The more you know, the better you can plan.

If you need help to pay for your studies, you may be eligible for several types of financial aid.

• Scholarships are awarded based on academic criteria, or any combination of academics, financial need, leadership positions, campus or community activities, and work experience. They are designed to reward, encourage, and assist you in pursuing academic excellence and leadership roles. When you apply for admission to UCI, you are also applying for scholarships. You can be eligible automatically for certain scholarships as decisions are based on the information provided in your UC Application. However, other scholarship opportunities may require you to submit additional documentation.
• Grants are awarded on the basis of your financial need and do not have to be repaid.
• Loans are money that must be repaid over a period of time, usually after you leave school. Federal student loans are available to most students regardless of income and provide a range of repayment options, including income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness benefits, which other education loans are not required to provide.
• Work-study enables you to gain work experience and earn money to pay for a portion of your educational expenses by working a part-time job. Most jobs are on campus and departments are eager to hire students with work-study awards. To see what kinds of student jobs are available, visit UCI's Career Center.

If you are a California resident whose total family income is less than $80,000 a year and you qualify for financial aid, the University of California's Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan ensures that you will not have to pay UC's systemwide tuition and fees out of your own pocket — and that’s just for starters! Blue and Gold students with sufficient financial need can qualify for even more grant aid to help reduce the cost of attending.

For details about meeting the cost of your education, visit UCI’s Financial Aid and Scholarship website.

Find out if you qualify for financial aid.

If you are a new or continuing student, you must file a Free Application Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application to determine your eligibility for financial assistance. This form requires you to answer numerous questions regarding your and your family’s assets, income, and dependency.

In order to complete the FAFSA, you’ll need information from your and your family’s income tax returns, W-2 forms, and bank statements. The UCI School Code for the FAFSA is 001314.

For FAFSA application deadlines and details, visit www.fafsa.gov.

Students who are not eligible to file a FAFSA and qualify for the AB540 fee exemption can apply for certain types of financial aid by completing the California Dream Application.

Please note: Students from other U.S. states are not eligible for California financial aid, however the University of California will help out-of-state students receive federal aid for which they are eligible. International students are not eligible to receive federal or state financial aid.