September 2026

Financial Aid

California Student Aid Commission Budget

(Dollars in Millions)

  2024-25
Actual		 2025-26
Revised		 2026-27 Enacted Change From 2025-26
Amount Percent
Spending          
Local assistance          
Cal Grants $2,496 $2,903 $3,204 $301 10.4%
Middle Class Scholarshipsa 1,009 — 959 959 —
Golden State Teacher Grants 92 80 28 -52 -65.1
California College of the Artsb 3 20 — -20 -100.0
California Indian Nations Collegeb — 10 — -10 -100.0
Other programs and adjustmentsc 40 41 41 —d —d
Technical adjustmente -117 7 8 1 10.4
Subtotals ($3,522) ($3,061) ($4,240) ($1,179) (38.5%)
State operations $26 $26 $30 $4 13.4%
Totals $3,548 $3,087 $4,270 $1,183 38.3%
Funding          
General Fund $3,128 $2,665f $3,830 $1,165 43.7%
Ongoing (2,662) (2,553) (3,372) (818) (32.1)
One-timeg (465) (112) (459) (347) (309.0)
Federal TANF 400 400 400 — —
Other funds and reimbursements 20 22 39 18h 81.3
           
a Starting in 2025-26, the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) program is funded one year in arrears.
b One-time initiatives.
c The 2026-27 amount includes $120,000 in one-time funding for fire-safety upgrades at Whittier College's Robinson Theater.
d Less than $500,000 or 0.5 percent.
e Reflects discrepancy in the administration's back-up between total spending and total funding.
f Includes technical correction that revises CSAC's local assistance funding upward by $21 million.
g Includes one-time funding for MCS program.
h Includes $16 million in federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funds and $1.6 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Act, Title II, Part A funds that flow through the California Department of Education to reimburse Golden State Teacher Grant program costs. Also includes $10,000 in one-time General Fund reimbursements from the Scholarshare Investment Board for data-sharing related to college savings accounts.
TANF = Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.