Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

UCM School Code: 041271

Other important web sites:
Website: FAFSA: www.fafsa.ed.gov
Website: CSAC:  www.csac.ca.gov

• How to Apply
• Types of Financial Aid
• Eligibility
• Disbursement of Financial Aid
• Effects of Withdrawing on Financial Aid
• Financial Wellness Center

The UC Merced Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) is dedicated to the success of our students by providing accessible and inclusive financial aid, student support, and financial wellness services that promote student recruitment, retention, and benefits beyond degree completion.  We ensure that a world-class education is an affordable reality. UC Merced administers various financial aid programs and scholarship resources to assist students in meeting their educational expenses. (Note: Aid is not available for students on special or limited enrollment status, or students enrolled in University Extension except for students enrolled in the Teacher Preparation Program.)

All students, regardless of family income, are encouraged to apply for financial aid. About 90 percent of UC Merced undergraduate students received some form of financial assistance. Financial aid is intended both to remove financial barriers for families who cannot afford the cost of a higher education, and to fill in the gap for families who can afford a portion of the cost. Several factors, in addition to family income, are considered in determining your financial eligibility, including household size, number of family members in college, assets, and whether the student will be living on or off-campus. Although most grant awards are based on financial need, some scholarships and loans are available regardless of need.

The OFAS has bilingual advising staff who are dedicated to helping students and their parents navigate the application process and understand the financial aid opportunities available to them at UC Merced. The OFAS welcomes your questions and is here to provide services and guidance that will contribute to your educational experiences at UC Merced. If you have questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact our Students First Center (SFC) for assistance.

How to Apply

Students applying for financial aid from UC Merced, the Federal Government and/or the state of California must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA).

The FAFSA or CADAA, as well as the Cal Grant GPA Verification form, should be completed and submitted as soon as possible after October 1^st and no later than March 2^nd. If the March 2^nd priority deadline has already passed, you are encouraged to still apply as a late applicant as some funding may still be available. Apply as soon as possible! We receive and process financial aid applications throughout the academic year. A financial aid advisor is available to assist students and parents with the financial aid application process and can review any special circumstances that may affect aid eligibility. Please contact our SFC for assistance. 

New students who are citizens FAFSA-eligible non-citizens:

1. Complete and submit the FAFSA and ensure a verified GPA was submitted to the California Student Aid Commission by March 2nd (GPA is typically transmitted electronically to the Commission by most high schools for incoming freshman).

2. Complete and return any additional documents requested by the OFAS by June 1st.

New students who are undocumented and AB540 eligable:

1. Complete and submit the CADAA and ensure a verified GPA was submitted to the California Student Aid Commission by March 2nd (GPA is typically transmitted electronically to the Commission by most high schools for incoming freshman).
2. Complete a UC Merced Statement of Legal Residence (SLR) application if required on your Student Portal Checklist in Connect. Students will be evaluated for AB 540 status as part of the SLR process.
3. Complete and return any additional documents requested by the OFAS by June 1st.

Continuing Students who are citizens or FAFSA-eligible non-citizens:

1. Complete and submit the FAFSA by March 2nd.
2. Complete and submit a UC Merced Continuing Student Scholarship Application online between February 1st and March 2nd.
3. Complete and return any additional documents requested by the OFAS by June 1st.

Continuing students who are undocumented and AB530 eligible:

1. Complete and submit the CADAA by March 2nd.
2. Complete and submit a UC Merced Continuing Student Scholarship Application between February 1st and March 2nd.
3. Complete and return any additional documentation requested by the OFAS by June 1st.

Summer Session (all students):

1. Complete either the FAFSA or CADAA for the most recent academic year (e.g., 2021-22 FAFSA for summer 2022), if you haven’t already done so.
2. Complete the Summer Financial Aid Web Application in March of each year.
3. Comply with any requests for additional information.

Types of Financial Aid

Students who receive financial aid may receive funds from one or more of the following sources: grants, scholarships loans and work-study.

