Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to all students to assist with the cost of education, without regard to family income. Cal Maritime encourages all students to apply for financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for and complete all requirements for financial aid, and we are here to help. Additional information can be obtained from the Financial Aid office (707) 654-1287 or financialaid@csum and online at: http://www.csum.edu/financial-aid

Cal Maritime offers a variety of financial aid programs to students needing assistance in financing their education. Funds are made available by the U.S. Department of Education, the State of California, private lending institutions and, with support from our philanthropic donors, Cal Maritime directly. Types of financial assistance include scholarships, grants, loans, and employment opportunities. Assistance can be in the form of need-based or non-need-based sources of financial aid.

Applying for Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid, students should submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the basic application required for most federal, state, and institutional financial aid. Applications can be submitted beginning October 1 before the start of the academic year (i.e., October 1, 2018, for the 2019-2020 school year). You can apply online at http://www.studentaid.gov

You can also request a paper application by calling 1-800-4FED-AID. An FSA ID is necessary to sign the FAFSA. If the FAFSA is filed before the parent or student files tax returns for the year, that person may fill out the FAFSA and submit corrections upon completion of their tax returns. Priority for grants is given to those students who submit their FAFSA by March 2.

Students who are unable to apply via the FAFSA can completed the California Dream Act Application (CADAA).

Undocumented students, DACA recipients (valid/expired), U Visa holders, students with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and who meet AB 540 requirements can complete the CA Dream Act Application. The CA Dream Act Application is used to apply for state financial aid, like Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship as well as institutional aid from colleges like the State University Grant (SUG).

Scholarships

Cal Maritime receives annual scholarship funds from individuals, corporations, foundations, and professional associations. The California State University Maritime Academy Foundation manages a number of scholarship endowments, many of them named in memory of distinguished individuals associated with Cal Maritime.

Continuing students may apply on-line for California State University Maritime Academy Foundation scholarships in late December. Applicants are chosen based on merit (cumulative GPA), need (the expected family contribution from the FAFSA application), leadership, and community service. There may be other determining factors, depending on the donor’s wishes. Students are notified before the end of the spring semester of their scholarship award for the next academic year.

Athletic Scholarships

Athletics scholarships are awarded to incoming students who show prowess in targeted areas of Cal Maritime’s athletics program. Due to budgetary constraints, these scholarships are limited in number. These awards are initiated by the Department of Athletics.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Scholarships

Cal Maritime participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program administered by the Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education (WICHE). This program is designed to permit students from participating states to attend Cal Maritime at reduced tuition rates. Students from the states of Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI), Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, U.S. Pacific Terriotries and Freely Associated States are eligible as applicants from WICHE member states. Students participating in Cal Maritime’s WUE program pay only 50% more than the in-state tuition rate. WUE scholarships reduce the overall cost of attending Cal Maritime by reducing the tuition for a recipient from out-of-state.

To be eligible for consideration, a student must meet the following requirements: (a) be accepted as a full-time student at Cal Maritime, and (b) be a resident of a WICHE member state. Inquiries for WUE should be directed to the Office of Admissions. To apply, please complete the application for undergraduate admission through CSU Mentor between October 1 and November 30 in the year prior to enrollment. Applications after the priority date will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

To remain in Cal Maritime’s WUE program, students must maintain the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. Please refer to the SAP Standards.

Captain David Lyman Scholarship for Hawaii Residents

The Captain David Lyman Scholarship seeks to honor the memory of Captain David Lyman, a longtime member of Hawaii’s maritime community, by providing financial incentive for Hawaii students to apply to and enroll at Cal Maritime and pursue a maritime profession.

Up to two recipients will be selected each year. Each student receives a scholarship of up to $3,000 per year, renewable for up to a total of four years if the student maintains a minimum GPA while at Cal Maritime as follows:

• Freshman students must maintain a minimum 2.25 GPA
• Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students must maintain a minimum 2.50 GPA

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a resident of the state of Hawaii;
• Submit an online admission application to Cal Maritime by November 30 of the year preceding the year of attendance
• Be a student pursuing their first bachelors degree;
• Be a student pursuing a degree in Marine Transportation, Marine Engineering Technology, or Mechanical Engineering (USCG License Track)
• Apply for the scholarship in writing by January of the year of attendance

The Osher Foundation Scholarship

The Bernard Osher Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected businessman and community leader. The Foundation seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts. The Foundation provides post-secondary scholarship funding to colleges and universities across the nation.

