Free City (2024)

Free City Debt Relief Program (FCDP) FAQ's

1. Who is covered under the Free City Debt Relief Program (FCDP)?

A. Free City students who currently have outstanding Free City debts that were incurred between the Fall 2017 to the Fall 2022 terms. This includes students who would have been eligible for Free City but either did not have a Free City Affidavit on file or may have filled one out incorrectly.

2. The Free City Program was not available during the 2018 summer term. Will those outstanding balances be covered under FCDP?

A. Yes. Only students with established San Francisco Residency prior to the start of the Summer 2018 are eligible.

3. What fee's will be covered under FCDP?

A. FCDP will cover the Free City outstanding tuition balance as well as the following fees:

• Student health fee,
• Student activities fee,
• Student Representative fee,
• Web Registration fee,
• Course Material fees,
• Follet Material fee, and
• the Free City Repayment Charge

NOTE: The FCDP does NOT cover other Financial Aid related fees such as Pell overpayment and the student loan fee.

4. Do students who already made a payment get a refund?

A. NO. Payments made prior to the availability of the Free City Debt Relief Program funds are not refundable. Please note that funds approved to pay outstanding balances for the terms between Fall 2017 and Fall 2022, is a one-time opportunity for eligible City College students.

5. When will the outstanding balance hold be lifted?

A. Outstanding balance holds will be automatically lifted once the funds have been applied to student accounts. Eligible students do not need to do anything in order for the funds to be applied to their account and will be notified once this process has occurred. Should students have questions they may contact the Bursar's Office: bursar@ccsf.edu.

6. When will FCDP funds be applied to student accounts?

A. Funds have already begun to be applied to student accounts and will continue to be applied over the coming weeks in reverse chronological order (for example, students with outstanding balances from the Fall 2022 semester will have the funds applied to their accounts first, followed by the Summer 2022 term and so on until all accounts have had the funds applied). Once the funds are applied, a notification will go out to students on a weekly basis via email and/or text message.

7. Who can I contact if I have any questions regarding the Free City Debt Relief Program?

A. Please contact the Bursar's Office at bursar@ccsf.edu. For their office hours and other contact information, please visit the Bursar's Office page.

• Students may qualify if they are both a California resident for one year & one day and a San Francisco resident
• Students may qualify if they have a non-resident exemption (AB 540, AB 13, AB 2000, SB 68) and are a San Francisco resident

Free City eligibility must be finalized and determined by the last day of the semester for which you are applying and registering for courses. The student is responsible for resolving any fee discrepancies by the last day of the semester for which the charges are being assessed.

Applying for Free City is part of the online City College registration system all year long.

• First time students, and students returning after a two-semester or longer absence, first apply for admission to California Community Colleges
• Continuing Students, and first time students who applied for admissions, register for classes using CCSF's myRAM Portal
• The Free City application form is embedded in the myRAM registration system
• Log onto your myRAM student account
• Complete and submit the one-page Free City application form
• The next myRAM screen notifies you of your Free City eligibility, and if you are eligible, your enrollment fees “tuition” will appear as waived charges on the payment screen
  • In addition to the Free City enrollment fee “tuition” waiver, most of our students are eligible for significant state and federal financial support. After registering for classes, we strongly encourage you to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Application

Free City covers the following fee:

The following fees are not covered by Free City.

*only specific courses charge additional course materials fees, as noted in the course schedule

Students who apply for financial aid and are recipients of the California College Promise Grant (CCPG) fee waiver will be eligible for an additional Free City Grant.

The Free City Grant allows students will earn $46 for each credit unit for which they are enrolled (ex: 10 units earns a Free City Grant of$460).

Learn more on the Financial Aid Programs Websiteunder Institutional Programs.

You will receive the first 50% of the disbursem*nt after the last day to drop without a W (see instructional calendar), and receive the second 50% after midterms (see instructional calendar).

Find the Disbursem*nt Calendar on theFinancial Aid Disbursem*nt Website.

• If you (or an Instructor) drop your courses before the date to receive a full refund, you owe nothing. Refund deadlines are next to each course listing on the CCSF Class Schedule
• If you (or an Instructor)drop your courses after the deadline to receive a full refund, then you must repay theenrollment fees/tuition for each course dropped, and the money will be returned to the Free City Program

• If you are receiving aFree City Cash Grant and drop all courses before the refund deadline, you will need to return the grant funds to the Free City Program
• If you drop units after the refund deadline, you will need to return a portion of your Free City Cash Grant to the program

• Remain a California resident or qualify for a non-resident exemption (AB 540, AB 13, AB 2000, SB 68)
• Meet the California residency requirement as a homeless person or foster youth
• Remain a San Francisco resident
• Continue to follow college policies and requirements listed in the CCSF Catalog