California to give $5000 to community college students who transfer to HBCUs

Assembly Bill No. 1400 provides a $5,000 stipend to qualified students who transfer from a California Community College to one of the 39 partner Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

California community college graduates attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities could see some much-needed relief now that they’re eligible for a state grant.

On Sept. 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill No. 1400, which California State Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan proposed. According to Best Colleges, the legislation provides a $5,000 stipend to qualified students who transfer from a California community college to one of the 39 partner HBCUs.

“[Assembly Bill] 1400 creatively redirects funds to provide support to California’s students looking to transfer to an HBCU and bring their talents back to California,” said Marlene Garcia, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, Best Colleges reported.

While some institutions will have a higher GPA requirement, the California Community Colleges Transfer Guarantee Pathway to Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program guarantees admission to any student in the California community college system with a minimum GPA of 2.0 and a minimum of 30 University of California or California State University credits.

The one-time award would be valid for only one academic year.

California has no HBCUs and one historically Black graduate institution – the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Since all the partner HBCUs are in the South, Midwest, or on the East Coast, any California student would have to relocate and pay out-of-state tuition.

The measure asserts that participating students must file a declaration of intent saying that they want to return to California after graduating from their selected partner HBCU.

According to California’s Legislative Information, 53 California community college transfer students attended 39 Historically Black Colleges and Universities with transfer agreements for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The College Access Tax Credit Fund initiative aims to boost funds to provide more assistance to low-income students. However, the CATCF program lacks the resources to meet the vast student demand.

This legislation allows the Student Aid Commission to prioritize students’ needs and improve the CATCF program’s efficiency.

Best Colleges reported the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 notes that HBCUs provide a supportive educational environment founded on diversity, cultural knowledge, and promoting positive racial identity.

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