California state government announced on Tuesday that a state-level scholarship program will provide a total of $489 million in scholarships to Los Angeles County students. Over 71% of students in grades 2 to 12 in public schools are eligible to apply, with each student eligible to receive up to $1,500.
The scholarships can be used to cover eligible education expenses, including tuition and fees, books and learning materials, computer equipment fees, and other qualifying expenses, applicable to accredited colleges, universities, vocational training programs, and vocational schools across the United States.
Officials stated that the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) was launched in 2022 and is managed by the ScholarShare Investment Board. It has already provided over $2.4 billion in scholarships to more than 6 million California children and students.
The program launched the first “CalKIDS Scholarship Month” in September, collaborating with education offices and school districts across the state.
Throughout September, participating districts and campuses in the program will organize designated CalKIDS scholarship application events where students and parents can check eligibility and apply for scholarships on-site.
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma stated that CalKIDS Scholarship Month aims to make it easier for students to access resources to support their education after high school graduation, stating, “By bringing CalKIDS directly to campuses throughout California, we can help more students take this important step and claim their scholarships.”
For students in grades 9 to 12, high school administrators can access relevant information through the state government’s student financial aid platform, WebGrants for Institutions. CalKIDS has a data-sharing agreement with the California Student Aid Commission, allowing schools to use this information to identify eligible students for CalKIDS scholarships and assist them in participating in scholarship application events in September and beyond on campus.
In addition to on-campus application events, students and parents can also check eligibility and apply for CalKIDS scholarships online at any time by logging in to CalKIDS.org and selecting “Confirm Eligibility.”