Section 69432.9.

(a) A Cal Grant applicant shall submit a complete official financial aid application pursuant to Section 69433 and applicable regulations adopted by the commission.

(b) Financial need shall be determined to establish an applicant's initial eligibility for a Cal Grant award and a renewing recipient's continued eligibility using the federal financial need methodology pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69506 and applicable regulations adopted by the commission, and as established by Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.).

(1) "Expected family contribution," with respect to an applicant or renewing recipient shall be determined using the federal methodology pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69506 (as established by Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.)) and applicable rules and regulations adopted by the commission.

(2) "Financial need" means the difference between the student's cost of attendance as determined by the commission and the expected family contribution. The calculation of financial need shall be consistent with Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.).

(3) (A) The minimum financial need required for receipt of an initial and renewal Cal Grant A or Cal Grant C award shall be no less than the maximum annual award value for the applicable institution, plus an additional one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) of financial need.

(B) The minimum financial need required for receipt of an initial and renewal Cal Grant B award shall be no less than seven hundred dollars ($700).

(c) The commission shall require that a grade point average be submitted for all Cal Grant A and B applicants, except for those permitted to provide test scores in lieu of a grade point average. The commission shall require that each report of a grade point average include a certification, executed under penalty of perjury, by a school official, that the grade point average reported is accurately reported. The certification shall include a statement that it is subject to review by the commission or its designee. The commission shall adopt regulations that establish a grace period for receipt of the grade point average and any appropriate corrections, and that set forth the circumstances under which a student may submit a specified test score designated by the commission, by regulation, in lieu of submitting a qualifying grade point average. It is the intent of the Legislature that high schools and institutions of higher education certify the grade point averages of their students in time to meet the application deadlines imposed by this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 7, Sec. 35. Effective March 24, 2011.)