Cal State Schools Win $5M Fintech Training Grant

Cal State Northridge and Cal State LA will use a five-year federal grant to train students for careers in financial technology.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Financial Aid

Cal State Schools Win $5M Fintech Training Grant

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Cal State Northridge and Cal State LA received a five-year, $5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions Program to fund fintech training. CSUN's David Nazarian College of Business and Economics will receive $3 million of the grant, with the remaining funds going to Cal State LA.

Why it matters

The grant targets students at two Hispanic-serving institutions with large shares of first-generation and Pell Grant recipients, aiming to build a pipeline into the financial technology sector. It positions both campuses to offer credentials tied to a growing industry in Los Angeles.

The grant is a five-year, $5 million federal award, with $3 million allocated to CSUN's David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. The source does not state how many students the program will serve beyond a projection of hundreds earning a fintech-related certificate.

The players

Cal State Northridge

A public university in the San Fernando Valley and the lead institution receiving the federal fintech training grant.

Cal State Los Angeles

A public university serving students from East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley that is a partner in the fintech grant.

U.S. Department of Education

The federal agency that awarded the grant through its Strengthening Institutions Program.

The details

The universities submitted their grant application in June, and funding was awarded in September. The partnership builds on the CSUN Center for Fintech Innovation and Policy, which was established in May, and both campuses plan to help hundreds of students earn a certificate related to financial technology.

May: CSUN established the Center for Fintech Innovation and Policy.
June: The universities submitted the grant application.
September: The grant funding was awarded.
November 2, 2026: The universities announced the grant on Monday.
2027: CSUN's Nazarian College plans a grand opening for its Fintech Center.

Financial Aid Landscape

Federal Strengthening Institutions Program grants, which support Hispanic-serving institutions, are a key channel for funding career-oriented programs at public universities. This award extends that pattern by directing federal dollars toward fintech training for students who are first-generation and Pell Grant recipients.

Students at Cal State Northridge and Cal State LA may gain access to certificate programs in financial technology as the grant-funded programs take shape. The Nazarian College's Fintech Center is planned to open in 2027, which will shape when enrollment becomes available.

The takeaway

Students interested in fintech careers should watch for certificate program announcements from Cal State Northridge and Cal State LA as the 2027 Fintech Center opening approaches.