These LA community college students are getting paid to go to school. Here’s how
Amy Elisabeth Moore
June 23, 2025
In summary
A pilot program by the Los Angeles Community College District pays $1,200 a month to students pursuing health fields. By helping with living expenses, the district hopes the guaranteed income will help more students complete their health care workforce development programs.
In November last year, Los Angeles City College student Brenda Olazava got an email notifying her that she had been selected to participate in a guaranteed income pilot program. She would receive 12 monthly stipends of $1,000 to spend however she wanted.
“We’ll see if this is true or not,” she thought.
The pilot program for the Los Angeles Community College District, Building Outstanding Opportunities for Students to Thrive, or BOOST, provides monthly payments for one year to eligible community college students majoring in a health care field. Olazava’s skepticism disappeared when she received her first monthly stipend in time for Thanksgiving 2024.
Throughout California, dozens of guaranteed income programs provide participants with monthly stipends. But only a few reach college students. Even fewer reach community college students.