Gift Aid

Grants

Grants are funded by federal and state governments, foundations, corporations, and/or non-profit organizations. Recipients are typically determined based on financial need, or in connection with a research proposal or project, and awards do not have to be repaid.  The proceeds of the grants are used to help offset recipients’ cost of education and/or research expenses.

The Federal Government provides funds for Federal Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants. The State of California also offers Cal Grants (A and B), Middle Class Scholarships (MCS), and Chafee Grant for current or former foster youth to qualified undergraduate students. Additionally, institutional grant funds are provided by the University of California.

Federal Pell Grants

The Pell Grant program is the largest student grant program administered by the federal government. To be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, applicants must complete a FAFSA, be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, be enrolled in their initial undergraduate degree program (or post-baccalaureate Teacher Preparation program), have demonstrated financial need, are not in default of a federal student loan, and maintain satisfactory academic progress.  Lifetime eligibility is limited to 12-semesters / 18-quarters (i.e., 6-years) of full-time equivalent awards. Pell Grant maximum awards for full-time students may change from year to year depending on Congressional appropriations. The award amount depends on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by completing the FAFSA, as well as your enrollment load (i.e., full-time, ¾-time, ½-time, less than ½-time).

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (SEOG)

The SEOG program is a federal campus‐based program designed to supplement other sources of financial aid for undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need based on FAFSA data. As a federal campus‐based program, annual SEOG allocations are provided to individual universities in varying amounts, based on the school’s enrollment data, and may be awarded to students at the school’s discretion within the parameters of federal student aid eligibility guidelines. Therefore, SEOG fund availability, award amounts, and eligibility requirements vary from university to university. Due to our limited allocation, we award this grant to our neediest students first until funds are exhausted.  

Cal Grants

The Cal Grant Program is a state-funded grant program administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to assist California resident and AB540 students who meet the eligibility criteria, demonstrate financial need, and meet appropriate application deadlines, in paying for their education to attend a California college or university. These awards do not need to be repaid by the student. Cal Grant awards may be renewed for up to three additional years if the recipient continues to meet the income, asset, unmet need, enrollment level, academic progress, and the aid application priority filing deadline parameters as outlined by CSAC.  Recipients of these awards may also apply for a fifth year of funding while enrolled in eligible teaching credential programs.  More information about Cal Grants can be found on CSAC’s website.

Cal Grant A awards are based on financial need and academic achievement. This grant covers UC system-wide tuition and Student Service fees. Note: It does not cover campus-based fees.

Cal Grant B awards are based on financial need and are for entering undergraduate students, primarily from low-income backgrounds. For first-year students, Cal Grant B provides a stipend each semester to assist with living expenses. For students in their second through fourth years, it covers UC system-wide tuition and Student Service fees, plus a stipend each semester to assist with living expenses. It is UC Merced’s policy to apply the stipend portion of your Cal Grant B award to fees first. If you would like the stipend to instead be refunded to you, please contact our office.

Please note if you are a Cal Grant recipient, to graduate before your 4-year Cal Grant eligibility is exhausted, you will need to enroll in at least 15 units per semester, or 30 semester units per academic year.

Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)

Initial eligibility is determined by the CSAC and award amounts are determined by the campus. MCS applies to undergraduate students who do not qualify for the UC Blue & Gold Opportunity Program. For 2022-23, students whose families have income and assets up to $191,000 per year may be eligible for a scholarship of up to 35% of mandatory system-wide tuition and fees. 

Note: Eligibility for MCS will be reduced by the amount of other need-based aid applied to cover UC System-wide tuition and Student Service Fees (e.g., Pell Grant, Cal Grant, Fee Waivers, institutional need-based aid such as Bobcat Grant, Scholarships, etc.).  Awards are typically posted in early August.

Chafee Grant

CSAC administers the Chafee Foster Youth Grant Program through an interagency agreement with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). The Chafee Foster Youth Grant Program provides eligible California youth aging out of the foster care with financial assistance to attend an eligible postsecondary institution. Students may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 per year. The Chafee Foster Youth Grant Application is available on CSAC’s website.

