New research from Prismatic Research & Strategy, with support from The California Alliance for Student Parent Success, examines access to the Students with Dependent Children Access Award, which provides eligible Cal Grant recipients with up to $6,000 in additional aid to help cover non-tuition costs such as housing and child care.
The analysis finds that just 29% of student parents who applied for financial aid ultimately received the supplemental award, pointing to administrative barriers—including challenges identifying student parents and the certification process—that may be limiting access to this critical support.
The findings are particularly timely. Recent FAFSA changes have made it more difficult to identify student parents, and 32% fewer awards reached families in 2024-25.
The infographic below breaks down where the process falls short for student parents and what California can do about it.
