STEP 1: Estimating Your Financial Aid Eligibility

If you are a high school student or a college student (freshman through senior) and you would like an estimate of your financial aid eligibility, you can access this information on the Internet with the CSU Preliminary Aid Information System (PAIS). It's free and available as an online form you use within your web browser.

How Does It Work?

The California State University Preliminary Aid Information System (PAIS) is designed to allow you to estimate your financial aid eligibility. By answering a few questions online, you will receive information about your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and estimated eligibility for grants and loans to attend a California State University campus. It is important to know that there may be other aid programs for which you are eligible. Also, it should be noted that there are circumstances (such as high parent or student assets) that could cause the student's EFC and grant/loan eligibility to be substantially different from this estimate. Remember that this is only a preliminary estimate.

The Online CSU Preliminary Aid Information System is available now.

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