Laney College Financial Aid: Complete 2026 Guide for High School Seniors
If you are a high school senior thinking about Laney College, the biggest thing to know is this: Laney is a public community college in the Peralta Community College District, and its financial aid system runs through both Laney’s own Financial Aid Office and Peralta’s district-wide aid rules. For FAFSA purposes, Laney College’s federal school code is 001266. Students apply through the FAFSA or, if eligible under California rules, the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), then finish any follow-up steps in Campus Solutions and through Laney’s Financial Aid Office.
Laney is financially attractive for many first-time college students because California resident enrollment fees are relatively low, and eligible students may stack multiple forms of aid such as the Federal Pell Grant, Cal Grant, the California College Promise Grant (CCPG), scholarships, and sometimes work-study or loans. Resident students currently pay $46 per unit, plus standard campus fees, while Laney’s published full-time cost-of-attendance estimate for California residents is $20,864 if living at home and $32,668 if living off campus.
Official Laney College and Government Links
Use these official links first:
Laney College financial aid at a glance
Laney’s aid office says students should complete the FAFSA or CADAA, watch their Peralta email, and check Campus Solutions for required documents, awards, and updates. Laney also publishes its Financial Aid Office contact as Building A, Room A-201, phone (510) 464-3414, email laneyfinancialaid@peralta.edu, with in-person and virtual service hours listed on the official page.
At the district level, Peralta makes clear that students must apply using the correct home-college code, and for Laney that code is 001266. Peralta also states that only associate degrees and certificates of achievement of 16 or more units are generally aid-eligible; CSU and IGETC transfer certificates are not aid-eligible for federal and most state aid.
What kind of aid can Laney students get?
1) Federal Pell Grant
The Pell Grant is the main federal grant for students with financial need, and it does not have to be repaid. For the 2026–27 award year, the maximum Pell Grant is $7,395. Laney/Peralta materials explain that Pell awards are prorated based on enrollment, and Laney’s disbursement page says Pell is generally paid in two parts per term, with enrollment status affecting how much you receive.
2) Cal Grant and Student Success Completion Grant
Peralta states that Cal Grants can help eligible California students and that community-college students may especially benefit from Cal Grant B and related state support. Peralta also notes that SSCG can provide additional state aid for qualifying full-time students already receiving Cal Grant B or C, though funding is limited and not every eligible student is guaranteed an SSCG award.
3) California College Promise Grant (CCPG)
This is one of the most important programs for California community college students. Peralta states that the California College Promise Grant waives the $46-per-unit enrollment fee for eligible California residents, but it is not a cash award and does not cover everything else such as health fees or other campus charges.
4) Scholarships
Laney students can use the Peralta Colleges Foundation scholarship portal. The Foundation says its main scholarship season runs October 1 through March 1, and one application can match a student with multiple scholarship opportunities.
5) Federal Work-Study
Laney promotes Federal Work-Study as a way to earn money while attending college, and Peralta’s handbook explains that work-study is for students with financial need and is limited by available funding. Laney also notes that students who submit a complete file earlier can receive priority consideration for limited programs such as Federal Work-Study and FSEOG.
6) Federal student loans
Loans are available, but Laney says they are not automatically offered. Peralta’s handbook says students seeking loans must complete the FAFSA, be enrolled in at least six units, and complete entrance counseling before the first disbursement.
How much does Laney College cost?
Laney’s current tuition-and-fees page lists these core student charges for California residents: $46 per semester unit enrollment fee, $2 campus center use fee per semester per campus, $2 student representation fee per semester per campus, $23 health fee in fall and spring, $20 health fee in summer, and $42.88 AC Transit fee per semester.
For full-time California residents enrolled in 12 or more units, Laney’s published annual cost-of-attendance estimate is:
Living with parent(s)/at home: $20,864 total annual cost.
Living off-campus/away from home: $32,668 total annual cost.
For non-California residents and international students, Laney lists an additional $406 per semester unit nonresident/international tuition charge on top of the base enrollment fee and standard charges.
That means Laney can be a strong value play for Oakland-area students, especially if you are a California resident who qualifies for CCPG, Pell, Cal Grant, or local scholarships.
2026 deadlines high school seniors should know
For the 2026–27 FAFSA, Federal Student Aid says students can submit as early as October 1, 2025, and the federal deadline is June 30, 2027. The same official FAFSA deadline chart lists California’s state-aid priority deadline as March 2, 2026, and for additional community college Cal Grants, California students have a September 2, 2026 deadline.
