Grant Programs
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Grant Programs
Grants are a form of financial aid that you don’t have to repay, so they’re one of the best ways to help pay for college. UC Santa Cruz offers a range of institutional, federal, and state grants based on financial need, academic eligibility, and other factors. If you qualify, your grant funds are applied directly to your student account to help cover costs like tuition, housing, and books.
Below you’ll find information about the different types of grants available, including who’s eligible and how to apply.
UC Santa Cruz Grants
UC Santa Cruz offers different grant programs for undergraduate students who are California residents pursuing their first bachelor’s degree. These grants are funded by the University of California and awarded based on financial need. To be considered, students must meet all application deadlines and accept their awards in MyUCSC. Awards not accepted before the end of the first term of attendance may be rescinded.
UC Santa Cruz Grant
The UC Santa Cruz Grant is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need, determined by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (from your FAFSA) from the total cost of attendance.
Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan reflects the University of California’s commitment to affordability and cost predictability for California students. Most California families earning up to $100,000 receive enough grants and scholarships to fully cover UC tuition.
Students typically receive an average aid package of up to $22,000 in grants and scholarships, allowing many to work part-time to cover remaining expenses and graduate with little to no debt. Under this plan, tuition is set at the time of initial enrollment and remains the same for up to six years.
To be considered, students must submit the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form by March 2.
UC Health Insurance Grant
Our campus also awards the UC Health Insurance Grant to undergraduate financial aid applicants who meet all aid deadlines to help partially cover the cost of the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) for eligible students. The maximum amount of this award can be up to $1,500, but the amount can vary depending on financial need. Awards can be accessed and accepted via your MyUCSC portal.
For more information about the UC Student Health Insurance Plan, visit the Student Health Website.
UC Health Insurance Grant
Provides up to $6,000 for students with dependent children under 18 whom they support more than half financially during the academic year. This grant is for students who do not qualify for the Students with Dependents Grant issued by the California Student Aid Commission. It helps reduce the loan/work expectation in a student’s aid offer and appears as a UC Grant Dep Access award in MyUCSC.
For additional resources our campus provides to student parents, see the Student Parent section of the Student Success site.
Federal Grants
Federal Pell Grant
Pell Grants are variable for undergraduates based on family contribution. Awards are adjusted for students enrolled in less than 12 credits in a term. This calculation is known as Pell Grant Enrollment Intensity.
Adjustments are made for part-time enrollment after the add/drop deadline for each term. Students enrolled in less than 12 credits in a term will have a reduced Pell Grant disbursement amount based on the Enrollment Intensity Calculation.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
SEOG is 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 for this grant.
Federal Teach Grant/Loan
Graduate MA Education students who meet eligibility criteria may apply for a Federal Teach Grant/Loan. The fact sheet provides more information – click on the link for this grant. In exchange for receiving this grant, you must sign an Agreement to Serve. This grant converts to a loan with retroactive interest if the Service Agreement is not fulfilled.
State Grants
Cal Grant A & B (California residents)
Cal Grant A and Cal Grant B 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 financial aid application before March 2nd every year, first-time applicants must also complete and submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form no later than March 2nd (postmarked deadline). Cal Grant A and B awards pay UC Tuition and Student Services Fees. See the UCSC Registrar’s fee schedule to determine the grant amount. Cal Grant B Access awards are $1,656 and will be applied towards the student bill unless the student requests otherwise in writing. Graduate students in the MA Education program who received a Cal Grant as an undergraduate student may apply for a 5th year of benefits. See our Cal Grant page for more information on how to apply.
Middle Class Scholarship
Middle-Class Scholarship (MCS) provides undergraduate students with a scholarship to attend a University of California (UC) campus. Students with family income and assets up to a certain threshold. Income and asset ceilings are different for independent students. Please refer to Middle Class Scholarship – California Student Aid Commission for additional information.
Students must meet the following requirements to be considered:
- Be a California resident
- Be FAFSA applicant eligible for federal student aid, or a DREAM Act applicant who meets the requirements for AB540 nonresident tuition exemption
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Must not be in default on a student loan
You may receive the MCS award for up to 4 years if admitted as a freshman and 2 years if admitted as a transfer. The scholarship award amounts will vary by student. Award amounts will be based on the following:
- Cost of attendance minus other available gift aid the student is eligible for, including all grants, institutional or private scholarships, fee waivers, and basic needs grants
- Minus a self-help student contribution of $8,954 (applied to all students)
- Minus 33% of parent contribution for dependent students with a household income over $100,000.
Under the above formula, award amounts will vary widely among students, with each award reflecting their net costs and available resources. CSAC will adjust MCS awards for changes in the cost of attendance, changes in any gift aid support or waiver received, and less than full-time enrollment (12 units).
For additional information about MCS, please visit CSAC’s website.
Students with Dependents Grants
Students with Dependent Grants of up to $6,000 are available to students who have dependent children that are under 18 years of age, and for whom they provide more than half of their financial support during the academic year. This grant is provided to Cal Grant recipients by the CA Student Aid Commission.
This grant helps offset the loan/work expectation of a student’s aid offer and the amount is contingent on the percent time enrolled per term. It will display as a Cal Grant Dep Access award.
For additional resources, our campus provides to student parents see the Student Parent section of the Student Success site.
Native American Opportunity Plan
What is the UC Native American Opportunity Plan?
The UC Native American Opportunity Plan (UC NAOP) ensures that in-state systemwide Tuition and Student Services Fees are fully covered for California undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and/or Alaska Native tribes.
If an eligible student’s total current aid from grants and/or scholarships equals or exceeds the UC systemwide tuition and fees, then the Native American Opportunity Plan promise has been satisfied. However, if a student’s aid from these sources does not fully cover the UC systemwide tuition and fees, the Native American Opportunity Plan will make up the difference with UC grant funding.
Program eligibility requirements
To be eligible for the UC Native American Opportunity Plan, students must meet all of the following criteria:
- Must be a current or newly admitted University of California undergraduate, graduate, or professional school student.
- Must be a California Resident.
- Must be an enrolled member in a federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and/or Alaska Native tribe.
- Must be enrolled in a state-supported UC degree program (i.e., students in self-supporting and certificate programs do not qualify*).
- Must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
How Do I Affirm and Provide Proof of Tribal Enrollment?
Documentation of tribal enrollment may include any of the following:
- Certification of tribal enrollment on tribal letterhead.
- Enrollment/membership card that contains the tribal seal and/or official signature of a tribal leader.
- Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) if the CDIB includes tribal enrollment information.
- Tribal identification card with an enrollment number. You must also submit tribal contact information (address, phone, and email) if it is not evident in the submitted documentation.
Submit the Eligibility Affidavit and Documentation here. Applications are accepted throughout the year.
What kind of support will be available to Native American students from non-federally recognized tribes?
The University of California consulted with tribal leaders to develop the UC Native American Opportunity Plan. This consultation included discussions on how to benefit all Native American students, including those from non-federally recognized tribes. California’s Native American tribes and other external organizations may provide scholarships to Native American students who are not members of a federally recognized tribe.
The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria recently announced a scholarship fund that will cover UC tuition and mandatory fees for eligible California Native American students. Learn more about the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Scholarship Fund. Scholarship applications are due by August 1.
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