Grants for Undergraduates

Grant Amount: Pays systemwide registration fees at varying amounts per cohort year.

• Cohort 0 - $12,570 for the 2021-2022 academic year or prior
• Cohort 1 - $13,104 for the 2022-2023 academic year
• Cohort 2 - $13,752 for the 2023-2024 academic year
• Cohort 3 - $14,436 for the 2024-2025 academic year
• Cohort 4 - $14,934 for the 2025-2026 academic year

Funded by: State of California (California Student Aid Commission)

Note: Amounts are set by the State government and are subject to change at any time. You must be enrolled full-time (12 or more units) by the freeze date each term to receive the full amount of the grant.

If you are enrolled in fewer than 12 units, you'll receive a reduced amount of the Cal Grant fee award:

• 6-8 units = 1/2 the amount
• 9-11 units = 3/4 the amount
• 12+ units = the full amount

Additional Application Requirements

• If you're already in college and are applying for a new Cal Grant, submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form before March 2.
• Additional documents may be requested from the Commission after a new Cal Grant is awarded. Failure to provide the documents will result in a loss of the Cal Grant. UC San Diego will not be able to replace a lost Cal Grant with other university funding (grants, work-study, loans).

Grant Amount: Pays systemwide tuition and fees at varying amounts per cohort year and a stipend. For the first year, you receive only the subsistence stipend.

• Cohort 0 - $12,570 for the 2021-2022 academic year or prior, and $1,648 Stipend
• Cohort 1 - $13,104 for the 2022-2023 academic year and $1,648 Stipend
• Cohort 2 - $13,752 for the 2023-2024 academic year and $1,648 Stipend
• Cohort 3 - $14,436 for the 2024-2025 academic year and $1,648 Stipend
• Cohort 4 - $14,934 for the 2025-2026 academic year and $1,648 Stipend

Funded by: State of California (California Student Aid Commission)

Note: Amounts are set by the State government and are subject to change at any time. You must be enrolled full-time (12 or more units) to receive the full amount of the grant.

If you're enrolled in fewer than 12 units, you'll receive a reduced amount of the Cal Grant fee and stipend awards:

• 6-8 units = 1/2 the amount
• 9-11 units = 3/4 the amount
• 12+ units = the full amount

Additional Application Requirements

• If you are already in college and are applying for a new Cal Grant, submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form before March 2.
  
  
• Additional documents may be requested from the Commission after a new Cal Grant is awarded. Failure to provide the documents will result in a loss of the Cal Grant. UC San Diego will not replace a lost Cal Grant with other university funding (grants, work-study, loans).

More Information

Cal Grant B recipients will automatically have their full Access award applied to their student account to pay any outstanding balances. Alternatively, students may elect to receive the full disbursement of their Access award directly prior to disbursement to be used towards educational expenses not directly charged by UC San Diego. If you would like to choose this alternative method, please submit a request to Student Financial Solutions through the student support portal. Please note: requests can be submitted at any time and applied to future quarters, but cannot be processed retroactively.

2025-26 Annual Grant Amount

• Maximum $7395; grant amount is based on enrollment intensity (see chart below)
• There is a lifetime Federal Pell Grant limit of six years (18 quarters) or the equivalent. This includes amounts received at other colleges. See more below.
• You may be eligible for additional Pell during the Summer. Visit Summer Aid for details.

Funded by: U.S. Department of Education (Federal Student Aid)

Note: Amounts are set by the State government and are subject to change at any time. You must be enrolled full-time (12 or more units) by the freeze date each term to receive the full grant for each term.

For more Information, visit Federal Pell Grants | Federal Student Aid

Annual Amounts Based on Enrollment Intensity

Enrollment intensity is a percentage that represents how many units you are taking compared to a full-time course load. Your Pell Grant is calculated based on this percentage. Please keep in mind that the chart below is only for the Federal Pell Grant:

The Maximum Pell Grant for 2025/2026 is $7,395 for the academic year (If enrolled in 12 or more units for Fall, Winter, and Spring AND Student Aid Index (SAI) is between –1500 and 0). Adjustments will be made based on actual enrollment and SAI. 

Lifetime Limit for Receiving the Federal Pell Grant

Students can receive a Pell Grant for up to six years (equivalent to 18 full-time quarters). This includes semesters/quarters at other colleges and/or during summer terms. As indicated in the enrollment intensity chart above, the highest amount of a scheduled Pell Grant you can receive each award year is equal to 100% for full-time enrollment; therefore, the six-year equivalent is 600%. You can read more about Pell Lifetime Eligibility online.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant for Children of Fallen Heroes

As part of the FAFSA Simplification Act implemented for the 2024-25 cycle, the Special Rule for Pell Grants replaces the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) and the Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Scholarship with new or modified eligibility criteria for a student who is less than 33 years of age (as of the first of January of the FAFSA award year) and who indicates on the FAFSA that their parent or guardian died in the line of duty while:

1. Serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001 (i.e., IASG); OR
2. Actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer (i.e., CFH).

If you did indicate this information on the FAFSA, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will request documentation in the Financial Aid Tool. Eligible students will receive a maximum Pell Grant regardless of their Student Aid Index (adjusted for enrollment intensity).

• Grant Amount: $100 to $4,000
• Funded by: U.S. Department of Education (Federal Student Aid)
• For more information, visit FSEOG (Grants) | Federal Student Aid.

• Grant Amount: Varies depending upon need and funding availability 
• Funded by: University of California
• Note: Students must meet all federal, state, and institutional application and document deadlines.

• Annual Amount: Varies depending upon the total amount of your gift aid. If your existing gift aid from all other sources does not cover your systemwide UC tuition and student services fees, the NAOP grant will make up the balance.
  
  
• Funded by: University of California (UC)

To be eligible for the Native American Opportunity Grant, you must be:

1. A current or newly admitted University of California undergraduate, graduate, or professional school student.
2. A California Resident.
3. An enrolled member of a federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and/or Alaska Native tribe.
4. Enrolled in a qualifying, state-funded  UC degree program.

A FAFSA or California Dream Act Application is required for entering students or new applicants. Existing recipients at UC San Diego will have their awards automatically renewed during their undergraduate years.

NAOP applies only to the academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring). It does not cover Summer Session charges.

For more information, visit the UC Native American Opportunity Plan.

For details on UC San Diego summer grants, visit our Summer Aid webpage.

Pell Grants are also available for those who qualify.