California Student Aid Commission

But California does offer some student loan forgiveness programs. Your loan(s) may be forgiven if:

• you will teach in California- Assumption Program of Loans for Education (APLE)
• you will practice nursing in California- State Nursing Assumption Program of Loans for Education (SNAPLE)
• you will sign up for the National Guard- National Guard Assumption Program of Loans for Education (NGAPLE)

New state legislation also went into effect in Jan. 2009 that funds debt forgiveness for student loans for doctors who work in medical centers in underserved communities. For three years service, the Steven M. Thompson Program will pay student loan repayment grants up to $105,000.

California Student Aid had been authorized to guarantee loans borrowed under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL), but now all federal student loans are borrowed directly from the government.

All previous borrower benefits that were offered by the state for their FFELP loans are no longer given, and will be lost entirely if these loans are consolidated into the Direct loan program.

CalGrants is the main state grant program managed by the California Student Aid Commission. A new law which goes into effect for the 2011-2012 school year will reduce the number of eligible students by:

• requiring renewing students to meet all the financial standards they had to meet to enter the program
• restricting the eligibility of schools (where at least 40% of the student body take out federal loans) who have a 3-year loan default rate of 24.6% or higher

Check your California FAFSA deadline.

California Student Aid Commission
P.O. Box 419027
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9027
Phone: (916) 526-7590
Toll-Free: (888) 224-7268
Fax: (916) 526-8004