University Grants

The University of California returns a portion of all tuition revenue to financial aid programs. UC Merced uses this funding to provide a need-based institutional grant program (Bobcat Grants) to eligible students. Bobcat Grant eligibility is determined using the UC Education Financing Model (EFM) formula approved by the UC Regents for all UC campuses.

Scholarships

UC Merced administers various scholarships designed to assist undergraduate students with their educational costs. These scholarships are provided through the generosity of UC alumni, Friends of UC Merced, corporations, businesses, professional associations, and UC Merced. These scholarships include:

• Merit-Based/Academic Scholarships (i.e., outstanding academic performance, talents, and leadership ability.  May include intended area of interest); and,
• Need-Based Scholarships (i.e., demonstrated financial need from the FAFSA or CADAA. May include academic performance).

New Students (frosh and transfers): For new students, one application does it all! All incoming students are automatically considered for institutional scholarships administered by the OFAS simply by submitting a FAFSA (citizen/eligible non-citizens) or CA Dream Act Application (undocumented students) by March 2. New students must have at least a 3.25 GPA to be considered for most scholarships.

If the student has been awarded a scholarship by an external entity, they are obligated to report it to us via their UC Merced Connect portal so we can add it to their financial aid award package.

Additional external scholarship opportunities are posted on our website at ucmerced.academicworks.com/opportunities/external.

Continuing Students: Continuing students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA as of the end of the prior fall semester to be considered for institutional scholarships. Continuing students must submit a FAFSA or CADAA AND a Continuing Student Scholarship Application online by March 2nd.

Self-Help Aid

Loans

Loans are financial aid awards that require repayment with interest. They offer the opportunity to defer the cost of your educational expenses by borrowing now and repaying later. While some loan programs are based on financial need, there are loan programs available to all students regardless of income. Loan programs available through UC Merced are federally funded, providing long-term, low-interest education loans.

Direct Student Loans

Federal Stafford Loans are guaranteed, low-interest loans for students. UC Merced participates in the Direct Loan program meaning the loans are processed through the U.S. Department of Education and are funded by the U.S. Treasury. This ensures that the borrower will have a reliable and predictable source of funding.

• Direct Subsidized Student Loan: The federal government pays the interest on the loan while the student is enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree program.  Payments and interest begin six months after the student either graduates or drops below half-time enrollment.
• Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan: The student is responsible for paying interest while in school, but may opt to defer any interest payments until after graduation or ceasing to be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree program. If interest is deferred, it will be capitalized (i.e., added to the loan balance) when repayment begins.

Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

A Federal PLUS Loan is a low-interest loan for biological or adoptive parents to borrow to help pay the educational expenses for their dependent student. The parent must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen with a good credit history. The dependent student must also be eligible to receive federal financial assistance. Like the Federal Stafford Loan, the Department of Education provides funds for the Federal PLUS program.

The parent may borrow up to the school’s cost of attendance, minus any aid the student received. Different repayment options are provided by the Department of Education and are designed to provide flexibility in meeting repayment obligations. If the parent-borrower does not qualify for a PLUS Loan, they may either:

• Obtain an Endorser (i.e., another adult with good credit who is willing to co-sign the loan); or
• If the parent cannot locate an Endorser, the dependent student may then qualify to borrow additional Unsubsidized loan funds on their own.

DREAM Loans

Undocumented students who graduate from a California high school and meet the CA Dream Act requirements are eligible for state and university aid; however, they are ineligible for federal aid including federal loans. The CA DREAM loan program helps close that gap by providing eligible students with the opportunity to borrow student loans to help pay for their education.  There is no interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time working toward a degree. Payments and interest begin six months after the student graduates or ceases to enroll at least half-time working toward a degree. 

Alternative Loans

The State of California requires that students be informed of the following: Federal student loans are available to students regardless of income and provide a range of repayment options including income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness benefits, which private education loans are not required to provide.

Alternative loans are funds available to students who are not eligible for financial aid, or they need additional funds to meet their educational expenses. Eligibility is determined by the cost of attendance minus other financial aid or the annual loan maximum amount as determined by the lender.

