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College acceptance and financial aid letters are arriving soon, and high school seniors and college students have a major opportunity to ease their higher education coststhrough the CalKIDS program. CalKIDS is the nation’s largest child development account program, providing scholarships for higher education, according to a news release.
This statewide initiative, administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, provides eligible California public school students with CalKIDS scholarships worth up to $1,500—helping them take the next step toward college or career training by easing financial barriers to higher education, the news release stated.
In San Diego County, more than $148 million in CalKIDS scholarships has been made available to public school students over the last three years, providing critical financial support for their higher education. A CalKIDS scholarship does not require students to submit essays, meet a minimum GPA, or provide recommendation letters. Claiming a scholarship is simple and takes just minutes at CalKIDS.org.
“CalKIDS is an incredible resource for San Diego County families,” said State Treasurer Fiona Ma, chair of the ScholarShare Investment Board, in the news release. “Claiming a CalKIDS scholarship is the easiest step students can take on their path to higher education, and we want every eligible student to claim their scholarship account and take full advantage of this opportunity.”
Eligible students can use their CalKIDS scholarship accounts for tuition and fees, books and supplies, and computer equipment. Since 2022, approximately $1 billion in CalKIDS scholarships have been made available to more than 2 million of California’s public high school students.
For students like Alessandra from UC San Diego, the CalKIDS scholarship provided some much-needed financial relief. “The funds helped me not feel like such a financial burden to my mom. The funds are part of the reason I’m not in debt right now,” she said in the news release.
To get the word out about this program in San Diego and ensure students and families are aware of and claim their CalKIDS accounts, the ScholarShare Investment Board has worked diligently to establish strong partnerships with local high schools, school districts, community-based organizations, and financial aid directors at community colleges and universities. Partners like San Diego Unified School District play a vital role in spreading awareness and helping students access the funds available to them.
Claiming a CalKIDS scholarship is quick and easy. Families simply need the student’sStatewide Student Identifier (SSID), a 10-digit number which can be obtained by contacting their school directly. Once they have the SSID, parents or students can visit CalKIDS.org to check eligibility and claim a scholarship account in just minutes.
The funds can be used at accredited colleges, universities, trade schools, and career programs across the country. Once enrolled in a higher education program, students can log into their CalKIDS Account to request a distribution directly to their school to cover qualifying educational expenses.
“Studies show that students with just $500 or less set aside for college are three times more likely to attend college and four times more likely to graduate,” said Cassandra DiBenedetto, executive director, in the news release. “CalKIDS accounts are more than financial assistance—they’re an investment in students’ futures, and we want to give every one of these students a reason to believe in their path to higher education.”
With roughly one out of every two San Diego County public school students eligible for a CalKIDS scholarship and key college decisions and financial aid deadlines approaching, now is the time for students and families to check their eligibility and claim their scholarship account.
For more information on eligibility, scholarship amounts, and how to claim a CalKIDSscholarship account, visit CalKIDS.org.
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