A generous scholarship endowment has been given to Cal Maritime by the Bernard Osher Foundation to assist upper-division transfer students from California community colleges with the tuition cost of attending Cal Maritime. Up to two new scholarships may be awarded each year. Qualifying students may retain their scholarships for up to eight semesters. Scholarship amounts can be up to $5,000 per year. To be eligible, a student must:

• Submit an online application for admission to Cal Maritime by November 30 of the year preceding the year of attendance
• Be a student transferring in with at least 60 transferable semester units (or equivalent) completed by the spring semester before enrolling
• Be a student whose last college was a California Community College
• Submit the Osher Foundation Scholarship application by the February of the year of attendance

Grants

Federal Pell Grant Program

Pell Grants are federally funded, need-based awards available to students pursuing their first undergraduate degree. Grants are awarded on a sliding scale based on a student’s aid index from the FAFSA and enrollment. Pell Grants are awarded assuming full-time enrollment. The award may be adjusted according to actual enrollment at the add/drop deadline for the term.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG)

SEOG Grants are federally funded, need-based awards available to students pursuing their first undergraduate degree who have exceptional financial need. Priority is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients and those who have completed their FAFSA by March 2. These funds are awarded directly by Cal Maritime and are limited to the total amount allocated to the college by the U.S. Department of Education.

Cal Grant A & B

The California Student Aid Commission awards these grants to California residents who have displayed academic achievement and financial need.

Cal Grant A provides need-based grant assistance to low- and middle-income students to offset tuition/fee costs for high school graduates with at least a 3.0 GPA. Recipients must also meet financial requirements. For 2024-25, the maximum Cal Grant A award for CSU students is $6,084 for undergraduates. These awards are limited to the total amount of the system-wide state tuition fees for full-time students.

Cal Grant B provides need-based grant assistance to high-potential students from low-income, disadvantaged families to help offset tuition/fee and other costs for high school graduates with at least a 2.0 GPA. Recipients must also meet financial requirements. In 2024-25, the maximum living allowance is $1,648 and the tuition/fee awards are the same as Cal Grant A ($6,084) for students enrolling at CSU campuses.

Students must apply for the Cal Grant by completing their FAFSA or CADAA by the March 2 deadline and submitting a GPA verification form. This grant is not available to students who have already received a baccalaureate degree.

Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)

The Middle Class Scholarship is administered by the California Student Aid Commission and provides an amount to help with college expenses for eligible California residents with family incomes and assets of up to $226,000. Students apply for MCS by completing their FAFSA or CADAA by the March 2 deadline.

State University Grants

The State University Grant (SUG) provides need-based awards to cover the state tuition fees for eligible undergraduate students who are California residents or are otherwise determined as eligible. System-wide, the priority is to award an SUG at least equal to the amount of the state tuition fees of $6,084 to eligible, first-time undergraduate students. At Cal Maritime, preference is given to high-need students who have filed their FAFSA or CADAA by March 2. Students who have their state university fees paid with a Cal Grant or by another outside agency are not eligible to receive this award.

Loans

All students are required to make a “self-investment” in their education. Student loans play a significant role in financing the education of Cal Maritime students. Federal direct loan, federal direct Stafford loan, and federal direct parent PLUS Loan are the best loans that students and their families can receive because they are federally regulated. Please remember that these are loans and must be repaid. Failure to repay these loans can result in loan default, resulting in many years without the use of credit. Students must complete a FAFSA to determine eligibility for all loans.

Federal Direct Stafford Loans

A subsidized federal direct Stafford loan is a government-insured, long-term, low-interest loan for eligible undergraduate students. The federal government pays the interest on the loan while the student remains enrolled in college at least half-time or more. Repayment begins six months after graduation or separation. The standard repayment period is 10 years. However students can take longer, if needed.  The fixed interest rate is set each year on July 1.

An unsubsidized federal direct Stafford loan is a long-term, low-interest loan for eligible undergraduate and graduate students who generally do not qualify for other need-based financial assistance, or for students who need loan assistance beyond the maximums provided by the subsidized loan program. Students can pay the interest while in school, or defer payments until the loan goes into repayment. Repayment on the loan begins six months after graduation or separation. The standard repayment period is 10 years. However students can take longer, if needed. The fixed interest rate is set each year on July 1.

