Skip to main content
Who is eligible for a CalKIDS account? | CalKIDS

Who is eligible for a CalKIDS account? | CalKIDS

Phone number
Phone Numbers: - CalKIDS: 1-888-445-2377
Category
Children
Auto tags
Eligibility
Everyone
Auto Summary
CalKIDS is free California college money your child may already have. Public school students in grades 2-12 who are low-income, foster, or unhoused can get up to $1,500. Newborns born on or after July 1, 2022 get up to ~$175. Claim it at calkids.org using your child's 13-digit birth certificate LRN or 10-digit school SSID; the base scholarship never expires (good until your child turns 26). No fee, no SSN, immigration status doesn't matter. TIME-SENSITIVE: a $50 bonus for linking a ScholarShare 529 account closes May 31, 2026 (see the dated note on the page). Verified 2026-05-30.
Value
Up to $1,500
Espanol
¿Quién es elegible para una cuenta de CalKIDS? | CalKIDS
URL
https://calkids.org/the-basics/who-is-eligible/
Last verified 2026-05-17
CalKIDS is free money from California for your child's college, trade school, or career training. Your child may already have an account waiting — over 5 million California kids do. You just have to claim it.

How much your child can get

California public school students (grades 2–12): Up to $1,500
  • $500 base deposit if your child is identified as low-income or English Learner under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), and was enrolled on Fall Census Day.
  • +$500 if your child is identified as foster youth.
  • +$500 if your child is identified as unhoused/homeless.
  • More than 60% of California public school students in grades 2–12 qualify. [Source: calkids.org (accessed 2026-05-17)]
California newborns (born on or after July 1, 2022): Up to about $175
  • $25 automatic seed deposit at birth.
  • +$50 bonus once a parent or guardian registers and claims the account.
  • +$50 ScholarShare 529 link bonus (see "2026 incentive" below).
  • Additional deposits possible later if the child is identified as low-income in 1st grade. [Source: calkids.org (accessed 2026-05-17)]

Who is eligible

Your newborn qualifies if:
  • Born in California on or after July 1, 2022.
Your school-age child qualifies if:
  • Enrolled in a California public school on Fall Census Day, and
  • Identified as low-income or English Learner under the LCFF, or as foster youth, or as unhoused.
You don't apply. The account is created automatically. Your only job is to claim it so the money can be used.

2026 incentive — extra $50

If you open a ScholarShare 529 college savings account with at least $50 on or after February 1, 2026, and link it to your child's CalKIDS account by May 31, 2026, the state adds another $50 to the CalKIDS account by September 30, 2026. The child must be 14 or younger as of May 31, 2026. [Source: calkids.org (accessed 2026-05-17)]

How to claim — step by step

  1. Gather the right ID number:
      • Newborn: the 13-digit Local Registration Number (LRN) from the birth certificate.
      • Student: the 10-digit Statewide Student Identifier (SSID). It's on transcripts, parent portals, or available from the school office.
  1. Go to calkids.org and click "Get Started."
  1. Enter the LRN or SSID to confirm eligibility.
  1. Create a parent account on the CalKIDS portal and claim the scholarship.
  1. (Optional, but unlocks the bonus) Open a free ScholarShare 529 account at scholarshare529.com and link it.
The money stays in the account until your child turns 26. It can pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and approved housing at any accredited college, university, or career training program — in California or out of state.

Common pitfalls

  • There is no fee, ever. If a website asks you to pay to "activate" or "release" a CalKIDS scholarship, it's a scam. Use calkids.org only.
  • You don't have to give a Social Security number. The LRN or SSID is enough.
  • Immigration status does not matter for the child or the parent.
  • If you can't find the SSID, ask the school office or district — they're required to give it to you.
  • Foster youth and unhoused students sometimes don't get auto-flagged. If you think your child qualifies for the extra $500, contact CalKIDS support to check.

Where to get help

  • CalKIDS phone: 1-888-445-2377

Sources

  • CalKIDS official site, eligibility and earn-$50 pages (accessed 2026-05-17)
  • "Start 2026 by claiming a CalKIDS scholarship," Oakdale Leader, 2026 (accessed 2026-05-17)
  • ScholarShare Investment Board / CalKIDS program facts (accessed 2026-05-17)
Freshness update (2026-05-30): Re-verified. CalKIDS amounts and the claim process above are current. TIME-SENSITIVE: the \$50 ScholarShare 529 linking bonus has a hard deadline of May 31, 2026 — open a ScholarShare 529 with at least \$50 (on or after Feb 1, 2026) and link it to your child's CalKIDS account by May 31. The child must be 14 or younger as of May 31, 2026, and the \$50 lands in the CalKIDS account by Sept 30, 2026. There's also a separate, stackable ScholarShare "529 Day" bonus right now: open a new ScholarShare 529 account between May 20-31, 2026 with promo code 529Day26 and set up six months of \$50+ recurring contributions to earn another \$50 (deposited around Jan 31, 2027). After May 31, the linking-bonus window closes — but the base CalKIDS scholarship (up to \$1,500) never expires and can still be claimed anytime until your child turns 26.