Tuition is $440.00 per unit.
School code: 001316
UCR accepts applications on a year-round basis. Students are encouraged to apply early in order to ensure adequate processing time for loan funds to be available by the fee payment deadlines. For more information visit finaid.ucr.edu or contact:
The Office of Financial Aid
University of California, Riverside
1156 Hinderaker Hall
Riverside, CA 92521
(951) 827-3878
2008-09 Financial Aid Applicants
If you are applying for financial aid for the 2008-09 award year, please select the appropriate form(s) requested on GROWL Application Status. These forms can be found at the following website finaid.ucr.edu/Forms. Follow the instructions on the form, complete and sign it, and return it to the Financial Aid Office. For priority consideration, all required documents must be submitted by May 1, 2008. Funding for late applicants is limited.
2008-09 new student financial aid awards available
New students admitted to UCR for 2008-09 whose financial aid applications are complete may now access UCR's GROWL to view, accept, or decline their financial aid awards on-line.
Graduate students can now request federal loans on GROWL
Graduate students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens may qualify for federal student loans. Applicants must first submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which can be filed on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov Once your FAFSA has been received by UCR, click on Application Status on GROWL to request loans through the Financial Aid Office.
To be considered for federal or state aid you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You can submit the FAFSA beginning January 1.
The fastest, easiest, and most convenient way to file a FAFSA is to apply on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you are unable to complete the FAFSA on the Web you may call 800-4FED-AID and request a paper application be sent to you.
In January, the Department of Education begins sending Renewal Reminder notifications to continuing UCR students who submitted a 2007-08 FAFSA, regarding the procedure to file a Renewal FAFSA for 2008-09. You can access your Pre-filled Renewal FAFSA online. Be sure to keep your e-mail address (or mailing address) current with the federal processor so that you will receive your Renewal Reminder well before the FAFSA filing deadline.
How to Apply
Step 1. Collect your financial information:
You will need the following information to complete your FAFSA:
Your Social Security Number
Your parents’ Social Security numbers, if you are dependent
Your Alien Registration Number, if you are not a U.S. citizen
Your PIN number and a parent’s PIN number, if you are dependent
Your 2007 federal income tax return, and your parents’ 2007 federal income tax return, if you are dependent
Current bank statements and investment records Untaxed income records for 2007 (Social Security benefits, welfare benefits, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or General Assistance, or veterans benefits)
Step 2. Get a PIN number (personal identification number)
If you don’t already have a PIN number, you can now apply for one online when you submit your FAFSA. You will need a PIN to electronically sign your FAFSA. Your PIN number will display to you in real time on the FAFSA on the Web screen, and you can use it to electronically sign your FAFSA. You can also request that your PIN number be sent to you via e-mail or mailed to your postal address if you prefer.
You may request a duplicate PIN number or change your PIN number on line at www.pin.ed.gov. Your PIN number may be used to access, complete, and submit your 2008-09 FAFSA electronically. You can also use it to make corrections or updates to your FAFSA and to print a copy of your Student Aid Report Information Acknowledgment after your application has been processed.
Step 3. Complete the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet.
The FAFSA on the Web Worksheet is available on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You may also obtain it from your high school or from the Financial Aid Office. By completing this worksheet ahead of time, you will have all of your information ready when you are ready to file your FAFSA. Use the documents you have collected (tax returns or W-2 forms, asset information, bank statements, records of untaxed income, etc.) to assist you in completing the form.
Step 4. Complete the FAFSA.
Follow the on-screen instructions to fill out the FAFSA. Once your have completed your application, review your answers carefully and make any corrections if necessary before submitting your FAFSA. If you are a dependent student, be sure both you and your parent sign your FAFSA to avoid processing delays! You can sign electronically with your PIN number, print out a paper signature page to sign and mail in, or wait for a signature page to arrive in the mail if you do not have a printer. Using a PIN number to sign electronically is the fastest, and will avoid delays in processing your financial aid application.
The deadline to submit your FAFSA is March 3, 2008 in order to be considered for the maximum amount of financial aid available. Do NOT wait to file until after a tax return has been filed: It’s easier to complete your FAFSA if you have already filed your federal tax return. But if you haven’t, it is more important to use estimates from last year’s tax return and update them later rather than miss a deadline.
Financial aid is available for students who:
are U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and
other eligible noncitizens
have a valid Social Security number
are enrolled at least half-time (6 units or more)
are in a graduate program that leads to a degree
if male, are registered with the Selective Service
are not in default on a federal educational loan and who do not owe a refund on a
federal grant
are making satisfactory academic progress
demonstrate financial need (except for the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan and the
Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students PLUS Loan
The following categories of students are not eligible for financial aid:
International students who are in the country temporarily
Other categories of non-immigrant students
Students on Limited or Special Status
Graduate students with no degree objective
An exception is available for students admitted on Limited Status who are required to take prerequisite coursework prior to full admission into the Graduate Division. If you fall into this category, please submit documentation from the Graduate Admissions Office confirming that you are taking prerequisite coursework for graduate admission.
Students who take classes through University Extension only
Undergraduate students who have been enrolled for the equivalent of 18 quarters or longer
Students studying for a second baccalaureate degree are eligible for one or two years (depending on the terms of their admission) of limited funding from loan programs only. Students who have been enrolled for the equivalent of 16 quarters or longer will lose eligibility for UCR Grant.
