High School Diploma or Equivalent Requirement
To get most federal grants (money for college that you don't pay back), the government requires you to have a high school education or something equal to it.
You can meet this requirement by:
- Earning a regular high school diploma.
- Completing a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
- Earning a High School Equivalency Certificate (such as HiSET or TASC).
- Completing a homeschool program that meets state requirements.
No Diploma? You May Still Qualify!
If you don't have a diploma or GED yet, you can still get financial aid through a process called Ability to Benefit (ATB). This is a special path for students to start college while finishing their basic education.
Ability to Benefit (ATB)
To use this path, you must be in an Eligible Career Pathway Program. These are special programs at MiraCosta that let you:
- Work toward a college certificate or degree.
- AND work on your GED or high school skills at the same time.
Once you are in one of these programs, you just need to do ONE of the following:
- Pass a Test: Take an approved "Ability to Benefit" test at the MiraCosta Testing Center.
- Complete 6 Credits: Successfully finish 6 college-level credits that count toward your degree. (Note: You will have to pay for these first 6 credits yourself before your financial aid kicks in).
Why this matters
If you don't have a diploma and don't qualify through the ATB process, you won't be able to receive federal grants. We want to make sure you get the money you need for school!
Next Steps
- Want to take the test? Contact the Testing Center.
- Not sure if your program qualifies? Visit the Financial Aid Office, and we will help you figure it out!