Federal Plus Loan

A federal direct parent PLUS Loan is a government-insured, long-term, low-interest loan for eligible parents of dependent, undergraduate students who generally do not qualify for other financial assistance. Parents may borrow up to the total cost of their dependent student’s education minus any other aid for which the student is eligible.

PLUS loans have a fixed interest rate set on July 1 of each year. Repayment begins 60 days after the funds are fully disbursed (usually towards the middle of Spring term), and the repayment term is 10 years. Parents have the option of deferring repayment on PLUS loans while the student is in school, and for a six-month grace period after the student graduates or drops below full-time enrollment.

Dependent students whose parents have been denied a PLUS loan may be eligible to apply for an additional unsubsidized Stafford loan.

To qualify for a PLUS loan, the parent must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen, have a valid social security number, and pass a credit check.

For the credit check, parents generally must not have any outstanding tax liens, unpaid judgments, delinquent or defaulted loans, extensive credit card debt, bankruptcy, foreclosure or wage garnishment within the past five years. Parents who cannot pass the credit check may still be able to receive a PLUS loan if they know someone who can pass the credit check and is willing to co-sign their loan.

Private Loans

In addition to the federal loan program, many lenders offer alternative educational loans. At Cal Maritime, we encourage you to look at the federal loans before you take out alternative or private loans. These loans have variable rates and are not federally regulated. If students would like an alternative loan, they will be asked to complete a FAFSA and will be asked to use the federal options first.

Student Employment

For many students, employment is a supplement to borrowing. Students should attempt to establish a reasonable balance between their academic efforts and work schedules. Consequently, student employees may not work more than 20 hours per week except during periods when classes are not in session.

Cal Maritime is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Financial Aid Office reaffirms Cal Maritime’s commitment to equal opportunity to all, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, or sexual orientation.

Federal Work Study Program

Federal Work-Study (FWS) students receive placement for student employment on campus. FWS is a need-based financial aid program that provides part-time employment for students. Federal Work-Study jobs assist students financially and may provide career-related work experience. Pay rates vary depending on job requirements and student skills. To receive priority consideration, complete the FAFSA by March 2 for the upcoming year.

Students who are interested in a FWS position must make sure they have been awarded FWS. If not, they must contact the Financial Aid Office to see if they are eligible.

Once it is determined that a student has been accepted into the FWS program, he or she will be provided with additional instructions for assistance in finding an on-campus job, and to complete the required paperwork.

Eligibility Requirements for Federal Financial Aid

Each Federal program has its own set of requirements governing the administration and receipt of funds from the program. These requirements are subject to change at any time.

In order to receive financial aid at Cal Maritime, a student must:

• be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• be registered with the Selective Service (if required)
• be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular matriculated student in a degree program
• be making Satisfactory Academic Progress
• not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal education loan
• not have been convicted of a drug related violation while receiving federal student aid
• for state programs - Cal Grant and State University Grant - be a California resident

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

This policy establishes the minimum qualitative and quantitative standards students must meet to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

This policy applies to all undergraduate and graduate student enrolled full-time, part-time, ¾ time or ¼ time at The California Maritime Academy (CMA).

Federal regulations require students maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to remain eligible to receive financial assistance. The SAP policy governs eligibility for all federal and state financial aid programs. (Note: The SAP Policy for financial aid is separate, different but not any stricter from the CMA Academic Standing Policy, which pertains to eligibility to remain enrolled in courses at CMA).

There are two components required to maintain SAP: a qualitative measure, demonstrated by grade point average (GPA), and quantitative measure which include both a measurement of pace of progression towards a degree and a maximum timeframe for completion of a program of study.

SAP Standards Information

Qualitative Standard

Undergraduate students must maintain an academic year, cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0 (C average) and graduate students must maintain an academic year, cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0. The academic year for financial aid purposes runs from fall term to the end of spring term. Summer is an optional term and any units taken will be evaluated at the next SAP evaluation period.

Courses with F and NC grades are included in the GPA calculation as “zero” earned grade points. Students academically disqualified by CMA are ineligible for financial assistance until official re-admittance to the Academy.

Quantitative Standard

The Quantitative Standard has two components: Pace of Progression and Maximum Timeframe.

