Financial Aid

Step 1: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Application

To get started, you will need:

• To meet the eligibility requirements for FAFSA
• An FSA ID to sign electronically
• Your Social Security Number
• Sierra College’s school code: 001290
• Your federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of money earned

TIP: The FAFSA application asks about 100 questions and can take 30 minutes to fill out. If you gather all of the documents you need ahead of time, it will be much easier and faster to complete.

Need help walking through the FAFSA?

• Attend a Financial Aid FAFSA Workshop to receive help

Step 2: Check mySierra for Your Application Status and Next Steps

After you have submitted your FAFSA application, you will be notified by email within 7-10 business days that we received your FAFSA. If no other action is needed, you can view your potential awards.

To check your status:

1. Log into mySierra
2. Select “Financial Aid”
3. Scroll down to “Financial Aid Activities”
4. Click on “View My Financial Aid Status”

If you are selected for FAFSA Verification, you will need to submit required paperwork to the Financial Aid office. If selected for verification, the process will be completed through Verify My FAFSA. To learn more, review the FAFSA verification frequently asked questions.

Step 3: Select a Refund Preference with BankMobile

To set up your BankMobile account, visit BankMobile and follow their 3-steps to “Get Started.” Learn more about selecting a refund method through BankMobile.

Step 4: Congrats! You’ll Receive Payment Soon 

The disbursement dates are listed on the Financial Aid Dates/Deadline calendar.

The California Dream Act Application allows students interested in attending eligible California colleges, universities, and career education programs to apply for state financial aid. This application is unrelated to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Watch a video on How to Apply for the California Dream Act (CADA).

The California Dream Act program determines eligibility for:

• Undocumented students
• Students who left the state, but graduated from a California high school and meet the requirements of AB 540

To learn more, visit our Undocumented Student Center page or the State of California’s Dream Act website.