other grants and scholarships.
This guide explains who qualifies, how the award is calculated, the deadlines and how MCS fits with other California aid.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Eligible schools | UC, CSU and California community college bachelor’s degree programs |
| Eligible students | Undergraduates, including students pursuing a teaching credential |
| Income and asset ceiling, 2026-27 | Up to $250,000 (up from $234,000 in 2025-26) |
| Application | No separate application; file the FAFSA or CADAA |
| Deadline for 2026-27 | March 2, 2026 (CADAA) and March 3, 2026 (FAFSA) |
| Award amount | Varies with your cost of attendance, other aid and statewide funding |
| Duration | Up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters |
| Notification | CSAC notifies selected students by mid to late August |
Source: California Student Aid Commission, Middle Class Scholarship. Full list at the end of the article.
In This Article
What Is the Middle Class Scholarship?
The Middle Class Scholarship is a state-funded award that helps California undergraduates pay for a public four-year degree. It’s available at University of California and California State University campuses and in bachelor’s degree programs offered by California community colleges. It isn’t available at private colleges or out-of-state schools.
Despite its name, MCS isn’t limited to middle-income families. CSAC describes it as aid for low- to middle-income students, and it’s calculated after other grants and scholarships you receive.
Who Qualifies for the Middle Class Scholarship?
- Be a California resident attending a UC, a CSU or a California community college bachelor’s degree program
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or meet the requirements for a nonresident tuition exemption such as AB 540
- Have family income and assets within the ceiling for the award year: up to $250,000 for 2026-27
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Not be in default on a student loan or incarcerated
CSAC publishes separate income and asset ceilings for each award year, so check the current year’s limits before you assume you won’t qualify.
How Do You Apply?
There’s no separate MCS application. File the FAFSA or, if you’re eligible for state aid but not federal aid, the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), by the state deadline. The deadline is typically March 2, but for 2026-27 it was March 2, 2026, for CADAA applicants and March 3, 2026, for FAFSA applicants. For 2025-26 it was extended to April 2, 2025.
Your school sends enrollment data to CSAC. You can track your state aid through a WebGrants 4 Students account.
How Much Is the Middle Class Scholarship?
There’s no single award amount. CSAC bases each award on your cost of attendance and all the aid you’ve already been awarded, such as Pell Grants, Cal Grants and campus grants. Final amounts also depend on how many students qualify statewide and how much the State Budget provides for the program. Current and former foster youth can have the rest of their cost of attendance covered.
“Families earning well into six figures often assume they won’t get any state aid. With a $250,000 ceiling for 2026-27, the Middle Class Scholarship is a strong reason for every UC and CSU family to file the FAFSA on time.”
CalChannel Editorial Team
When Does the Middle Class Scholarship Come Out?
CSAC says it notifies students selected for an MCS award by mid to late August. Your campus financial aid office then applies the award with your other aid, usually on the same schedule as other disbursements each term. You must file a new FAFSA or CADAA every year to be considered again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the income limit for the Middle Class Scholarship?
For students attending college between July 2026 and June 2027, the income and asset ceiling is up to $250,000. It was up to $234,000 for 2025-26.
Can I get the Middle Class Scholarship at a private college?
No. MCS is only for UC, CSU and California community college bachelor’s degree programs.
Can I get the Middle Class Scholarship and a Cal Grant?
Possibly. MCS is calculated after the other aid you receive, including Cal Grant, so some students get both. Your aid offer will show how they combine.
Do I need to reapply every year?
Yes. File the FAFSA or CADAA by the state deadline each year. MCS is available for up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters.
Is there a GPA requirement?
CSAC’s requirement is that you maintain satisfactory academic progress at your school, rather than a set statewide GPA.
The Bottom Line on the Middle Class Scholarship
The Middle Class Scholarship helps California undergraduates at UC, CSU and community college bachelor’s programs with family income and assets up to $250,000 in 2026-27. There’s no separate application, so the key step is filing the FAFSA or CADAA by the early-March state deadline every year.
See also our guides to Pell Grants, UC tuition and how to pay for college.
Sources
CalChannel Editorial Team California college guides
The CalChannel editorial team researches and writes guides to California colleges, admissions and financial aid. We build our college profiles and aid guides from colleges’ own published data, federal IPEDS data and the California Student Aid Commission. Read our editorial policy.