Pace of Progression: Full time students are expected to complete their degree within 8 terms (4 years). However, because some students need additional time, financial aid is available for up to 6 years for students without transfer credits.

To ensure students are making progress towards their degree, CMA requires that they complete 67% of all attempted units in their program based on cumulative units. Courses with F, NC, W, I and WU grades taken at CMA will be included in the cumulative units attempted.

Maximum Timeframe: Federal regulations stipulate the maximum timeframe for completion of a degree is 150% of the published length of time required to complete the program. Transfer credits applied to outstanding degree requirements will be counted as both attempted and completed units when determining both pace of progression and maximum timeframe. Remedial coursework is not included in the maximum attempted and completed unit calculation.

Repeated Coursework Policy

• A student may receive federal financial aid when repeating a course that was previously failed.
• A student may receive federal financial aid to repeat a previously passed course (with a D- or better, including CR grade) one additional time, whether or not a student received federal financial aid for an earlier enrollment of the course.
• Once a student has completed any course twice and earned a passing grade (with a D- or better, including CR grade) they are no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid for that course.
• If a student retakes a course that is no longer eligible for financial aid, the units are excluded from the total enrollment and the student’s financial aid will be adjusted to exclude these units.
• All repeated courses are counted as attempted units for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Transfer Credits

Credit hours transferred from other schools that are accepted toward completion of the Cal Maritime program count as hours attempted and hours completed. These are also factored into the Maximum Time Frame.

A maximum of 70 units of transferable credit from a 2-year institution will be counted based on CSU and Cal Maritime Policy.

Units from a 4-year institution are not limited to 70; however, transfer credit may be excluded by request if it cannot be used to meet any Cal Maritime Degree requirements (including general electives).

SAP Evaluation Period

Financial Aid SAP will be evaluated at the end of the Spring semester once grades have been finalized and posted. Your SAP status is calculated using your entire academic record from all schools attended, even if you did not receive financial aid. Courses taken in the Summer, Fall, and Spring will be evaluated at the end of the next Spring semester.

Students will be notified via email to the @csum.edu email account on the outcome of their SAP status, this includes “meets” and “not meets” statuses. PeopleSoft Communication engine will be used to generate email response to SAP status. Additionally, a checklist item will be placed on the students’ account so that students can see this on their To-do list item. This will prevent financial aid from being released and will provide information to the student on their options including submitting an appeal.

Incomplete and Withdrawals

Letter grades of W, WU, NC, I, and IC are all considered towards units attempted for pace of measure but because no credits are earned, these grades will not improve a student’s pace towards graduation.

SAP Disqualification

Students who fail to meet the SAP standards will be SAP disqualified and ineligible for Federal and State financial assistance. If during the SAP review process it is determined a student will not be able to meet the quantitative measure (maximum timeframe) by graduation, the student will be ineligible for future financial assistance.

Appealing and Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

To regain eligibility for financial aid, students may submit an appeal in cases where there have been extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control which prevented him/her from meeting SAP requirements. Examples include the death of a close relative, a serious injury, or an illness. There are three critical elements to filing a successful appeal:

• An explanation why the student failed to meet the academic the academic standards
• What has changed to ensure success in future coursework and;
• An academic plan (signed by an academic or major adviser) that demonstrates the student will be able to meet SAP standards within one year or by a specific point as defined by the plan.

Students who regain eligibility as a result of an appeal will be considered to be on Financial Aid Probation for the period of the plan. Students who fail to meet SAP standards (as defined by the academic plan) or does not follow the academic plan will be ineligible to receive financial aid. No further appeals will be granted unless the student can demonstrate there were extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control which prevented meeting the academic plan. The circumstances must be different circumstances than those for which a prior appeal was granted.

Continued Enrollment without Financial Aid

Students who are denied aid as a result of Financial Aid SAP policy may continue coursework at Cal Maritime without the benefit of federal or state or campus financial aid. It may be possible for students to receive loans and scholarships from private sources only.

Withdrawal from the California State University Maritime Academy

Courses from which a student withdraws prior to “last day to drop with no grade reported” do not count toward units attempted or completed. Courses dropped after “last day to drop with no grade reported” are counted as units attempted but not completed.

Financial aid recipients are obligated to remain enrolled and pass a certain number of units. Upon a financial aid recipient’s withdrawal from school prior to the end of the term, Cal Maritime is required by the federal government to calculate whether a return of financial aid funds is required. Students should refer to the Return Of Title IV Funds section below.

