Financial Aid for Fifth years in UCs

Paying for College
1

<p>Hey guys, recently I've been hearing rumors that UC does not provide financial aid to 5th year students even if they need financial aid. Is that true? I am a 3rd year at UCLA right now, but due to the heavy course load of electrical engineering, I think I will most likely stay another 2-3 quarters here. My family does not make that much and I'm already struggling to pay for housing/tuition with my financial aid. Can someone clarify if it is true? thx.</p>

2

<p>bump, i want to know it too… thanks</p>

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<p>pk38555, this thread is over a year old, but here’s the information anyways:</p>

<p>Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements vary from college to college (even from UC to UC).</p>

<p>UCLA’s for length of time to be eligible for financial aid:

</p>

<p>Emphasis mine. Seems fairly generous to me. That’s six years for those who entered as frosh and even transfers (who entered with the bare minimum 90 units to transfer as a junior) would still have four years of remaining eligibility.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.fao.ucla.edu/publications/2010-2011/SAP_guide.pdf[/url]”>http://www.fao.ucla.edu/publications/2010-2011/SAP_guide.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Kender…</p>

<p>I’m not sure if that’s true for those who are on Blue and Gold. That may be for only 4 years.</p>

5

<p>Oh, it doesn’t cover Blue&Gold or Cal Grant, both of those are only for your first four years, but it is true for being financial aid eligible in general. Neither the OP nor the one who bumped it asked specifically about Blue&Gold or Cal Grant or I would have addressed those two programs specifically :)</p>

6

<p>I have low income and qualify for Blue and Gold with an EFC of 0 every year. Does anyone know at UCSB if they give the same amount of financial aid for a 5th year as they did for the first 4 years? In other words, I loan an average of $3333 a year while none of my parents contribute, I don’t contribute, I don’t do work study, etc. and if I stay a 5th year, would I be expected to pay nothing, don’t work, and still loan about $3333 again for my 5th year?</p>

<p>Thanks. :)</p>

7

<p>Blue&Gold is only for four years. You would not be able to receive it during your fifth year. With an EFC of zero, are you receiving Cal Grant? That will also time out after four years. Blue&Gold is really just a guarantee that for four years your systemwide fees will be covered with a combination of grants and scholarships and that there will be a UC fee assistance to make up any shortfall.</p>

<p>However, UCSB may still cover you with their own grant money, but none of the UCs promise to meet full need. You would still be eligible for financial aid (just not Cal Grant or Blue&Gold) after your fourth year. There is no guarantee you’ll receive the same amount of financial aid you’ve been receiving that I can find on any UC page.</p>

<p>

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<p>[UCSB</a> Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.finaid.ucsb.edu/Eligibility.asp]UCSB”>Eligibility - UCSB Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships)</p>

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<p>Yes, I am receiving CAL Grant right now, but CAL Grant for me times out after 3.0 years because I came into UCSB first year right off from high school with Sophomore standing so I am only eligible for 3 years of CAL Grant. I am a 3rd year right now so there will be no CAL Grant for me next year. National SMART Grant is being eliminated next year as well and I’ve only received National Smart Grant for one year (this year). </p>

<p>Does anyone know if regular students who are not transfer students who began right after graduating from high school are still subjected to this rule (by means of Community College and AP credits?):</p>

<ul>
<li>Freshman - 18 quarters of eligibility</li>
<li>Sophomore - 15 quarters of eligibility</li>
<li>Junior - 12 quarters of eligibility</li>
<li>Senior - 9 quarters of eligibility</li>
</ul>

<p>Thanks.</p>

9

<p>Since your standing is based on the number of credits you have, then yes. You are still subjected to the same rules. You’ve already seen this at work with the Cal Grant (which did give you four years of eligibility, however, you already used one year by entering as a sophomore… it’s the same thing for junior transfers who only have two years of remaining eligibility when they transfer).</p>

<p>The number of quarters is determined based on 150% completion. At the UCs (on the quarter system), it takes 180 units to graduate. 150% of this is 270. It takes 15 units per quarter to graduate with 180 units within four years (or 12 quarters). 270 divided by 15 is 18. Senior standing begins at 135 units. It would take another 135 units to reach 150% completion. 135 divided by 15 equals 9. This is how they are coming up with the remaining quarters number.</p>

<p>I’d be glad they’re doing it this way rather than by 150% unit completion ;). If you’re like me and take 20+ unit quarters, you would reach the 150% cap much sooner.</p>

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<p>You need to talk to your FA office to find out exactly what your situation is. You may find that you’re eligible for less aid than what you’ve been getting.</p>