Because alternative loans are not guaranteed by the federal government, they must be insured privately. This extra cost is passed on to the borrower in the form of higher fees and interest rates. In addition, the lender will look at your credit history as well as other factors to determine if they will lend to you. You may be denied by one lender and approved by another because of the different ways the lender interprets your information. [How to apply]

Students should exhaust all federal student loan eligibility before borrowing private student loans.

Federal Work-Study

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program is a federal campus-based program designed to provide eligible students an opportunity to work part-time (i.e., up to 18 hours per week during an academic term), typically on-campus, while earning money to help pay for their educational-related expenses. Jobs are available with flexible schedules that can be adjusted around each student’s classes. Students may only earn up to the amount they are awarded for the year. The advantage of a FWS job over a non-FWS Student Assistant job is that your earnings are not considered in calculating your future aid eligibility. Students are not obligated to accept their Federal Work-Study award. A student may choose to participate in the program by accepting or declining the work-study award online at UC Merced Connect. 

All FWS and non-FWS jobs are posted online at UC Merced’s Handshake page.

Eligibility

General Eligibiligy Requirements

Financial aid programs are subject to myriad federal, state, UC, and institutional regulations that students must meet to qualify and maintain their aid eligibility.  These requirements generally include:

1. Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen of the U.S. and complete the FAFSA, OR live in California and meet the requirements for non-resident exemption AB540 status and complete the CA Dream Act Application (CADAA);
2. Be accepted for admission to the University.
3. Be enrolled at least half-time and in good standing at the University (units taken through University Extension are not counted for financial aid purposes, except for the Teacher Preparation Program).
4. Demonstrate financial need (except for Federal Unsubsidized Loans and Federal PLUS Loans).
5. Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid, as outlined below.
6. Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal educational loan.

Please note: Financial need is the difference between the Cost of Attendance (based on living on-campus, off-campus, or at home) and all available resources, including the expected contribution from parents, the student, and any outside aid.

Full-time Enrollment

Students not enrolled in an approved part-time program are expected to enroll full time at the university. Students not enrolled full time by the 15th day of instruction each semester may have to pay back some of their financial aid.

Please note, if you are a Cal Grant recipient, to graduate before your 4-year Cal Grant eligibility is exhausted, you will need to enroll in at least 15 units per semester, or 30 semester units per academic year.

Academic Activity

Piloted in Summer 2021, and commencing in the 2021/22 academic year, UC Merced will recalculate financial aid after the 15th day of instruction for all undergraduate and graduate aid recipients based on their enrollment status in those classes which we can confirm that the student began attendance.  If we are unable to document the student’s attendance in a class, via the learning management system (i.e., CatCourses) activity or instructor reporting, aid will be adjusted to exclude the units for that class.  Student will have an opportunity to appeal if they have supporting documentation confirming their attendance.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards listed below apply to all aid applicants, whether aid was received for prior coursework.  A student’s eligibility for all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs is affected by this policy. 

Please Note: In addition to the requirements listed below, all students, whether receiving aid or not, must also meet the university’s academic GPA standards established by the Registrar.  Please refer to the Registrar’s website for these standards.

In order to maintain financial aid eligibility, students must meet all three standards: a GPA requirement, a pace requirement, and a maximum timeframe.

If a student fails to meet any standard, they will be notified that they are ineligible for financial aid beginning with the term immediately following the term the SAP requirements were not met.

Because SAP is monitored annually at the end of the spring term, the first term of ineligibility will typically be the following summer or fall term. Eligibility for financial aid will only be reinstated if the student subsequently meets the SAP requirements or if the student successfully appeals. 

SAP Appeals are only accepted one time per year, at the end of spring semester.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement (Qualitative)

Undergraduate students must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA upon the conclusion of the spring term each academic year.

Post-Baccalaureate students must have at least a 3.0 GPA upon the conclusion of the spring term each academic year.

Graduate students must have at least a 3.0 GPA upon the conclusion of the spring term each academic year.

