Transfer Students
Transferring schools is a big step, and figuring out financial aid shouldn’t be overwhelming. Whether you're coming from a community college or another university, we’re here to help you navigate scholarships, grants, and financial aid options that fit your needs.
Explore transfer-friendly financial aid programs, understand deadlines, and get personalized support to make your transition as seamless as possible. Because your education should move forward—without financial roadblocks.
Apply for Aid:
UCSC is here to make sure your financial aid moves with you during your transfer process. Whether you are applying for FAFSA or the DREAM ACT, scholarships, or maximizing your aid, we’ve got the resources to help.
- If you are a student who is a US citizen, permanent resident ("Green Card" holder), have a T-Visa, or are an eligible non-citizen. Please be sure to complete a FAFSA form or simply log in at FAFSA.gov and update your application.
- If you are an undocumented student, including being a DACA recipient, who meets certain residency and educational requirements (like AB 540 eligibility), you are eligible to apply for state financial aid in California through the DREAM ACT
- Scholarships for transfer students offer more than just financial support—they can be a game changer in your college journey. It can help cover tuition, books, housing, and other expenses, reducing the need for loans or multiple jobs so you can focus more on your academics.
You can visit our scholarships webpage for a list of scholarships here at UCSC and outside of UCSC. Click here.
🎓 Financial Aid Timeline for 2025–2026 Academic Year (UCSC)
📅 December 2024
FAFSA and CADAA Open:FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CADAA (California Dream Act Application) become available starting December 1st, 2024.
Students should begin their applications early to meet upcoming deadlines.
📅 April 2, 2025
California State Aid Deadline:The priority deadline for California state financial aid has been moved to April 2nd, 2025.
Meeting this deadline ensures eligibility for Cal Grant and other state aid.
📅 Late March – Early April 2025
Conditional Aid Offers Sent:Newly admitted undergraduate students for Fall 2025 will receive conditional financial aid offers around this time.
📅 May 2025
Verification Season Begins:Students selected for federal or institutional verification will be notified by email and through the MyAidVerify portal.
This step is required to confirm the accuracy of the aid application.
📅 August 15, 2025
Verification Deadline:Students must complete all verification requirements by August 15th to ensure their aid is processed before Fall quarter disbursement.
Official Aid Packages will be sent throughout the summer.
📅 September 2025
Financial Aid Disbursement:Aid will be disbursed on September 16, 2025, just before the quarter begins.
Fall Quarter Begins:
Classes start on September 20, 2025.
Terms You Should Know:
Verification: This is a process required by the state and federal government that is intended to improve the accuracy of the information submitted on your Financial Aid Application. If selected for verification, students may submit verification documents (tasks), including appeals, by logging in to MyAid Verify. Your financial aid offer may be adjusted as a result of the verification process.
Student Loan Delinquency: If you are a returning student after a gap in enrollment, you may have entered repayment on your federal loans. Your loan becomes delinquent the first day after you miss a payment. Even if you miss just one payment and then resume paying on time, your account remains delinquent until you repay the missed amount or make alternative arrangements.The consequences of delinquency can lead to late fees and may be reported to national credit bureaus after 90 days, potentially damaging your credit score.
Student Loan Default: If your loan remains delinquent for 270 days (approximately nine months), it enters default status. The consequences of defaulting on a student loan has severe repercussions, which include:
- The entire unpaid balance and interest become immediately due.
- Loss of eligibility for deferment, forbearance, and additional federal student aid.
- Negative impact on your credit rating, affecting future borrowing ability.
- Potential wage garnishment and withholding of tax refunds.
- Possible legal action.
Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU): The LEU is the sum of the percentages of your Federal Pell Grant scheduled awards that you received for each award year. The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited by federal law to be the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):
As a transfer student it is important to plan academics accordingly as transfer students have many credits and usually have used some of their financial aid at a previous institution such as Pell Grant and Cal Grant.
To remain eligible for financial aid, a student must meet three components of Satisfactory Academic Progress. These include GPA, Pace, & Time to Degree. For more infromation, please check out our Undergraduate Satisfactory Academic Progress Page.
