Congratulations!
You have been admitted to the University of California, Berkeley! UC Berkeley offers an exciting undergraduate academic experience that ranks among the very best in the world.
As a new student, you have likely already reviewed your offer of financial aid on CalCentral and begun to plan your budget for the coming year. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office would like to outline a few factors for you and your family to consider as you prepare for your first year at Berkeley.
Residency and Your Financial Aid
Until the Residency Office finalizes your residency status, your current Cost of Attendance and financial aid awards are based on self-reported data from your admissions application. Changes to your residency status will impact your Cost of Attendance, the amount of tuition and fees assessed, as well as the types and amount of financial aid for which you are eligible.
Develop a Multi-Year Financial Plan
Current economic situations can be challenging for some families, and for students coming from outside California there are additional financial obligations to consider. Our goal is to identify whether you qualify for federal financial aid and help you receive all aid that is currently available to you. New students who are not residents of California will not be eligible for our need-based grants or most scholarships. We encourage you and your family to develop a plan to meet your educational expenses until the time you graduate from UC Berkeley.
Nonresidents of California frequently inquire about assistance with Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. Unfortunately, institutional funds to cover nonresident expenses are not available. Additionally, financial aid appeals typically do not result in the offering of more need-based institutional gift aid.
Understand Residency Requirements
Many nonresident students believe they can easily establish California residency after their first year and pay in-state fees in subsequent years. Students physically present in California solely for educational purposes will not be eligible for resident classification regardless of the length of their stay in California. For more information, please see the Residency Information on the Office of the Registrar’s web page.
Enroll in the Tuition and Fee Payment Plan
You may choose to enroll in the Tuition and Fee Payment Plan, which allows you to pay fall or spring semester tuition and fees in five monthly installments. To sign up, log into your CalCentral account.
Remember that Parent PLUS Loans Require a Credit Check
If your financial aid offer includes a Parent PLUS Loan, please be aware that all PLUS Loan applications are subject to a credit check. If the loan is denied, your family needs to be prepared to find alternate funding sources.
Note that Financial Aid Awards Are Not Negotiated
UC Berkeley does not negotiate financial aid awards in response to offers from other schools. If the other university has information about your family’s financial situation that we don’t have, or if you think we made a mistake in our assessment, please contact us to discuss a possible re-assessment of your need for federal aid purposes.
Research Outside Scholarships
We strongly encourage you to research and apply for outside scholarships to help meet the cost of attending UC Berkeley. For more information, please see our Scholarship Search web page.
Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by increases or reductions to State funding or other developments.