Pace Requirement (Quantitative)

All students must complete at least 70 percent of the units attempted each year to keep pace toward graduation. 

STUDENT’S PACE = UCM Completed Units + Accepted Transfer Units
                               UCM Attempted Units + Accepted Transfer Units

• The number of attempted units counted in the formula reflect the units attempted as they appear on the student’s transcript.
• Units granted for AP and IB coursework are excluded; college level units earned by the student while still enrolled in high school are included.
• All transfer units UC Merced accepts toward a student’s program are included in the pace calculation, both as attempted units as well as completed units.
• Units for the following grades will not be counted as completed units toward meeting the pace requirement for undergraduate students: F (failure), I (incomplete), NP (not pass), U (unsatisfactory), W (withdraw), NR (no grade reported).
• The pace calculation includes all completed and attempted units from the academic year’s summer term.
• If a student repeats a previously passed course, only the first repeat will apply toward the completed unit count; subsequent repeats will not. This does not apply to courses that are repeatable for credit (i.e., independent study courses).
• Required remedial courses are included in the Pace calculation.

Maximum Time frame

Undergraduates:

Undergraduate students are eligible for financial aid for up to 180 units, including transfer units.

180 units - Transfer units = Remaining eligibility for bachelor’s degree 

Students exceeding the maximum timeframe will be ineligible to receive financial aid. Students will not be granted additional eligibility solely by reason of changing their major or pursuing more than one major or a minor.

• Every unit attempted as of the end of the Add/Drop period is counted toward the maximum timeframe.
• Units earned during terms in which the student did not receive aid are counted toward the maximum timeframe.[LH1] 
• Maximum timeframe measure also includes all the bulleted items under the Pace Requirement section.[LH2] 
• Units earned during summer terms attended are counted toward the maximum timeframe.
• All transfer units UC Merced accepts toward a student’s program are counted toward the maximum timeframe.
• Students pursuing a double-major or second baccalaureate degree will be held to the same standards as all other students.

Post-Baccalaureate (Teacher Preparation Program)

Teacher Preparation Program students are eligible to receive financial aid for up to 62 units following completion of their baccalaureate degree (regardless of whether they received financial aid during these terms).

All post-baccalaureate financial aid applicants exceeding this unit limit will be ineligible for financial aid consideration. Students will not be granted additional units of eligibility solely by reason of changing their field of study.

Graduate Students

All graduate financial aid applicants exceeding the following unit limit will be ineligible for financial aid consideration. Students will not be granted additional units of eligibility solely by reason of changing their field of study.

Students pursuing a master’s degree are eligible to receive financial aid for up to 72 units following completion of their baccalaureate degrees (regardless of whether they received financial aid during these terms).

• Every unit attempted as of the end of the Add/Drop period is counted toward the maximum timeframe.
• Units earned during terms in which the student did not receive aid are counted toward the maximum timeframe
• Units earned during summer terms attended are counted toward the maximum timeframe.

Students pursuing a doctorate degree are eligible to receive financial aid for up to 216 units following the completion of their baccalaureate degrees (regardless of whether they received financial aid during these terms).

• Every unit attempted as of the end of the Add/Drop period is counted toward the maximum timeframe.
• Units earned during terms in which the student did not receive aid are counted toward the maximum timeframe
• Units earned during summer terms attended are counted toward the maximum timeframe.

More information about SAP can be found on the OFAS website.

SAP Appeal Process

Students wishing to appeal must submit a SAP Appeal to the OFAS by the posted deadline. The appeal form is available online and instructions are sent to all students who do not meet the SAP standards.

The SAP Appeal deadline is published annually on the OFAS website. Appeals will only be considered once per academic year for all students notified that they must complete the appeal process.  If a student does not meet the appeal deadline, they can submit a written request to the OFAS to be considered to submit a late appeal. 

All appeals must include a statement that explains the reason(s) for failing to meet the SAP requirements. Students must demonstrate some type of extenuating circumstances that hindered academic performance during the term(s) in question, such as death of an immediate family member, major medical issue, etc. Appeals must also include a plan that explains the strategies they will use to meet the SAP requirements by the conclusion of the outlined time-frame.

