Types of Aid Available

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Cost of Attendance
2008-2009

2007-2008

On-Line Offer Letter

Graduate Financial Aid Forms

2008-2009

2007-2008

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Boalt School of Law Financial Aid Office

Haas School of Business Financial Aid Office

Work-Study

Related Web sites

Contact Us

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Guide for UC Berkeley Graduate and Professional Students

Read ALL the Instructions that accompany your FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, or Paper FAFSA

FAFSA on the Web: You may apply on the Internet at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to select the 2008 - 2009 form if you are applying for the next academic year that begins in August 2008. For either FAFSA, you can use the appropriate Web Pre-Application Worksheet to collect your information before beginning your FAFSA on the Web.

Types of Aid: The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Perkins Loans. It is also used to determine eligibility for need-based fellowships and departmental funding, as well as low-income parent grants.
Priority Deadline: Our priority processing deadline is March 2, 2007. If you are an entering student, do not wait until you have been admitted to file your FAFSA! Whether you are an entering or continuing student, filing your FAFSA early allows enough processing time for disbursement of funds at the beginning of the Fall semester. If you miss the priority deadline, you may still apply for financial aid, although campus-based funds may be depleted. You may still receive Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans.

Title IV School Code: UC Berkeley's Federal School Code is 001312. Include our code in step "5" of your FAFSA, and write in "UC Berkeley", so that we will receive your application information. You do not need to include the school address.

Dependency and Parent Information: Graduate and professional students are considered independent, and are not required to submit parents' financial information. However, Optometry students who wish to apply for the Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL), must submit parents' financial information. The parent data will be used only to determine eligibility for HPSL. Parents must sign, and submit the signature page.

Student Aid Report (SAR): You will receive a SAR from the Department of Education within four to six weeks after submitting your FAFSA. Read the SAR carefully for messages regarding your application status. If there are no problems with your application, your data will be submitted electronically to UC Berkeley. You do not need to submit the SAR to us. After receiving your data from the Department of Education, UC Berkeley will send you an award notification or instructions regarding other documents we may require

Tips for Completing the FAFSA

Read the FAFSA instructions carefully. If you have questions contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 or the UCB Financial Aid Office at 1-510-642-0485.

Do not leave blank any questions that apply to you. If the answer is zero, enter 0.

Use the same name on the FAFSA as is listed on your Social Security card.

If you are a citizen or about to become a citizen, do NOT enter your alien registration number.

If you have not completed your tax form at the time you complete the FAFSA, estimate tax figures as accurately as possible.

Do not mail worksheets, tax forms or letters to the Department of Education or the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will notify you if other documents are needed.

Do not contact your financial aid administrator regarding special circumstances until after you have received your financial aid offer letter.

You should make FAFSA corrections online at "http://www.fafsa.ed.gov". You must use your PIN to access your information online.

Financial Aid Reminders

If the UC Berkeley Financial Aid Office requests it, submit additional documentation

Complete the on-line Official Offer of Financial Aid (this is not available on-line to applicants until officially admitted by the Graduate Division, or the Office of Undergraduate admissions for Optometry students).

Complete the Direct Loan Master Promissory Note if not completed previously.

Complete an on-line entrance loan session if you have not previously borrowed at UC Berkeley.

Sign up for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) at http://eftstudent.berkeley.edu/. While optional, this is strongly recommended.

Register for classes (enrollment must be at least least six units for financial aid to credit your account.