Removing barriers to graduation through the Provost Graduation Incentive Award

Published August 14, 2026
By Madison D´Ornellas, Penelope Gaibor, and Rachel Rivas

At CSULB, increasing graduation outcomes for all Beach students is a campus priority, particularly for students from historically underserved communities. One way CSULB supports this effort is through the Provost Graduation Incentive Awards (PGIA), which funds up to eight units of summer coursework for eligible students so they can complete their degrees without delaying graduation until the fall.  

Since launching as a pilot program in 2016 with just 37 students, PGIA has grown into a key student success initiative. Initially serving first-time, first-year students pursuing four-year graduation, the program expanded in 2022 to include transfer students working toward two-year graduation, more than doubling its reach. To date, PGIA has supported more than 1,500 CSULB students in completing their degrees on time.

In summer 2026, 197 students received PGIA awards totaling more than $270,995 to support timely degree completion.  

How the Program Works

Students who are eligible for Summer Pell Grants receive those funds first, and then the Financial Aid Office supplements any remaining eligible tuition costs with PGIA funding as needed.

To qualify for a PGIA award, students must file to graduate in the summer term, enroll in eligible summer coursework, and successfully complete all remaining degree requirements. Each college identifies eligible students and provides advising and support throughout the process to help ensure timely degree completion.

Supporting Student Success

PGIA has played an important role in advancing CSULB's graduation goals. The program is estimated to have increased the University's four-year graduation rate for first-time, first-year students by approximately two percentage points, helping CSULB become one of only a handful of CSU campuses to achieve its Graduation Initiative 2025 (GI 2025) four-year graduation goal.

According to the CSU, graduates who complete their degrees approximately one semester earlier are projected to earn an estimated $53,000 more in lifetime earnings, highlighting the long-term value of supporting timely degree completion.