Calculating your financial need
Approximately one to three weeks after you submit your FAFSA, UCR will receive your application information electronically from the federal processor. Respond promptly to any requests for supplemental information or documents. Once your file is complete, UCR will review all of the information provided to determine your financial eligibility and the types of aid for which you qualify.
Your eligibility for financial aid is the difference between the established UCR expenses for the academic year and your expected family contribution (EFC). Your EFC is the number used in determining your eligibility to receive financial aid funds.
Following is the basic formula for determining eligibility:
Determining your Award
Once your financial need has been determined, UCR will offer you a financial aid award package which may contain loan money. You will receive notification of your financial aid awards on GROWL. Your financial aid offer lists the types and amounts of financial aid for which you qualify.
The amount of your award depends on several factors, including the following:
- Your financial need
- Your GPA (for Cal Grant and some scholarship programs)
- Your family's total income and assets
- When your FAFSA was filed
- When your financial aid application file was completed with the UCR
- Financial Aid Office
- Other resources, such as scholarships, VA benefits, graduate financial
- assistance, fee waivers, etc., that you are receiving
If you receive additional funding from any other sources after you are awarded, you must report the source and amount of each award to the Financial Aid Office. This information may be provided in writing or reported on the financial aid review website on GROWL. Records from the Graduate Division and outside agencies are matched to financial aid records to account for other assistance that you have received. Be sure to also inform us if there will be changes in your housing plans or enrollment status. UCR will send you notification of a revised award if any adjustment is needed based on changes in your financial need or information we receive about other sources of funding for which you qualify.
Appeals for special circumstances
A special procedure is in place to accommodate applicants who will have a reduction in family income of at least $1000 between the year for which income is reported on the FAFSA and the following calendar year. Parents or students may request re-evaluation of eligibility using projected year income by completing a Change of Income Form, available from the Financial Aid Office. Applicants must explain the nature of the income change between the two years, and indicate whether the reduction of income is for the student, the student’s spouse, the student’s father, or the student’s mother.
The Change of Income Form requests projected calendar year income from the following sources:
Income from earnings, wages, tips, business income, etc.
Pension or retirement income (identified as taxed or untaxed)
Other taxed income (unemployment compensation, rental income, interest or dividend income, taxable Social Security benefits, early withdrawal of retirement funds, severance pay, etc.)
Other untaxed income (Social Security benefits, Welfare benefits/TANF, child support, military or clergy housing allowance, payments to 401(k) or 403(b) pensions, disability income, etc.)
Applicants may be requested to submit a letter of termination from the employer and/or copy of the last payroll check stub, verification of unemployment benefits, a copy of the student’s or parents’ prior year federal income tax return, and verification of any prior year untaxed income.
Students or parents requesting a recalculation of eligibility based on a lost of income should return the Change of Income Form by August 1st. Once this form has been approved, the parent or student will be sent an Agreement to Use Estimated Income contract to sign. This agreement acknowledges your responsibilities and identifies the conditions of the revised award. A revised financial aid offer that reflects the adjustment in the student’s financial aid eligibility will be available to accept on GROWL after the signed agreement has been received.
It is UCR policy to review projected year income cases after the tax return has been filed for the calendar year in which the projected income was used. Parents or students are required to submit a copy of their tax return during the month of March. A hold will be placed on spring aid disbursements until the applicable tax return has been submitted, projected data has been compared to actual data, and any recalculations performed.
The student’s financial aid award may be revised on the basis of actual family income received, and spring aid disbursements adjusted or cancelled. It is important that your estimates be as accurate as possible. Grossly inaccurate estimates will result in a bill for financial aid already disbursed in prior quarters. Therefore, if you would like to change the amount of your original estimate, please indicate the amended amount on the Agreement to Use Estimated Income contract before returning it to the Financial Aid Office.
Further information regarding appeals for special circumstances may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office or by scheduling an appointment to speak with a counselor.
Students in the Palm Desert MFA Program are assessed per unit fees of $440.00/unit. A
typical graduate class consists of 4 units.
The Palm Desert Graduate Center does not accept payment of fees. Tuition and fees must be paid by mail or in person at UCR's Main Cashier's Office, located in Hinderaker Hall. The Student Business Services Office sends all students a monthly Statement of Account, which includes all fees due and any other outstanding institutional charges. Tuition and fees must be paid by the fee payment deadlines published in the UCR Schedule of Classes in order to avoid a $50 late payment fee and loss of classes for the quarter. For 2008-09, the deadline to pay fees each quarter is as follows:
- Fall: September 15, 2008
- Winter: December 15, 2008
- Spring: March 13, 2009
Other charges are due within 30 days from the date they appear on the monthly Statement of Account. Institutional charges may be paid in cash, with a check, or by credit card. UCR accepts payment by Mastercard or Discover Card.
A Deferred Payment Plan is available to students who wish to pay fees and tuition in three monthly installments each quarter. The DPP program may cover the difference between fees and tuition and any grants, scholarships, waivers, or loans credited towards fees for the quarter. DPP is not available to cover UCR Extension or Summer Session courses. There is an application fee for participation in this program. For more information on the Deferred Payment Program and an application, contact the Student Business Services Office.