Up to $1,500 Free College Savings Account State Program

CalKIDS gives money for college or career training to eligible students in California. There are two eligible groups:

• Low-income* public school students enrolled in grades 1-12 during 2021-2022 academic year
• Low-income* public school students enrolled in the 1st grade during 2022-2023 academic year and every year thereafter

Award Amounts:

• $500 for low-income public school students
• $500 more for foster youth
• $500 more for homeless youth

To be eligible, your child must have been enrolled on Fall Census Day** and must also be identified as English Learner or low-income by the Local Control Funding Formula. And, that information must be reported to the California Department of Education.

Claim a CalKIDS account

*Eligibility determined by Local Control Funding Formula
**Fall Census Day is the first Wednesday in October of the academic year

About

The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) was launched in 2022 by the State of California with a clear mission: make it easier for more children to save for their future education.

Administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, CalKIDS takes the initiative by automatically offering newborns and eligible low-income public school children in California an initial seed deposit, along with other potential financial incentives. This ensures that they can start their college and career savings journey right from the beginning.

*All CA newborns born on or after July 1, 2022