California spends in excess of $3 billion on grant aid to students — tops among all states. Students can apply for numerous state, federal and campus-specific grants and scholarships. Here are the major ones:

• Cal Grant: Around 400,000 students receive this, which waives some tuition for private colleges and all tuition at the UC and CSU. Lawmakers and the governor are due to decide whether they can expand the Cal Grant, including to more than 100,000 community college students. The state’s deficit bodes poorly for that proposal. A majority of recipients also get some kind of cash award of up to $6,000.
• Middle Class Scholarship: About 300,000 get this, a relatively new award that provides  an average of about $2,000 to UC and CSU students. Nearly 160,000 students receive both this and the Cal Grant.
• Pell Grant: This is a federal grant for low- and middle-income families worth as much as $7,400 annually.
• Promise Grant: Nearly half of community college students who’d have to pay tuition don’t through this grant, a benefit for those with low incomes. It can save full-time students at least $1,100 annually.
• UC grants: The university has its own internal pot of money worth nearly $900 million that it awards students. Students get this by first applying for financial aid through the state or federal government. 
• Cal State’s university grant: Students with low incomes who don’t get a Cal Grant to cover tuition may get this. Cal State spends $700 million to run this grant. Students get it by first applying for financial aid through the state or federal government. 

Many students who are likely eligible for these awards don’t apply, leaving free money on the table.

Apply for state and federal financial aid here.