<p>From what my Financial Aid Advisor told me, the cut off for 1 person to receive financial aid from FAFSA (at least Pell Grants) is 16,500 dollars in a year. I will make under 24,700 this year due to a severe drop in income from the prior year. Does anyone know if that qualifies for UC Application Fee Waivers and what the limit is for other funding?</p>
<p>I'm a little stressed out by the cost for the UC's if I do get in, but that is somewhat deferred by the UC Blue and Gold Program. It specifies that if your family (I'm over 24 so it's just me) makes under 70k and you qualify for Financial Aid, you qualify for UC Blue and Gold. However, what I can't seem to figure out is with an income above 16.5k yet under 70k, if I'd qualify for the program.</p>
<p>I looked at the website and other places and there’s no mention of how independent students are handled. Surely an independent student (no spouse/no children) would not get free tuition just by having an income of under $70k per year. (If it were true, that would be absolutely nutty).</p>
<p>I don’t believe it would give me full free tuition. More than likely with my income above 16.5k I would receive the option for Loans, and I’d probably have to take those loans and whatever the loans did not cover, would be made up by UC Blue and Gold… however I still don’t have an answer to my question. And an Independent student who is supporting themselves is much different than a student who has the income of their families to back them up. You have to pay for your own housing, your own food, AND college. So why would it be ridiculous that someone who has made it on their own get assistance?</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but I’m thinking that I read somewhere that Blue & Gold is only available to students for a certain number of years after they graduate from college, but I can’t find that anywhere. Maybe I’m thinking of something else.</p>
<p>I found this on the UCSB website (below) so it looks like the $70k is a cut off for independent students too. I would call the FA office to make sure.</p>
<p>"ELIGIBILITY</p>
<p>To be eligible for the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, students must:</p>
<p>Be a California resident.</p>
<p>Submit a financial aid application (the FAFSA) and provide any requested documentation to verify income and other eligibility criteria by campus deadlines.</p>
<p>Apply for a Cal Grant (if not already a recipient).</p>
<p>Have financial need (as determined for federal need-based aid programs).</p>
<p>Have income below $70,000 (as determined for federal need-based aid programs). This is a measure of parents income for dependent students. It is a measure of students (and spouses, if applicable) income for independent students.</p>
<p>Be in their first four years (two if a transfer student) of University undergraduate attendance.</p>
<p>Be enrolled in an academic year term (summer is excluded).</p>
<p>Meet campus basic requirements for UC grant assistance (e.g., be an on-time applicant, be enrolled at least half-time, meet campus satisfactory academic progress standards, not already hold a bachelors degree, not be in default on student loans, etc.).</p>
<p>Have income below $70,000 (as determined for federal need-based aid programs). This is a measure of parents’ income for dependent students. It is a measure of student’s (and spouses, if applicable) income for independent students.</p>
<p>This is insane. If any single student (no dependents) over age 24 who makes $65k per year gets free tuition, then Calif is insane! What an insult to families who are earning - say $85k.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: I’m surprised you didn’t know this since I’ve mentioned I’m an independent student and qualify for Blue&Gold (but do not receive it because I receive Cal Grants and UCSC grants which fully covers my fees). There is a reason for the crazy and it has a lot to do with why we have “no tuition” for California residents and just “fees.” It’s the “vision of California higher education” that has led to this. It worked better when the state was bloated with cash from the dotcom era.</p>
<p>I do agree that there should be more requirements akin to what Cal Grants has that takes family size and dependency status (or lack there of) into account. However, this is what they are right now.</p>
<p>Yes. Independent students do qualify for Blue&Gold if your income is under 70k. I will need to double check it later, but I recall hearing that the amount had been increased to 80k for next year.</p>
<p>Frosh are eligible for Blue&Gold for four years. Transfers (Junior) are eligible for Blue&Gold for two years.</p>
<p>It’s just ridiculous that a single person (no dependents/spouse) over the age of 24 that could be making $69k per year and get free tuition (roughly about $12k per year).</p>
<p>I don’t have a problem with low income, no dependents, independent students getting free tuition, but for a single with a highish income to get it is just nutty. </p>
<p>Can you imagine the shock of some person who had good high school stats, but started their own business or became a realtor or something making $65k per year out of high school, and then decides to attend a UC at age 24 and then finding out he qualifies for free tuition? I don’t even think assets count. The person could have quite the big savings account.</p>
<p>Like I said: I agree. If I were still a dependent, I would not qualify (although I might under the new increase). The last I heard from my mom about her income, it was just over the cutoff (by only about $2k too).</p>
<p>Blue&Gold is absolutely confusing. Specifically because of the Cal Grant application qualification. Cal Grant has much more strict guidelines, yet most are not listed as a part of B&G qualification. GPA, age, high school graduation location, and residency upon graduation from high school just to name a few. I often wonder how much of the real qualification process is being hidden.</p>
<p>I would much prefer if B&G followed Cal Grant’s guidelines at least in the area of having a different income cut off for independent students.</p>