The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Higher Education

Nov 14, 2025 - On a cash basis, the state will pay actual costs as they are incurred in 2025-26 using a no-interest General Fund loan. On August 11, the administration issued an Executive Order authorizing a loan of $996  million.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5089

The 2026-27 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 17, 2026 - To do so, the state is using a General Fund cash loan to cover the payments to students. This approach only works if the state is in a strong cash position. If the state ’s cash position weakens, which has happened during previous fiscal downturns, the state could find that internal borrowing is no longer an option.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5127

The 2026-27 Budget: University of California

Feb 26, 2026 - In 2025 ‑26, the state deferred a $130  million General Fund payment from 2025 ‑26 to 2026 ‑27, while allowing UC to take a no ‑interest General Fund cash loan to cover costs in the meantime. UC requested and received this cash loan in fall 2025.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5143

The 2026-27 Budget: California State University

Feb 24, 2026 - CSU requested and received this cash loan in fall 2025. The Governor ’s budget proposes to continue this arrangement, deferring $144  million from 2026 ‑27 to 2027 ‑28, along with offering another no ‑interest General Fund cash loan.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5142

The 2022-23 Budget: Student Financial Aid

Feb 18, 2022 - Background Cash for College Program Assists Students With Financial Aid Applications. CSAC ’s Cash for College outreach program provides workshops to help students complete their FAFSA or CADAA forms.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4548

The 2025-26 Budget: College of the Law, San Francisco

Mar 10, 2025 - This was the only student housing project that the state provided with up ‑front General Fund cash, with the understanding that doing so would notably reduce project costs and reduce associated rental rates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5014

The 2023-24 Budget: Higher Education Overview

Jan 31, 2023 - Under this approach, the state could achieve up to an additional $133  million in non ‑Proposition  98 General Fund savings ($81  million at CSU and $52  million at UC), while potentially freeing up several millions of dollars in Proposition  98 funding at CCC.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4664

The 2023-24 Budget: California State University

Feb 7, 2023 - Two Main Ways to Fund CSU Capital Projects Are Cash and Debt Financing. One way the state may fund capital projects is by providing one ‑time General Fund to CSU to pay for the project upfront in cash.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4671

The 2026-27 Budget: California Community Colleges

Mar 5, 2026 - The one‑time spending will expire in 2027‑28, freeing up funds that could help the state accommodate a possible decrease in the minimum guarantee before having to reduce programs. Under the Governor’s budget, the amount of the cushion is $241 million, equating to 1.7 percent of Proposition 98 spending on the community colleges in 2026‑27.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5150

The 2024-25 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 29, 2024 - Students apply for Cal Grant awards by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application. To qualify for an award, students must meet certain income and asset criteria.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4865