Charger Experience Program FAQ

The Charger Experience Program (CEP) is a first-time, tuition-free program at Cypress College. CEP provides 2 years of free tuition for first-time college students through Financial Aid, the California College Promise Grant (CCPG), or AB-19. CEP is an opt in program. As a participant, students receive the following benefits: priority registration, access to specialized Charger Experience Program Counselors, special events, and much more!

You must meet the following criteria to qualify for CEP:

• Be a first-time college student with no other course credits from other colleges/universities/trade schools (this does not apply to students who have taken Dual Enrollment classes while in high school).
  • Register for a minimum of 12 units every semester. *
  • Complete the FAFSA or Dream Act application and verification process through the Financial Aid Office.
  • Meet California residency or AB 540 requirements.
  • Enroll and complete Math, English, and two Counseling classes in your first year

*If you qualify for unit reduction through Disability Support Services (DSS), you may be able to enroll in less than 12 units. Please contact the DSS office at (714) 484-7104 or dss-students@cypresscollege.edu to see if you qualify for unit reduction.

CEP is an opt in program. If you attended high school in the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD), we will host Charger Friday orientation events in the spring semester to help you transition to Cypress College! Talk to your senior counselor about Charger Friday dates! If you are outside of AUHSD, we will host virtual Charger Night events to help you! Please be on the lookout for these dates or feel free to message chargerexperience@cypresscollege.edu with questions! CEP also requires that you complete the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Our Financial Aid office is open Monday- Thursday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. to assist you with this process and any questions you may have!

CEP covers your course tuition and the health fee for the fall and spring semesters during your first two years at Cypress College as long as you continue to meet eligibility requirements for the program. Unfortunately, we do not cover textbooks or the additional course fees.

CEP does not cover tuition or the health fee in the summer or winter intersessions. CEP only covers tuition and the health fee in the fall and spring semesters.

a. Can I join Charger Experience during my second year at Cypress?
You cannot join during your second year at Cypress College. One of the core requirements of the program is that you are a first-time college student and in your second year you are reclassed as a continuing student.

b. I graduated from high school a while ago. Am I still eligible for CEP?
Yes! As long as you have not completed college courses/units at a different college/university/trade school you are still eligible to be a Charger Experience student!

You are still considered a first-time college student and eligible for CEP as your Dual Enrollment units were completed before graduating high school. Make sure to speak with a Charger Experience Counselor to ensure your Dual Enrollment credits are transferred and you are given credit at Cypress College.

Unfortunately, you are not considered to be a first-time college student and are ineligible for CEP. We highly recommend you complete the FAFSA or CADAA and work with the Financial Aid Office to see if you are eligible for aid.

If you were previously part of a Promise Program at a different California community college, please reach out to chargerexperience@cypresscollege.edu for additional information about Promise to Promise transfer.

a. First-Year Charger Experience Students
After completing the CEP orientation and meeting with a Charger Experience Counselor, you must enroll in 12 or more units in your first semester at Cypress College, meet with a Charger Experience Counselor once a semester, attend two Charger Experience hosted events a semester, and complete your two Counseling courses by the end of the year. You must also pass at least 67% of the classes you enroll in and by the time you complete your first year at Cypress College.

b. 2nd Year Charger Experience Students
Similar to your first year, you must continue to enroll in 12 or more units in the fall and spring semester, meet with a Charger Experience Counselor once a semester, and attend two Charger Experience hosted events a semester. You must complete a new Financial Aid application for your second academic year at Cypress College. You must also maintain above 67% of units attempted/completed every semester.

The Charger Experience waiver does not apply automatically once enrolled in courses. It usually applies closer to the beginning of each semester. You may get an email letting you know that fees are due, however there is a paragraph letting Charger Experience students know to not pay for their tuition. Please make sure you do not pay for your courses, or you will need to go through the reimbursement process. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact chargerexperience@cypresscollege.edu.

You must attempt your English, Math, and two Counseling courses before the end of your first year at Cypress College unless otherwise approved by a Charger Experience Counselor. Meeting with a Charger Experience Counselor will help you select the courses you need that are specifically tied to your major and career choice.

Yes, you must enroll in the required courses as prescribed by a Charger Experience Counselor to qualify for CEP. There are a few exceptions for certain certificates that do not require Math or English. Please consult with a Charger Experience Counselor before enrolling or unenrolling in courses.

No, you do not need to retake a Counseling course if you took the course through Dual Enrollment. Please consult with a Charger Experience Counselor to ensure your Counseling courses meet CEP requirement.

You do not need to stay the full two years at Cypress to receive free tuition. You are welcome to transfer and complete your degree/certificate earlier if needed. As you get closer to graduation, we recommend meeting with a counselor to ensure you are ready to graduate and plan out your requirements with a Charger Experience Program Counselor.

For some majors and programs at Cypress College, it is normal to need more time to graduate or transfer. While CEP will only cover 2 years of free tuition, you are still able to meet with our counseling team and attend events for Charger Experience Program students.

CEP is continuous. If you take a semester off, you forfeit any remaining semesters of free tuition. Before taking a semester off, we recommend you meet with a Charger Experience counselor to go over how this will affect your benefits.

Yes, you can! Only courses taken at Cypress College or Fullerton College will count towards the 12-unit requirement for CEP. Where you take the majority of your units decides your home campus and what program you will be a part of. If most of your units are at Fullerton please contact promise@fullcoll.edu.

You can always take courses outside of NOCCCD. However, Charger Experience will not be able to cover the cost of tuition at the other campus or count the units taken outside of NOCCCD towards the 12-unit minimum requirement. If you choose to continue with these classes, we recommend you speak with the Financial Aid office at the other campuses to see if you qualify for aid to help cover the tuition costs.

All students must maintain complete at least 67% of all units enrolled and attempted. When you drop a course, the percentage goes down. For example, if you are enrolled in 12 units and drop a 3-unit course, you are now at a 75% completion ratio (provided you pass your other 9 units). Before dropping a course, make sure you speak with a Charger Experience counselor to see how it will affect your eligibility.

Charger Experience requires students to be enrolled continuously and does not allow gap semesters. If you are planning to take a break from Cypress College, please make sure to meet with a Charger Experience counselor to go over the next steps.

The North Orange Promise encompasses CEP, the Anaheim Union Pledge, and all first- time college students (beginning fall 2019).