Can grants be applied toward housing/food?

<p>If one is eligible for the Cal Grant, University of California Grant, and Pell Grant, may they apply these toward costs other than tuition? My friend is receiving all 3 but already has another form of aid that covers his tuition and fees. He is receiving at least 15k in grants and would like to use it for covering campus housing, food, and books. </p>

<p>Since it also relates, how do we even receive the aid? Does the university deduce it from our costs? We'd really like to know if/how it can be used for expenses like books.</p>

<p>Yes, they deduct the aid from your cost. For example, on my MyBill account on UC Davis, the account summary on my statement would initially say my starting balance is around $8000, then there’s a line that says "“Estimated Financial Aid: (amount of financial aid you’d be receiving for the quarter)”, and then “New Total Balance”, which is your balance after financial aid has kicked in.</p>

<p>If you still have any financial aid money left over, then the university will either write you a check for it, or they deposit it into your bank account if you’ve signed up for Direct Deposit. </p>

<p>Yes, you can use the money to cover housing, food, and books.</p>

<p>My question:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Tutition (necessary fees) = 14,778.00
Books and Supplies = 1,567.00
Living Expenses (Housing, transportation, and personal) = 14,048.00
Total Cost: 30,393.00</p></li>
<li><p>My Financial Aid Package (without loans) = 21,493.00 (Total)</p></li>
<li><p>My Net Cost = 8,900.00 (I’m short of, have to pay out of my own pocket?)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>so do I have to pay 14,778.00 out of my Financial Aid package to supplement the tuition cost? even though I got Blue + Gold plan? if so, why would they list the net cost out for me to pay?</p>

<p>no, you pay only 9k out of pocket. you can take loans to pay that or just pay by righting a check. i suggest taking loans from a bank or other place.</p>

<p>the best way to shave cost is living expense. you can easily find places that cost less than the estimated 14k.</p>

<p>@chewbacca so if I were to get a $1000.00/Monthly apartment then I would pay the 9k (dont know what this fee stands for) and 12k (housing: living for 12 month with that $1,000) </p>

<p>so in total, I would have to dish out $20,900.00 for that 9k and housing for 1 year (from $21,493.00)</p>

<p>which leaves me with $593 for me to spend… :(</p>

<p>hard to find cheap housing in Irvine also, and looking at the off campus housing complex, they got furnished furniture, internet, utilities included and bed, etc. so I think its a better choice but ultimately the same cost else where?</p>

<p>The 9k is an estimate. that is the 30000 (estimated cost) - 21000 (estimated aid).
To put it simply, they will give you 21.5k in aid. they will subtract from DIRECTLY at least 14.7k (tuition). That means you wont even see than 14.7k. you will only see 6.4k. you can do w/e you want with that 6.4k
since a school year is only 9 months, the housing will only be 9 months for each school year. so you have to spend around 9k on housing. plus 1000 for books and that is 10k</p>

<p>so you have 6.4k to use and you need to spend around 10k. that means you cost out of pocket (that means you have to right a check right now or take out a bank loan) will be 3.6k</p>