Financial Aid
The university maintains a robust financial aid program of grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time employment for undergraduate students who require financial assistance. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office administers these resources to help bridge the gap between the cost of education and what parents and students can reasonably contribute.
If you are a dependent student, the contribution expected from you and your parents is determined through an analysis of your family’s financial strength, considering such variables as income, number of dependents, living expenses, and savings and investments (excluding your primary residence). Federal, state, and university policies and procedures are applied. The same analysis is used for married and independent students with the exception of parent information. The federal definition of an “independent student” is used to determine your dependency when you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan is a Financial Aid Initiative that ensures that undergraduate California residents whose families earn a total income less than $80,000, meet application deadlines, and who demonstrate enough financial need are guaranteed to receive gift aid from all sources to cover UC systemwide tuition and fees. Qualified students must be in their first four years of attendance (first two for transfer students).
No student will receive more scholarship and grant support than the calculated financial need. All sources of scholarship and grant awards (federal, state, institutional, and private sources, including outside agency scholarships) will count toward covering fees and meeting the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan commitment. The majority of students who meet the income eligibility standard receive much more grant and scholarship funding than the plan covers.
In addition to the minimum funding under the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, undergraduates with sufficient financial need will receive additional grant support to help defray other educational expenses (e.g., books, living expenses, and transportation).
Application Deadlines
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be submitted online at the Federal Student Aid website on or after Oct. 1 of the year prior to the academic year you wish to receive aid (e.g., Oct. 1, 2020, for applicants for fall 2021). Students who are ineligible to complete the FAFSA, but who meet AB 540 criteria, may be eligible to file the Dream Application. Submit a financial aid application each year before the priority deadline of March 2 to be eligible for all types of aid.
Students admitted for fall quarter will receive an estimated financial aid award in April.
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office may require additional documentation from applicants. These applicants will be sent an email instructing them to login to MyUCSC and view their “To Do List,” where required documents are requested (e.g., copies of student and parent tax returns or other forms). They will be directed to review and submit documents through MyAid Verify. This link is also located in the MyUCSC portal in the Financial Aid Tile. Students can then click the “Financial Resources” link on that page and complete submission. These documents must be received by the deadline on the “To Do List” for a student to be considered for all sources of aid administered by UC Santa Cruz. The deadline is June 2.
Conditional awards for admitted students may change as a result of the review of documentation.
Applicants who submit verification documents after the deadlines will be considered for aid based on availability.
Students admitted for winter quarter must have submitted a FAFSA by their admission notification date. Items requested on your MyUCSC “To Do List” must be submitted by December 2. Award notifications will be made as soon as possible after you are admitted/readmitted and all requested financial aid documents are received.
Types of Aid
If you apply for financial aid and meet the application deadlines, you are considered for all types of aid described below. Based on your financial need, your financial aid package may include a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and work opportunities.
Grants
- UC Santa Cruz Grants are awarded to students based on financial need.
- Cal Grant A & B (eligible California residents) are awarded by the California Student Aid Commission to California residents who meet eligibility requirements and who demonstrate financial need and academic achievement. In addition to submitting a FAFSA or Dream Application*, first time applicants must also complete and submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form no later than March 2. Cal Grant A and B awards pay Tuition and Student Services Fees at UC.
- Middle-Class Scholarship Grants are provided by the California Student Aid Commission to eligible California resident students with total family incomes under $184,000 and net assets less than $184,000. Grants are awarded on a sliding scale with a cap of 40 percent of systemwide tuition, after considering other forms of grant aid.
- Federal Pell Grants are offered to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate significant financial need based on the expected family contribution (EFC). Awards are variable depending upon the EFC; the maximum Pell Grant for 2020-21 is $6,395.
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who demonstrate significant financial need. These grants supplement the UC Santa Cruz Grant program. Students must meet application deadlines to be considered. The maximum award is $4,000.
Scholarships
- UC Santa Cruz Scholarships range from $250 to $10,000 per year. (The average award is about $1,500.) Funding comes from private donors, alumni, and the university. Entering UCSC students are considered for scholarships based on responses to scholarship questions on the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission. Your application essay will serve as your scholarship essay. Selected students are notified throughout the academic year. All continuing students are automatically considered for scholarships based on various factors including cumulative GPA.
- Regents Scholarships are the most prestigious merit scholarships awarded to undergraduates. Freshman Regent Scholars receive a total of $20,000 paid over four years. New junior transfers and continuing students selected in the junior year receive the Regents Scholarship for a total of $10,000 paid over two years. The scholarship amount varies for continuing students based on the year in college and year appointed.