The California Student Aid Commission also says students should complete the FAFSA or CADAA by March 2, 2026 for state priority aid, and that California community college students should apply by September 2, 2026.
Peralta states that the CCPG deadline is June 30 each year. Peralta and Laney also warn that limited funds such as FSEOG and Federal Work-Study often depend on early completion of your file, so waiting can reduce your chances even if you are otherwise eligible.
Step-by-step: how to get financial aid at Laney College
Step 1: File the right application
If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, file the FAFSA. If you are an eligible California Dream Act student, file the CADAA instead. Laney’s own page links both applications directly and tells students to use school code 001266.
Step 2: Add Laney’s federal school code
Use 001266 so your FAFSA data reaches the right Peralta home college. Peralta’s district aid page and Laney’s aid page both list 001266 for Laney College.
Step 3: Watch Campus Solutions and your Peralta email
Laney says students should log in to Campus Solutions and monitor their Peralta email for missing documents, awards, and follow-up requests. Laney also says students may need to submit documents such as tax records, identification, transcripts, citizenship documents, verification worksheets, or other school-specific forms.
Step 4: Turn in documents fast
Laney’s aid page says that once all requested documents are received, students should allow roughly 4–6 weeks for file processing. That matters because incomplete files can delay awards and also reduce access to limited aid.
Step 5: Review your award and set up refunds
Laney says most aid first pays institutional charges such as tuition and mandatory fees, and any remaining funds are refunded to the student through BankMobile Disbursements. Laney also says Pell is generally split into two payments per term and that loans require at least six units.
Important rules that can affect your aid
Peralta’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) rules are strict. Students generally must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, complete at least 66.67% of attempted units, and finish within the maximum time frame. Peralta’s handbook gives the standard maximum as 90 attempted semester units for a typical 60-unit associate degree and 45 attempted units for a certificate of achievement program.
Laney also warns that dropping classes or not attending can cause financial-aid problems. Its FAQ says students who stop attending may have to return aid, and the BankMobile/disbursement page says Pell can be recalculated if enrollment changes before the census date.
Special note for Dream Act and AB 540 students
Peralta’s Dream Act page explains that students who meet AB 540 criteria can apply for state-administered aid and community-college fee waivers through the California Dream Act pathway. Peralta specifically says eligible Dream Act students may qualify for CCPG and may also qualify for a Cal Grant, but undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid.
One detail seniors should not miss
At the time of this update, Laney’s forms page is still displaying a 2025–26 financial aid forms set, while the federal 2026–27 FAFSA is already live. In practical terms, that means fall 2026 seniors should still submit the 2026–27 FAFSA or CADAA first, then keep checking Laney’s forms page, Campus Solutions, and Peralta email for the specific 2026–27 follow-up forms Laney requests.
Best strategy for a high school senior
A strong Laney aid strategy is simple: file the FAFSA or CADAA early, use 001266, hit the March 2 state-priority deadline if at all possible, make sure your program is actually aid-eligible, turn in every requested document quickly, and apply for Peralta scholarships before March 1. Students who do those basics give themselves the best shot at combining Pell, Cal Grant, CCPG, scholarships, and possibly work-study.
Laney College Financial Aid Office
Laney College Financial Aid Office
Building A, Room A-201
Phone: (510) 464-3414
Fax: (510) 464-3418
Email: laneyfinancialaid@peralta.edu
In-person hours listed by Laney: Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Virtual lobby hours listed by Laney: Monday–Thursday 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
FAQ
Is Laney College affordable for local students?
For many local students, yes. The published California resident enrollment fee is $46 per unit, and eligible students may have that fee waived through CCPG. Laney’s own full-time cost estimate for a California resident living at home is $20,864 per year before aid is subtracted.
What FAFSA school code do I use for Laney College?
Use 001266.
What is the most important deadline for California seniors?
The safest answer is March 2, 2026 for California state-priority aid, while California community college students also have a September 2, 2026 Cal Grant-related deadline. Filing early is better than waiting for either.
Do I have to be full-time to get aid?
Not always. Laney says students enrolled below full-time may still receive partial Pell or Cal Grant awards, but the amount changes with enrollment. Federal loans generally require at least six units.
Can undocumented students get Laney aid?
They cannot receive federal aid, but Peralta says eligible AB 540/Dream Act students may qualify for California state aid such as CCPG and possibly Cal Grant through the CADAA route.
What can make me lose aid?
The biggest risks are missing documents, enrolling in a non-eligible program, falling below SAP standards, or dropping/never attending classes after aid is awarded.
