Winter Quarter FAQ's
Why haven’t the loans I accepted for fall quarter disbursed?
It is likely that your loan did not disburse due to one or both of the following reasons:
Incomplete Master Promissory Note (MPN) or
Incomplete Loan Entrance Counseling.
If your MyUCSC To Do list shows either one of these items is required, then your loan(s) will not disburse until they are completed.
When will I receive my financial aid refund for winter quarter?
Refunds begin the first week of each quarter on the following schedule:
Direct deposit refunds - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It may take 1 to 2 business days for your bank/financial institution to post the direct deposit to your account.
Check refunds - mailed twice a week on Tuesday & Thursday the first two weeks of the quarter then once a week on Thursdays thereafter. Check refunds are mailed to the mailing address listed on your student portal.
PLUS refunds - Parents who requested the PLUS refund be sent to them, will receive a check mailed to the address listed on the loan application.
If I am not enrolled full time, will my financial aid be affected?
Check the current Academic and Administrative Calendar to determine the last day to add/drop/swap classes to be enrolled full time (12+ units) for financial aid purposes. If you are not enrolled in 12 or more units by this date, your financial aid may be revised and reduced. Dropping a class after this date may not affect the current quarter’s financial aid. However, if you are dropping a class late in the term, you should talk with your academic adviser about how taking a “W” may affect your academic standing.
While your aid for this quarter may not be affected by dropping the course, dropping below full-time may affect your Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and affect your aid eligibility for future terms. Please refer to the Financial Aid Academic Progress Policy.
If I’m a winter re-admit, when will I receive my financial aid offer?
When you submit/complete all your To Do List requests, we will post your aid offer as quickly as possible. You will receive an email notification when the award offers have been posted to your portal.
What happens if I don’t turn in my Sibling Enrollment Verification Form?
If you do not turn in your Sibling Enrollment Verification Form, your financial aid disbursement for the quarter will be held until the form is received by our office. When received, we will do our best to review the form quickly.
If my sibling is also attending UCSC, do I need to complete the Sibling Enrollment Verification Form?
Yes, both you and your sibling will need to complete the Sibling Enrollment Verification form. Each of you will have to complete the 2nd option under Section 3 and include your sibling’s UCSC ID number.
If I indicated on my FAFSA that my sibling would be enrolled in school, but has now decided not to attend, will my aid be affected?
Yes, your FAFSA and your aid will be revised to correct the number of students in college. Generally, a decrease in this number results in a higher family contribution and therefore, a reduction to your financial aid eligibility. You may be billed aid you received in fall. It’s best to report as soon as possible whether there are changes to the number of students in college in your family so that your aid can be adjusted early.
How should I fill out the Sibling Enrollment Verification Form if my sibling isn’t attending until spring semester/term?
If your sibling was not enrolled for fall, but will attend beginning in spring, complete the information for the 3rd checkbox in Section 3 of the form including your sibling’s name and expected start date.
You will be required to submit the Enrollment Verification form prior to spring quarter. Your sibling must have his/her college/university complete Section 2.
When and where do I submit my FAFSA?
March 2nd is the FAFSA deadline for UC and for the state Cal Grant program.
New Cal Grant applicants must also submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification form by March 2nd. If you currently receive Cal Grant, this form is not necessary.
Submit the FAFSA online.
