The California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant (DSIG) Program encourages California Dream Act Applicant (CADAA) students who receive a Cal Grant A (with Cal Grant B eligibility) or a Cal Grant B to participate in community or volunteer service. Through the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), eligible students may receive up to $4,500 per academic year ($2,250 per semester) for up to eight semesters, as long as they maintain an active Cal Grant award, meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and complete any necessary financial aid verification. Before beginning any volunteer hours, students should visit the Financial Aid Office to review their eligibility.
Departments: Setting Up a Position
To host a DSIG volunteer, follow these steps:
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Submit a Requisition in CHRS Recruiting
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Departments must initiate a requisition for the volunteer position.
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Step-by-step guides are available on the HR Manager Resources – Volunteers webpage.
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Obtain Human Resources (HR) Approval
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Once HR approves the requisition, the department will receive a volunteer application link.
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Forward the Application Link to Financial Aid
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Departments must send this link to the Financial Aid Office for advertisement to eligible students.
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Departments must provide HR with the information of the selected finalist.
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HR will notify the department once the finalist is cleared to begin volunteering.
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Note: If the volunteer requires Level 1 data clearance, the department must also notify HR.
Student Application & Grant Process
Students looking to volunteer in a DSIG position should:
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Apply to the Volunteer Position using the link provided by the department.
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Complete the Grant Application Form.
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Section 1 & 4: Completed by the student.
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Section 2: Completed by the Financial Aid Office.
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Section 3: Completed by the department (after the student submits Sections 1 and 4, and Financial Aid completes Section 2).
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Submit a Finalized Form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) once all sections are complete.
Once CSAC approves the volunteer position, the student, the department contact and the Financial Aid Office will all receive a confirmation email. Students may begin their volunteer hours only after the department confirms HR clearance.
FAQs
Please submit the Stan State Service/Volunteer Experiences form to list your site. The Undocumented Student Services (USS) team will then share your opportunity with eligible students.
No, this program is funded by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). However, we do ask that if funding is available, your department provide the necessary supplies and tools for the student to successfully complete their volunteer experience.
Yes, you must submit a volunteer form via DocuSign to HR for approval. This ensures that the student is officially registered as a volunteer.
Yes, once you submit the volunteer form to HR, they will notify you when the paperwork is processed. Afterward, you can submit an IT ticket to request an SA email for the intern.
No, this is an experiential learning opportunity where the student is a volunteer. The goal of this program is to provide students with the opportunity to gain career experience while supporting departmental projects.
Yes, students can support research projects as part of their internship experience
Yes, students can attend professional conferences and research symposiums. Their participation in these career-building opportunities is highly encouraged. If your department does not have the funding to support their attendance, there are various Stan State funding sources that may be available. Please feel free to reach out to the Undocumented Student Services team if you need assistance.
You can refer students to the Undocumented Student Services, where we can assist them in verifying their eligibility. Please note that the DSIG program is available only to students who are eligible for the California Dream Act.
Updated: September 02, 2025