Steps for Students New to Gavilan

All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid! To determine your eligibility, start by completing one of the applications below by the priority deadline of March 2nd:

• FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid - use this to apply for college money such as Pell Grant, SEOG, Student Loans, Cal Grant, California College Promise (Fee Waiver), Gavilan College Promise and Work-Study.

OR

• CADAA , the California Dream Act Application is a state financial aid application that allows undocumented and other eligible students in California to apply for state and institutional financial assistance.
• Both FAFSA and CADAA applications are open for the 2026-27 school year  Apply Today!
• Applying for financial aid will allow you to determine your eligibility for the California Promise Grant the Gavilan Promise Grant , or other aid. 
• Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information. 

• Complete Student Self-Placement to assist in choosing your English and Math courses. Placement is based on your U.S. high school GPA and coursework.
• If you have passed an Advanced Placement (AP) exam with a score of 3 or higher or if you have attended other colleges, request that your official transcript be sent to admissions@gavilan.edu to ensure accurate placement. Meet with a Counselor to review your transcript.

• Log into your MyGav portal. Under the Student tab, look for the Orientations and Workshops icon and complete Step 1- Orientation.  It is available 24/7 and takes approximately one hour to complete.

• Complete the student survey at the end to receive credit for orientation.  

• Orientation is required for priority registration for next semester. 

• All Gavilan students are required to complete Title IX, sexual violence, and sexual harassment training within six months of the start of each school year.
• Log into your MyGav portal. Under the Student tab, look for the Orientations and Workshops icon and complete Step 2 – Title IX Training.

• To report an incident, go to the Just Report It webpage.

• Students who have a declared major and an education plan that outlines the courses necessary to complete their educational goal are more likely to graduate in a timely manner. 
• Review the Degrees/Certificates Offered at Gavilan College
• Log into MyGav portal, under the student tab go to myDegreeWorks and identify courses required for your educational objective. Review the worksheet and select General Education and Major courses for the upcoming term.

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• Meet with a Counselor if you need help identifying courses for registration.

• Register for classes by logging into your MyGav account. Under the student tab and go to Gavilan Self-Service Banner. Review the How to Register for Classes Video to review steps if needed.

• To access your online classes, go to iLearn (Canvas) . 
• To view your fees and pay, go to the Student Account tab in Self-Service Banner. For financial aid assistance, Apply for Financial Aid .  
• If you require further assistance, contact the Welcome Center.

• An ed plan is a comprehensive semester by semester plan of all the courses needed to complete your educational goal. Ed plans are created by Gavilan counselors. 
• Once the semester begins, Schedule an Appointment with a Counselor to complete a comprehensive ed plan so you can be eligible for priority registration next term.
• Complete Orientation and Your Educational Plan = Priority Registration Next Semester.

• We have a wide range of programs to support our diverse student population. Students may qualify for one or more programs at Gavilan College, each one unique in their services, but similar in that your success is our main goal.
• Review Our List of Support Programs.