Overview:
California launched its first CalKIDS Scholarship Month in September to assist families in claiming college savings. The initiative brings resources directly to schools, particularly targeting Riverside County where $118 million remains available. Eligible students can secure up to $1,500 for higher education expenses by visiting CalKIDS.org and entering their unique student identifier.
Nyla Glover
September marks California’s first CalKIDS Scholarship Month, a statewide effort to help families claim free college savings. Working alongside local school districts and county education offices, the program will bring step-by-step help directly to schools so eligible students can easily access their funds.
More than $118 million in CalKIDS funding is available right now for eligible Riverside County students. With roughly 72% of public school students in grades 2–12 qualifying for up to $1,500, local schools are encouraging families to see if their child has money waiting for them.
Throughout September, local campuses are holding special CalKIDS sign-up events. Families can get help seeing if their child is eligible and finish the claim process during their visit.
“CalKIDS Scholarship Month is about meeting students where they are and making it easier for them to access resources that can help support their education after high school,” said California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA. “By bringing CalKIDS directly onto school campuses throughout California, we can help more students take this important step and claim their scholarship funds.”
High schools have extra tools to connect older students with their savings. Through a partnership between CalKIDS and the California Student Aid Commission, school staff can log into WebGrants for Institutions to look up which 9th through 12th graders have active accounts, allowing administrators to guide students through the claiming process throughout September and beyond.
“With September as CalKIDS ‘claim month, we have an incredible opportunity to help families discover resources that can expand their students’ futures,” said Dr. Loretta Whitson, Executive Director of the California Association of School Counselors.
“The CalKIDS Program gives school counselors another meaningful way to connect families with opportunities for college and career education. By starting these conversations early, we can help more students see that higher education and career training are within reach and that investing in their future can begin today.”
Students and families can check eligibility and claim a CalKIDS Scholarship online at any time, taking an important step toward preparing for the future.
First, visit CalKIDS.org and select “Confirm Eligibility.” Then, enter the student’s 10-digit Statewide Student Identifier (SSID), which can be found on a report card, transcript, or school portal, or requested directly from a school counselor. Once the number is entered, families simply follow the prompts to complete the claim and unlock their student’s funds for the future.
These scholarships provide direct support for higher education, helping cover qualified expenses like tuition, mandatory fees, books, supplies, and computer equipment. Funds can be applied toward accredited colleges, universities, career training programs, and trade schools across the country.
“This scholarship has allowed me to pursue a 4-year degree with peace of mind knowing I have funds already set aside to pay for school expenses, ” said Stephanie Anaya, a CalKIDS recipient and student from University of California, Riverside. “Claiming my account was easy to do and only took a few minutes to view the funds available. CalKIDS is a wonderful opportunity to kickstart a student’s funding of their higher education journey.”
To make claiming as easy as possible, CalKIDS is providing county education offices and school districts with local scholarship data, ready-to-use outreach materials, and training tools to boost participation during CalKIDS Scholarship Month and throughout the year.
Created in 2022 and managed by the ScholarShare Investment Board, the program has already dedicated over $2.4 billion in savings to more than 6 million California students, helping them plan and pay for college, trade school, and job training.
Families can learn more about CalKIDS, check their student’s eligibility and claim an available scholarship at CalKIDS.org.
The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) is the nation’s largest child development account program, providing scholarships for higher education. Administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, and chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA, the program is designed to promote the pursuit of higher education statewide by empowering families to build assets, nurture savings habits, and raise their educational aspirations.
Eligible public-school students can receive CalKIDS Scholarships worth up to $1,500 and every child born in California on or after July 1, 2022, is awarded a CalKIDS Scholarship worth up to $175, ensuring more families have the resources needed to support their children’s education. To learn more, visit CalKIDS.org.