<p>Okay, so my myberkeleyapplication checklist shows that I need to sign up for EFT before August 1 and I can only do so with my own account. How is this possible since I plan to reach Cal around the 13th and open a new account there onwards? Also, can someone please elaborate on how exactly EFT works because the website is confusing, at the very least.</p>
<p>Hey, I’m in a similar situation. I plan on flying to California on August 14th which is way past the deadline of August 1st. I’m also not sure how the EFT works because the instructions are pretty vague and does not include FAQs regarding international students.
Anyway, long story short. I asked my friend in Cal who’s also an international student. Apparently he doesn’t have/never created a EFT account, though I still don’t know how that worked.</p>
<p>Same situation! You’d think Cal would have foreseen this problem…</p>
<p>EFT is used when Berkeley pays YOU. Case like this happens when in-state students overpaid their tuitions because of the financial aid coverage and the university has to pay them back and this is done through EFT. Thus, the university can simply deposit the money into their banks rather than having them pick up a check in person which is more troublesome.</p>
<p>International students like us do not get financial aid, thus do not have to worry about it at this very moment.</p>
<p>Although international students don’t get fin aid, we do sometimes get monetary awards, which is where EFT comes in. As you are unlikely to get any monetary awards in your first month here, setting up EFT in late August is perfectly fine. In any case, if you haven’t set up EFT, you’ll just have to pick up a check at University Hall - a minor nuisance, but you’ll still get your money.</p>