Transfer Student Guide

Transfer Slugs – 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

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. 

Important Additional Financial Aid Info

Student Loan Delinquency 

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.
  If you have been asked to submit a Default Resolution Letter or Overpayment Letter please click here to view what this should look like. Per stephanie Silva add PDF link here (i’m not sure how to do this)

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.

Dependent and Independent Verification

Verification is the process of checking the accuracy of the information students provide when they apply for financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Because the effectiveness of the federal student financial aid programs depends on the accuracy of the data students report, schools must verify information provided by students and parents on the FAFSA. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress

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: Students must maintain a cumulative 2.0 UCSC GPA to meet SAP for financial aid. SAP is measured at the end of each academic year.
• Pace: Students are expected to enroll full-time, defined as 15 credits per quarter, to maintain good academic standing. You are expected to pass a minimum of 12 credits if you are full-time and 80% of credits attempted if enrolled in the Official Part-Time program.
• Time to Degree: Degree requirements must be completed within a maximum time frame. Students are expected to satisfy all requirements for a degree by completing 180 quarter credits within 4 years. All students can complete or attempt up to 225 credits while receiving financial aid to complete a degree.  The attempted credit limit applies to the time you have spent at any college or post-secondary institution, including non-AP college transfer credits earned in high school, quarters during which you withdrew, and quarters in which you did not receive financial aid. It does not include quarters when you were not registered.

To learn more about Satisfactory Academic Progress please visit our website here. 

Transfer Housing at UCSC

Transfer Housing at UC Santa Cruz

For many transfer students, living on campus is a key part of feeling connected, supported, and fully engaged in university life. At UC Santa Cruz, the Transfer Community is designed especially for incoming transfer students from all college affiliations. Living in the Transfer Community is a great way to make friends, find support, and get the most out of your UCSC experience from day one.

Redwood grove (lgbtq+)

Redwood Grove is a small, quiet apartment community for incoming transfer students (regardless of college affiliation). Students must be 23 or older. Trans-inclusive Housing for continuing students and transfer students is also located at Redwood Grove. Trans-inclusive Housing option is for students above the first-year/frosh level; students accepted into this housing option do not need to be 23 or older.

Porter College

The Transfer Community, located at Porter College, houses incoming transfer students who request university housing (regardless of college affiliation), with programs designed specifically to support transfer students as they adjust to university life.

University Town Center

University Town Center (UTC), is located in downtown Santa Cruz (1101 Pacific Avenue) and only minutes from the Transit Center with direct bus access to campus. The UTC has double and triple rooms with private bathrooms and kitchenettes.

The Village

The Village is located on campus in the heart of the Great Meadow, near Hagar Drive. Each residential building has a combination of single and small double rooms, shared bathrooms, and a kitchenette.

Transfer Parents & Families

Here at UC Santa Cruz we are dedicated to supporting the educational success of transfer students who are parents and have families. Through comprehensive programs and resources, UCSC ensures that student parents can thrive academically while balancing family responsibilities.

Cal Grant Students w/ Dependents

Cal Grant students attending a University of California, California State University, California Community College, or private non-profit institution who have dependent children may be eligible for an access award of up to $6,000. The Students with Dependent Children (SWD) Grant increases the Cal Grant award by up to $6,000 for qualifying Cal Grant A and B recipients and up to $4,000 for qualifying Cal Grant C recipients.

To qualify, the student must have dependent children that are under 18 years of age for whom they provide more than half of their financial support during the academic year. For more information please visit: Students with Dependent Children (SWD) FAQs

Child Care Services for UCSC Student Parents

Early Education Services (EES) provides care for the children of current UCSC students. — formerly known as Child Care Services — ESS is dedicated to providing high quality developmental care for each child. Their purpose is to support the University of California’s mission of research, teaching, and community service by promoting access to higher education, and support students to achieve their educational and career goals.

For more information on these services please visit their website.To learn more about how to enroll your child into these services please click here.

Family Student Housing (Students w/ dependents)

Family Student Housing is a great place to live, and offers a unique living experience for UCSC students and their families. This family-friendly community overlooks the Monterey Bay and offers beautiful views. Students must reside with at least one eligible family member on a permanent, full-time basis. Eligible family members include:

• Your child(ren) (must have physical custody at least 50% of time)
• Your spouse or adult partner
• Your parent(s), grandparent(s), or sibling(s).

To learn more about Family Student Housing (FSH) , the application process, and eligibility requirements. We highly advise you to visit their website.