UC Financial Aid Help

[carmar15]

Hello! So I’ll be attending UCLA this fall, but I’m confused by my financial aid.

1. According to my financial aid award letter, I am eligible for the blue and gold plan. My understanding is that the Blue & Gold Plan covers all tuition and fees. However, under "Total Grants and Scholarships" in my award letter, it says I'm receiving $3,432, listed under BLUE & GOLD OPP PLAN GRANT. But tuition and fees, according to estimated cost of attendance is $13,254. I thought Blue & Gold covered all of tuition.
2. When applying to UCLA, I was set on living off campus in a university apartment. However, after further deliberation, I've decided that it is more practical for me to commute to school (I live about 30 mins. away). My financial aid letter still states that I am "off campus." Now that I am going to change my status as commuter, any estimate of how much my financial aid will reduce? According to estimated cost of attendance, the total for off campus students is $32,294 and for commuting students is $25,736.

Thank you!

[Gumbymom]

What is your EFC? Are you eligible for Cal Grants, Pell grants etc…? Was the Blue and Gold your only grant received?

[aunt_bea]

From the website http://www.financialaid.ucla.edu/Undergraduate/Cost-of-Attendance#495791586-living-with-parents-or-relatives:

Students should be aware that part of the calculations used to determine their aid are based on whether they elected to live on-campus, off-campus or with family. Students who change their housing choice will have their aid recalculated, and may have their grant aid reduced if their new housing choice has a lower total cost than the one they originally selected.

Your “university grants” of $9198 are covering most of your tuition and fees and your B&G of $3432 makes up for the difference.

$9198 + $3432 = $12630. per semester.
Your financial aid comes mostly from the state of California in the form of University Grants that they have packaged together. You don’t get a financial benefit other than them paying for your schooling.

$13254 (COA)- $12630 (total in grants)=$624 You do know that you are responsible for contributing your work earnings/savings towards your education? That’s where the $624 comes in.

The schools want you to buy in or have a vested interest by using your savings to help pay for YOUR education.

You need to report the change in housing status. If you don’t and you get “caught”, you risk losing your financial aid altogether.

[ucbalumnus]

@carmar15

1. According to my financial aid award letter, I am eligible for the blue and gold plan. My understanding is that the Blue & Gold Plan covers all tuition and fees. However, under “Total Grants and Scholarships” in my award letter, it says I’m receiving $3,432, listed under BLUE & GOLD OPP PLAN GRANT. But tuition and fees, according to estimated cost of attendance is $13,254. I thought Blue & Gold covered all of tuition.

That $3,432 grant is presumably in addition to other grants (e.g. Pell grant, Cal grant, etc.) that bring the total grants to an amount at least as high as tuition.

[mom2collegekids]

B&G isn’t often called a grant. It’s really a promise that your tuition will be covered…via…Cal grant, Pell Grant, and/or UC grant. I guess some schools are now calling their UC Grant a “Blue and Gold grant”.

What are all the grants in your FA pkg?