(a) A Cal Grant A award shall be used only for tuition or student fees, or both, in a for-credit instructional program with a length of not less than two academic years. Each student who meets the Cal Grant A qualifications as set forth in this article shall be guaranteed an award. The amount of any individual award is dependent on the cost of tuition or fees, or both, at the qualifying institution at which the student is enrolled. For each applicant, the award amount shall not exceed the amount of the calculated financial need.

(b) Pursuant to Section 66021.2, any California resident is entitled to a Cal Grant A award, and the commission, or a qualifying institution pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 69450), shall allocate that award, if all of the following criteria are met:

(1) The student has submitted, pursuant to Section 69432.9, a complete financial aid application, submitted or postmarked no later than March 2 of the academic year of high school graduation or its equivalent for the award year immediately following the academic year of high school graduation or its equivalent, or no later than March 2 of the academic year following high school graduation or its equivalent for the second award year following the year of high school graduation or its equivalent.

(2) The student demonstrates financial need pursuant to Section 69433.

(3) The student attains a high school grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale.

(4) The student’s household has an income and asset level that does not exceed the level for Cal Grant A recipients set forth in Section 69432.7.

(5) The student is pursuing an undergraduate academic program of not less than two academic years that is offered by a qualifying institution.

(6) The student is enrolled at least part time.

(7) The student meets the general Cal Grant eligibility requirements set forth in Article 1 (commencing with Section 69430).

(8) The student graduated from high school or its equivalent during or after the 2000–01 academic year.

(c) (1) A student who meets the Cal Grant A Entitlement Program criteria specified in this article shall receive a Cal Grant A award for tuition or fees, or both, pursuant to Section 66021.2.

(2) A community college student participating in a baccalaureate degree program pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 78040) of Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 who meets the Cal Grant A Entitlement Program criteria specified in this article shall receive a Cal Grant A award for upper division coursework fees pursuant to Section 66021.2.

(d) Students receiving a Cal Grant A award pursuant to this article who meet the qualifying criteria pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 69465 shall also receive an access award pursuant to Article 9 (commencing with Section 69465).

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 53, Sec. 8. (SB 77) Effective July 1, 2019.)