- Other Scholarships: Some campus scholarships are restricted to students from particular geographic areas or family backgrounds, or are limited to students in particular majors, classes, or colleges. The donors have different reasons for giving, and their varied interests are reflected in the wide range of scholarships available. Merit and restricted scholarship awards range up to $5,000.
Need-Based Loans
- University Loans are offered to first-year undergraduate students. Repayment begins nine months after a student falls below half time enrollment or graduates from the university. During repayment, the interest rate accrues at 5 percent annually.
- Federal Direct Subsidized Student Loans are funded by the federal government and can be borrowed up to the federal limits based on student status (please see Direct Loan Limit Chart below). Students pay an origination fee, which is deducted from the total accepted amount of the loan. Repayment begins six months after a student falls below half time enrollment.Interest rates and loan fees are updated annually and are hosted by Federal Student Aid.
- CA Dream Loans are provided to eligible undocumented AB 540 to help cover the cost of attending UC. The CA Dream loan program is funded by the state and UC, and aims to close that gap and provide eligible students with the opportunity to borrow student loans to help pay for their education. Repayment begins nine months after a student falls below half-time enrollment or graduates from the university. During repayment, the interest rate accrues at 5 percent annually.
Non-Need-Based Loans
The following loans are available to both undergraduate and graduate students:
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans are funded by the federal government and can be borrowed up to the federal limits based on student status (please see Direct Loan Limit Chart below). Unsubsidized loans are offered to students who do not demonstrate financial need or who have exhausted all need based aid. Interest accrues on unsubsidized loans from the date the loan is disbursed. The student pays an origination fee which is deducted from the total accepted amount of the loan. Students may begin repaying principal and interest on Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans immediately, pay only interest immediately, or defer both principal and interest until they are no longer enrolled in school at least half time.
- Federal Direct Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS). Parents of dependent students can apply for a PLUS loan and may borrow up to the full cost of attendance as defined by the UCSC Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. Applicants must pass a modest credit check through the Department of Education for the loan to be approved. Repayment begins six months after a student falls below half time enrollment. Interest rates and loan fees are updated annually and are hosted by Federal Student Aid. Loan repayments begin 60 days after the last disbursement for the academic year (the last disbursement is typically the first day of spring quarter). Parents do have the option to defer payment, similar to the student’s ability to defer on their Federal Direct loan above. See your loan servicer for more information.
| Annual and Lifetime Federal Direct Student Loan Limits |
|
Subsidized Loans |
Unsubsidized Loans |
Combined Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans |
| Dependent Students |
| Freshman |
$3,500 |
$2,000 |
$5,500 |
| Sophomores |
$4,500 |
$2,000 |
$6,500 |
| Juniors and Seniors |
$5,500 |
$2,000 |
$7,500 |
| Lifetime Loan Limits |
$23,000 |
$31,000 |
|
| Independent Students1 |
| Freshman |
$3,500 |
$6,000 |
$9,500 |
| Sophomores |
$4,500 |
$6,000 |
$10,500 |
| Juniors and Seniors |
$5,500 |
$7,000 |
$12,500 |
| Lifetime Loan Limits |
$23,000 |
$57,000 |
|
| Graduate Students |
N/A |
$20,500 |
$20,500 |
| Lifetime Loan Limits |
|
$138,500 |
|
| 1 Refers to students who answered "yes" to any dependency status question on the FAFSA. These loan limits also apply to dependent undergraduate students whose parents were denied a PLUS loan due to adverse credit history. |
Other Loans
The University of California develops and publishes lists of private lenders who offer the most favorable terms for UC borrowers. Lender lists may be found on UCSC’s Financial Aid and Scholarships website under Private Loans and are also available at www.elmselect.com.
Federal Work-Study
Federal Work-Study gives students who demonstrate financial need the opportunity to work part-time to earn money to help cover expenses while enrolled at UC Santa Cruz.
Some on-campus and community jobs are posted online at the Career Center website Career Center website. Not all campus jobs are posted with the Career Center. Another way to locate on-campus jobs is through networking. Examples include talking to students, staff, and faculty at your college, in your dorm and dining hall, and in the academic departments. The Career Center can help you with résumé writing and job-search strategies. Jobs are competitive, and this award does not guarantee a position.
Loan Forgiveness Programs
The federal government will forgive all or part of a student loan under certain circumstances. Examples of these include performing volunteer work or military service and practicing medicine in certain communities. For a summary of such exemptions, visit the Federal Student Aid website.
More Information
For more information about applying for financial aid, rights and responsibilities, and document deadlines contact the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office at (831) 459-2963 or visit us at 205 Hahn Student Services Building.