Supporting documentation of the extenuating circumstances must be submitted to the OFAS once the appeal statement and plan for improvement have been submitted electronically. The documentation should be date-specific and from a disinterested third party. Appeals submitted without supporting documentation will not be reviewed.

Once received by the OFAS, the appeal is reviewed for completeness. Appeals are considered incomplete until documentation is received. Once accepted, appeals are evaluated by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee within three to four weeks.

Academic Advisors will create academic plans for all appeal submissions when the student has a cumulative GPA of 1.0 or less or 90+ completed units. The plan ensures that, if followed, the student will maintain sufficient progress toward their degree. Academic plans become part of the Terms and Conditions a student must follow if their appeal is approved.

If the appeal is approved, the student will be informed via email notifying them to review and accept Terms and Conditions. Financial aid will not disburse until the Terms and Conditions are accepted. Financial aid eligibility is reinstated for one term at a time within the academic year, until the OFAS evaluates SAP for all students at the end of spring. The OFAS monitors adherence to Terms and Conditions at the end of every term and only extends financial aid eligibility to the following term if the Terms and Conditions from the term prior are met.

If the appeal is denied, the student will be informed via email that the decision is final, and no subsequent review of the appeal will be permitted.

More information about the SAP Appeal Process can be found on the OFAS website.

Disbursement of Financial Aid

Generally, financial aid is offered for two semesters each academic year and an equal amount is made available each semester to eligible students. The Office of Student Business Services is responsible for the disbursement and delivery of financial aid.

If all necessary requirements are complete, financial aid funds are disbursed into the student’s university account no sooner than 10 days prior to the first day of classes. All funds are applied to institutional charges first. The remaining amount will be applied toward the authorized charges on the student’s account or will be refunded to the student or parent as appropriate.

More information about Disbursement can be found on the OFAS website.

Effects of Withdrawing on Financial Aid

Students withdrawing from UC Merced during a semester or for a future semester must file an Official Notice of University Cancellation/Withdrawal Form with the University Registrar. When a student withdraws from UC Merced, the withdrawal date used in determining the amount of financial aid that needs to be returned is the earliest of the following:

1. The date when student files the Official Notice of University Cancellation/Withdrawal Form with the University Registrar, or
2. The date when the student officially notifies the Registrar’s Office of his/her intent to withdraw; or
3. UC Merced determines what most accurately reflects the last date of an academically related activity of the student.

Students who enroll in the Educational Leave Program are subject to the same guidelines as those listed above for students who withdraw from UC Merced.

If the student leaves without beginning UC Merced’s official withdrawal process or otherwise providing official notification of their intent to withdraw, the withdrawal date for the return of federal funds will be the 50% point in the term. In this instance, UC Merced could determine an earlier withdrawal date if circumstances beyond the student’s control (e.g., illness) prevented him/her from beginning the official withdrawal process. UC Merced could also determine the last date of an academically related activity of the student.

The date used to determine the return of federal funds may be different than the date used by UC Merced to determine institutional refunds.

More information about Withdrawing can be found on the OFAS website.

IMPORTANT WARNING: The duration of your financial aid eligibility is limited. When you withdraw or take an educational leave for a term after aid is disbursed you use up one semester of eligibility!

Financial Wellness Center

For many students, college is the first time they are in control of their own finances. In 2020, we launched UC Merced’s Financial Wellness Center (FWC). The Center provides education and empowerment on money management topics relevant to college life and beyond. This is accomplished through the delivery of digital content, interactive workshops, classroom engagement, special campus events, and personalized financial coaching sessions, as well as working closely with the Basic Needs Office and the Dean of Students. 

Coaching topics include Personal Budgeting, Bank Accounts, Moving Off-Campus, Paychecks, Insurance, Salary Negotiation, Credit Scores, Homebuying, Investing, Student Loan Repayment, Car Buying, Leases, ID Theft, Retirement, Emergency Savings, Financial Crisis.

Find more information on the Financial Wellness Center’s website.