South Bay Grant
The South Bay Promise Grant helps first-time, full-time students by covering tuition during their first year at El Camino College.
What is the ECC South Bay Promise?
The South Bay Promise (SBP) is open to first time, full-time college students who enroll at El Camino College. The SBP offers up to two years of free enrollment (Note: The SBP does not cover the Summer term).
Students are considered for the South Bay Promise by completing the Path to Enroll and submitting a FAFSA or CADAA financial aid application.
Funding is limited so students are encouraged to apply early and complete the Path to enroll as soon as possible. Students that have their enrollment fees paid from another source will not be considered for South Bay Promise. Students will be notified of their eligibility for the South Bay Promise when they receive their financial aid award.
There is not a separate application to apply for the South Bay Promise. For more information on becoming a student at El Camino College, please complete the Prospective Student Form.
Getting Started
All first-time, full-time college students:
- Regardless of high school / GED completion year
- No financial need is necessary to qualify
- Regardless of city of residence
Students who complete ALL of the eligibility requirements started below by the stated deadline
Students who are determined to be California Residents. Please see our admissions site to determine if you may qualify for CA residency
| Step 1: | Apply for admission. |
| Step 2: | Renew or submit your FAFSA or CADAA financial aid application (Please note, any corrections or updates to the student’s FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, need to be made before the start of the fall semester to ensure that verifiable financial aid information is available at El Camino College. If the South Bay Promise cannot verify the student's financial aid information, the student's enrollment fees will not be paid for by the South Bay Promise and the student will no longer be eligible for the program). |
| Step 3: | Complete the English and Mathematics Placement Survey in MyECC |
| Step 4: | Complete the New Student Orientation |
| Step 5: | Meet with an El Camino Counselor to create an Educational Plan |
| Step 6: | Register for a minimum of 12 units for both fall and spring semesters. (If you are registered with the Special Resource Center on campus and have been approved, then you are only required to take 9 units for both the fall and spring semesters). |
| Step 7: |
Complete a Financial Aid & Advocacy Student Training (FAAST) workshop. |
To stay on board with the South Bay Promise program, you must:
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
- Cumulative Grade Point Average - A student must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA).
- Cumulative Pace of Unit Completion - A student must complete at least 67% of the total number of units they attempt (passed hours divided by attempted hours).
- Maximum Timeframe - A student has not exceeded the 150% maximum timeframe allowed
for the completion of his or her
educational program.
Renew or submit a valid FAFSA or CADAA each academic year.
Please note, any corrections or updates to the student’s FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, need
to be made before the start of the spring or fall semester (whichever is your 1st
semester of college), to ensure that verifiable financial aid information is available
at El Camino College. If the we cannot verify the student's financial aid information,
the student's enrollment fees will not be paid for by the South Bay Promise Grant
and the student will no longer be eligible for the program.
Register for a minimum of 12 units for both fall and spring semesters. (If you are registered with the Special Resource Center on campus and have been approved, then you are only required to take 9 units for both fall and spring semesters).
Contact our office at eccfaid@elcamino.edu
Contact Us
Student Services Building 229
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Phone: (310)660-3593 ext. 5493