The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is designed to support students from historically underserved backgrounds, often first-generation, low-income, or educationally disadvantaged—so they can succeed in college. Services can vary slightly by institution; here are some common EOP services and benefits here in Sacramento State:

EOP Outreach and Admissions Services

• Early High School Outreach and EOP Presentations
• Cal-State and EOP Application Assistance
• EOP New Student Orientation
• Class Registration Assistance
• Summer Bridge Academy (Mandatory)
• Fall and Spring Learning Communities

Academic Support

• Counseling services for personal, emotional, or family issues
• Mentoring and peer mentoring in core educational and personal
• General Education academic advising and course planning
• Personal Development Workshops (i.e... study skills, time management, and test preparation)
• Community-building events to foster a sense of belonging

Major and Career Explorations

Provide resources and referrals to aid in major exploration

• Understand and clearly explain Sac State requirements, policies, and procedures with regards to declaring a major
• Peer advising
• Graduate intern counseling
• Career assessments
• Career workshops
• Major and career exploration
• Junior/senior seminars
• Cultural and student engagement events
• Leadership training
• Faculty mentoring
• Internships
• EOP alumni mentoring

Career and Professional Development

• Career counseling and resume assistance
• Internship and job placement support
• Graduate school preparation resources

Financial Assistance

• EOP grants or scholarships (in addition to other financial aid)
• Help with financial aid applications (FAFSA, state aid, etc.)

EOP Grant- Eligibility Parameters

Students participating in EOP, who are qualified for financial aid, may be eligible to receive the EOP Grant (EOPG).

The EOPG is determined by the Financial Aid Office and awarded based on the student’s need and grant funding.

Due to budget constraints, not all eligible EOP students will receive EOPG. Please carefully read the EOPG eligibility and requirements.

Eligibility Parameters

1. EOPG recipients must have submitted a FAFSA and EOP applications, and must have been admitted by EOP.
2. EOPG recipients must be enrolled in full-time 12 units per semester.
3. EOPG recipients must have an SAI (Student Aid Index) of -1,500 to +1,500.
4. If the recipient’s GPA should fall below 2.00, or if the recipient was placed on SAP, Academic Probation, or Academic Disqualification, the recipient must meet with their EOP counselor for advising, academic planning, and/or counseling at least 1-time per semester to go over the EOP Student Agreement criteria to be eligible for EOPG in the following academic year.
5. If a recipient’s enrollment dropped below 12 units per semester, or was withdrawn from the University after the census date, the recipient will automatically become ineligible for the EOPG Grant in the following semester, but does not have to repay the awarded grant. For example, if a student’s enrollment dropped below 12 units at a Fall census, the student will not receive EOPG in the following Spring. If a student’s enrollment drops below 12 units at a Spring census, the student will not receive an EOPG in the following Fall.
6. Grant recipients must come into the EOP office for academic advising to maintain ongoing eligibility for EOPG.

Pre-College and Transition Programs

• Summer bridge programs to ease the transition from high school to college
• Orientation and class planning sessions tailored for EOP students
• First-year experience programs with extra guidance

Priority Services

• Access to EOP-specific advisors and counselors
• Specialized learning communities

Events and Workshops

• Major Events and workshops
• Career Events and workshops
• Workshop Topics:
  • Transition Issues
  • Decision Making
  • Cultural Adjustments
  • Stress and Life Balance
  • Self Esteem
  • Family Dynamics
  • Developing Resiliency