All financial aid recipients should speak to a financial aid counselor to discuss the impact of any proposed changes in enrollment such as dropping a course, repeating a course, or withdrawing from Cal Maritime as any of these changes may impact a student’s satisfactory academic progress and thus future eligibility for financial aid.

Return of Title IV Funds (Federal Requirement)

Federal Regulations, 34 CFR 668.22 require schools to calculate the amount of Federal financial aid earned by students who withdraw from an institution. This calculation, R2T4, must be performed for students who follow the school’s formal withdrawal procedures and those who leave without formal notification, the “unofficial” withdrawals.

The purpose of R2T4 is to return to the federal financial aid programs any aid that is “unearned” by the student. These funds are returned first by the institution and second by the student/parent. The philosophy behind the order of return of funds is that since aid is disbursed to meet institutional charges, the campus had control over these funds. Funds disbursed to the student to meet other educationally-related expenses are not under the control of the institution.

Upon a financial aid recipient’s withdrawal, Cal Maritime is required by the federal government to calculate, collect, and return a portion of federal financial aid grant or loan funds received by the student if the student has not completed 60% of the number of days in the complete courses taken.

The portion of financial aid to be returned is determined by the percentage of financial aid not earned by the student. The percentage of unearned aid is calculated using this formula: the total number of calendar days in the semester that are not completed by the student divided by the total number of calendar days in the semester.

When a student leaves Cal Maritime during a term, the State University Grant and some scholarships may be prorated and decreased.

If the student withdraws without notifying Cal Maritime, the withdrawal date is the midpoint of the semester. As a result, some funds received may have to be repaid.

Unearned funds are credited to outstanding federal loan balances and grant programs in the following priority order:

1. Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
2. Subsidized Stafford Loans
3. Perkins Loans
4. PLUS Loans
5. Pell Grant
6. FSEOG
7. Other Title IV aid for which return is required
8.  

Treatment of Unearned Title IV Aid

If the amount of Title IV aid earned is less than the amount disbursed as of the date the student withdrew, the difference is the amount of unearned aid that must be returned to the Title IV programs by Cal Maritime, the student, or both.

School Share

Cal Maritime must return the Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 45 days after the date of the determination of the date of the student’s withdrawal.

Student Share

The student’s share is the difference between the total unearned aid and Cal Maritime’s share. Cal Maritime must notify the student of any unearned funds for which they are responsible for repaying within 30 days of the date the school determined the student withdrew.

If unearned grant funds are to be returned it is referred to as an overpayment. Unearned portions of Title IV grant aid due from the student will be repaid to the federal accounts by Cal Maritime and will be charged to the student’s account.

If direct loan funds must be returned, the student must repay the funds according to the terms of the promissory note.

Post-Withdrawal Disbursements

A student may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement if the amount of Title IV funds earned is more than the amount disbursed at the time they withdrew.

If a student has an outstanding balance on their account for current award year charges for tuition, Cal Maritime may automatically credit a post-withdrawal disbursement of grant funds to the student’s account.

If a student does not have an outstanding balance on their account or the amount of the post-withdrawal disbursement is greater than the balance, Cal Maritime must directly deliver any grant portion of the post-withdrawal disbursement to the student within 45 days of the date of the school’s determination the student withdrew. If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, Cal Maritime may not credit the student’s account and the borrower may not receive the proceeds as a direct disbursement without first notifying the borrower and confirming they still wish to receive the loan disbursement. Cal Maritime must send the notification within 30 days of the school’s determination that the student withdrew and allow the borrower at least 14 days to respond. A student may choose to decline some or all the loan proceeds to reduce indebtedness. If no response is received within 14 days of notification, the loan will be cancelled.

Credit Balances When a Student Withdraws

If after the Return to Title IV funds and the institutional refund calculations are applied to the student’s account and a credit balance results, the credit balance will be disbursed as soon as possible but no later than 14 days after the date of the Return to Title IV calculation is performed.

Cal Maritime does not have the authority to waive or write off the required repayment, regardless of the reason for the withdrawal, including extenuating circumstances such as illness, accident, or grievous personal loss. When a student leaves Cal Maritime during a term, the State University Grant and some scholarships may be prorated.