The Aid Timeline

October 1 - May 2

Submit your FAFSA or the Dream Application for the next academic year. May 2nd is the priority deadline for undergraduate students to submit a financial aid application. This deadline is important to be considered for all types of aid administered by UC Santa Cruz. You must be a California resident to be considered for institutional grant programs.

If you are a California resident and a new Cal Grant applicant, you must also submit the GPA Verification Form to the California Student Aid Commission by May 2nd.

This video will provide information on the costs of attending UCSC, how to apply for financial aid, and the types of aid available to pay for college. 

May 2 - May 15

New undergraduate students admitted to fall quarter who submit a FAFSA or Dream Application will receive a conditional aid offer. The conditional aid offer is based on data provided on your financial aid application. The more accurate the data is, the more accurate the aid estimate. If the information provided on your financial aid application has errors, we will notify you and post instructions for resolving the problems on your MyUCSC To-Do List. Take action to resolve any errors on your financial aid application as quickly as possible. The conditional aid offer is subject to change if the information on your application is incorrect, incomplete, or doesn't accurately reflect your family’s ability to contribute.

The "Understanding Your Conditional Aid Offer" video will help you better understand your Conditional aid offer and provides step-by-step instructions on how to access it.

June 2

This is the priority submission date for fall aid applicants to submit documents on their MyUCSC To-Do List. Documents must be received in the UCSC Financial Aid and Scholarship Office by this date (or by the date listed on the request) to be considered for all types of aid administered by UC Santa Cruz.

Note: Graduate students are not subject to this deadline, and only Californian residents are considered for institutional grant programs.

July 1- September 1 

Students who submit a financial aid application and all items requested by the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office on their MyUCSC To-Do List will receive an e-mail when an official financial aid offer is ready to review on MyUCSC. Admitted students who accept their admission offer will receive an official aid offer after they accept their offer of admission. 

Late August

Fall quarter bills are posted. After you accept an aid offer, you may use our Payment Estimator to estimate how much you will owe for the quarter.

First-time borrowers must complete the loan promissory note and entrance counseling for the loan they wish to take out before funds will credit their student accounts. See Important Next Steps.