California State University to Expand Grants to Cover Tuition and Living Expenses

• California State University trustees voted to expand grants to include the full price of tuition, plus additional living expenses.
• Last year, the trustees voted to increase tuition by 6% per year, for a total of five years.
• The university system committed to setting aside one-third of additional tuition revenue for financial aid.

California State University (CSU) trustees voted to expand grants offered by the university system to include the cost of tuition, as well as living expenses for students with financial need, according to EdSource.

Students will receive stipends of up to $5,000 to cover expenses including food, housing, and transportation in addition to the State University Grant, which has been traditionally used to cover tuition.

The move to expand financial aid for students who demonstrate financial need is a direct result of a commitment to direct a portion of revenue from increased tuition costs to financial aid.

The multiyear tuition proposal approved by trustees in September increases tuition by 6% per academic year, for a total of five years, beginning at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. The system committed to setting aside one-third of the revenue, around $280 million, for financial aid.

Approximately 80% of CSU students receive some kind of financial aid, and 60% of undergraduate students have their tuition completely covered by grants or other non-loan aid, according to the university.

"The fact is tuition as the price of admission is not what keeps students away from CSU," trustee Julia Lopez told EdSource. "Almost nine out of 10 students get some sort of tuition grant, but it’s other costs."

The estimated total cost to attend a CSU campus ranges from around $21,000 to over $36,000 per academic year, with costs varying depending on region and whether a student is living at home, on campus, or off-campus.