Cal Fresh Letter FAQ

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) generates a Cal Fresh Eligibility letter for students who meet the guidelines set by the CA Department of Social Services in accordance with federal regulations as shown below.

These are the Cal Fresh Eligibility Requirements:

• New and Renewal- Cal Grant A and B recipients
• Receive Cal Grant tuition and fee payments
• Unmarried- Dependent student whose Age <=23
• Unmarried -Independent Student whose Age <=25
• Income <=$50,000   
• A citizen of the United States or, in accordance with 8 U.S.C Sec. 1613(a), be a qualified alien who entered the United States at least 5 years prior to the date the Cal Grant is paid on behalf of or to the qualified alien unless he or she meets an exception pursuant to 8 U.S.C Sec. 1613(b).

If you did not meet all the requirements listed above the Cal Fresh benefit letter will not be created. However, you or your family may still be eligible to receive Cal Fresh benefits and are encouraged to visit The Department of Social Services Cal Fresh eligibility and resource page:

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/CDSS-Programs/CalFresh/Eligibility-and-Issuance-Requirements

When will I get my letter?

CSAC processes and generates new letters to eligible students each weekend after Cal Grant tuition and fee payments are reported to us by the financial aid office at your school.  If you have not received your letter, and you meet the requirements above, please ensure your financial aid office has reported your Cal Grant payment to CSAC. 

 Do I need to update my address to receive the Cal Fresh letter?

CSAC sends notifications to the email address we have on file.  Please visit your account, or establish a new account at https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov to ensure we have the correct contact information for you.

 Is there anything additional I need to do to receive this letter?

No, CSAC processes and generates new letters to eligible students each weekend after Cal Grant tuition and fee payments are reported to us by the financial aid office at your school.

Can you expedite the issuance of my Cal Fresh letter?

 No, our system automatically processes and generates new letters to eligible students each weekend after Cal Grant tuition and fee payments are reported to us by the financial aid office at your school.