Financial Aid

<p>Is it true that Berkeley gives out less financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans) than other UC's (for example, Irvine or Riverside)?</p>

<p>I don't think so. Berkeley will always give you enough grants/loans to cover your tuition, but don't think this means you don't need to apply to scholarships and other grants. I would imagine it's all the same at all the UC's.</p>

<p>They give you enough money between grants and loans, yeah, but they're also really heavy on the "self-help" (ie, Work study and loans) portion of the package. They even realize this. I don't know where it is, off-hand, but someone mentioned a petition to reduce the burden of the self-help part of the package, which is the largest at any of the UC's from what I remember.</p>

<p>In my experience? Yeah, Cal does give out less financial aid. UCSC was quite a bit more generous (though that still isn't saying much). They can, after all; they're Cal. Many people will go because it's "worth it" to pick up the extra loan debt (and work-study hours) for a degree there.</p>

<p>My son applied and was accepted at all 5 UCs that he applied to. All 5 of them offered packages that basically met his need (as determined by EFC) but Berkeley's package by far had the greatest amount in work study. Irvine and Davis covered his need 100% with scholarships/grants.</p>

<p>Same question:</p>

<p>
[quote]
For Regents and Chancellors Scholarship, where can I get info about them? What kind of applicant is eligible?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This is an unfair question or, at least, should be viewed from the proper perspective. I am sure lower-tiered UCs will attempt to give you more money in order to attract you to come to their campus over Berkeley. This is the whole reasoning behind Regents and Chancellor's Scholarships, to offer you an attractive package of additional resources (on campus and financial) with the hopes that one chooses their school over a <em>better</em> school. I'm sure you'll find that a lot of Cal students received R&CS from other UCs, but opted to come here. Part of the reason for choosing Berkeley is as follows: consider the worth of a Cal degree versus UCI or UCR: what's the rate of return on your initial investment (paying tuition)? I'd rather have $20,000 in college loans while having an $80,000 over 10 years than $5,000 loans and making $40,000 a year. But that's just me.</p>