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Packaging Policy Prospective Undergraduates

How Packaging Works

  • Aid packaging covers your financial need with a mix of different types of financial aid.

  • "Need" is the difference between the UC San Diego cost of attendance (your estimated costs) and your Student Aid Index (SAI), as determined by your FAFSA or Dream Act Application.

  • If you're eligible for financial aid, your need will be funded by various sources on a first-come, first-served basis, based on fund availability. Funds are distributed in the following sequence:

    1. Other financial assistance, including veterans benefits, college fee waivers, and ROTC funds

    2. Scholarships from UC San Diego and outside agencies

    3. Grants

      • Federal Pell Grant

      • Cal Grant for California Residents

    4. Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS)

    5. Federal Work-Study or University Loan

    6. UC grants: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Opportunity Grant (OG), and Grant-in-Aid (GIA)


*for more information on how outside scholarships may impact any existing financial aid offers please visit our Scholarships page*

NON-CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS

While non-California residents for tuition purposes are not eligible for university grants/loans, eligible students have other funding options available to assist with education costs. Potential funds include Federal financial aid such as the Pell Grant, Work-Study, Direct loans, in addition to limited institutional scholarships.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS/PROGRAMS

If you are eligible for VA educational benefits like the Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill or the Cal Veteran College Fee waiver, the UC San Diego Veterans Affairs Office (VAO) can help you utilize them. Please send a PDF copy of your eligibility document(s) to the UC San Diego Veterans Affairs Office at vao@ucsd.edu, or call (858) 534-0077 with any questions about using benefits at UC San Diego. You can contact the VA to inquire about your eligibility for educational benefits – UC San Diego does not determine VA benefits eligibility.

File Your 2025-26 FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION by the March 3, 2025

You must file your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application by March 3, 2025 and include UC San Diego’s school code (001317) to be eligible for Work-Study, UC grants, Middle Class Scholarships, or new Cal Grant awards.

How UC San Diego Determines Financial Aid Awards

Learn about UC San Diego's philosophy and practices for awarding financial aid.

UC San Diego awards financial aid based on need. Need-based financial aid reduces barriers to higher education for students and families who could not otherwise afford college costs. Our need-based packaging philosophy ensures that:

  • Students with similar circumstances are treated equally.

  • "Need" is the only criteria used to award most undergraduate financial aid (only about 4% of total financial aid funds available are not based solely on need)

Financial need is the difference between UC San Diego estimated cost of attendance and your Student Aid Index:

Cost of Attendance
- Student Aid Index
= Financial Need

Note: Non-California Residents pay Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition in addition to charges paid by in-state students. The university is unable to provide grant support to non-resident students. Federal loans, which must be repaid by you or your family, may help cover some or all of this cost. Any remaining amount remains the family’s responsibility.

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is determined by the U.S. Department of Education, using formulas determined by Congress and written into public law. Your own SAI is calculated based on the information you provide on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Please note:

  • To secure the best funds available, you must file your FAFSA or CADAA by March 3rd with UC San Diego’s school code (001317) and submit any additional required documents by May 1 for continuing students and June 15 for entering first year and transfer students.

  • Financial aid funding is limited, and awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis. If you're eligible for financial aid, we'll use a combination of sources to meet your need, but funding is subject to availability. It's essential to apply early to ensure the best possible chance of receiving aid.

Paying for your education is a partnership among you, your parent(s), UC San Diego, the state of California, and the federal government. To help achieve the goal of equity, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office assumes that:

  • Parents of dependent undergraduates will contribute to their child's education to the extent of their ability.

  • All students will work and/or borrow to help finance the costs of attendance. A set amount of self-help (which may include loans and work-study) is included in every student's package before campus-based grants are awarded. The set amount of this self-help increases as you progress in your education.

  • You and your family will pursue and obtain any outside financial aid for which you qualify, including veterans benefits, ROTC funds, and outside agency scholarships.