UC Berkeley is a state university located in Berkeley, California. This school is known world-wide for its prestige and academic excellence. Many students around the world want to study at this excellent university, so it is competitive to get in. If you are interested in applying to this prestigious university, you should consider the financial side too. In this article, we will cover options such as UC Berkeley scholarships and financial aid so that you will have a better idea of what the university offers.
Cost of Attendance
Because UC Berkeley is a state school, the cost of attendance differs according to your state residency. For in-state students, the tuition fee is over $14,000 and room and board is $17,000. If you add the personal expenses, the total cost of attendance is over $36,000 per year.
If you are a non-resident student, you need to add approximately $30,000 to the total cost, making your total cost of attendance to be around $66,000 per year.
So, if you are a non-resident student, you should consider applying to schools in your state or obtain California residency. However, if you are academically fit, you can lower your costs substantially through different aids and scholarships that UC Berkeley offers.
So, let’s take a look at these financial options.
Types of UC Berkeley Scholarships
Because of the huge funds that UC Berkeley has, they are pretty generous with the scholarships that they offer. These scholarships are primarily based on merit, which means that it takes into account your academic achievements. This can include your GPA, test scores, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, etc.
1. Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarships
The most common scholarship is the Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarships. Over 3,000 students per year receive this scholarship. There are approximately 1,000 different funds and scholarships, but to make things easier for students, UC Berkeley put everything under one scholarship.
The amount awarded varies and is awarded primarily based on need, but you do need to meet certain criteria to be eligible in the first place.
You do not need to submit a separate application because you will be automatically considered. You should note that there is a GPA cutoff, which varies.
2. Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship
This scholarship is the most prestigious type of scholarships offered at UC Berkeley and only 200 new students receive this scholarship per year. Some of these scholars have gone on to receive prestigious awards such as Rhodes and Truman.
So, what do you get if you get selected for this scholarship? First and most importantly, you get money. If you do not have any need, you will receive $2,500 a year. If you do have an additional need that needs to be met, your award will increase.
Other scholarship benefits include priority class registration, guaranteed housing, faculty mentor, networking, etc. Do not underestimate priority class registration and guaranteed housing. In a very large state university like UC Berkeley, those two things should not be taken for granted.
You do not need to submit a separate application to be considered. However, they will select students for a faculty interview, and you must do the interview to be considered to receive this most prestigious scholarship at UC Berkeley.
3. Middle Class Scholarship
Middle-Class Scholarship is an interesting scholarship and is awarded to middle-class families. To be eligible, your family must make less than $177,000 per year.
The maximum award is around $5,000 a year, and the award varies according to your need. To apply, you just need to submit FAFSA or California Dream Act Application.
4. Fiat Lux Scholarship
This scholarship was established in 2016 for students living in communities near UC Berkeley. To be eligible, you will need to graduate from a list of eligible high schools, have academic success, and have financial need.
You will be automatically considered through the information provided in your application. However, you will be asked to interview if you make through the initial round. I highly recommend you to consider this scholarship!
If you want to know additional information about these scholarships, make sure to visit the scholarship page!
How to Apply for Scholarships
For all of these major scholarships at UC Berkeley, you will be automatically considered if you fit those criteria. As stated above, you will be required to submit the FAFSA. We will cover this on how to apply for financial aid section in detail.
Types of Grants and Need-Based Aid
Scholarships mentioned above was awarded primarily based on merit and the amount varied according to the need. In this section, we will cover grants and need-based aid, which is awarded based on your financial circumstances.
1. Cal Grant
If you are a California resident and meet the Cal Grant requirements, you will be considered to receive this scholarship. Cal grant provides low and middle-income families financial assistance so that they can send their children to college.
To apply, you will need to file FAFSA or California Dream Act Application as well as file GPA verification form. If you meet the criteria above, I highly recommend you to apply!
2. Chafee Foster Grant
If you currently are, or have been, a foster child, you are eligible for Chafee Foster Grant. This grant awards up to $5,000 to selected candidates. If you fit t
To apply, you will need to submit FAFSA and Chafee Application Form.
3. Department Awards
Each department at UC Berkeley has funds that it sets aside to award students with great ability. The awards are different for different departments, and you will be contacted if you are eligible.
4. Parent Grant
If you are an undergraduate student who has a dependent child under the age of 18, you should consider applying to the parent grant. There are additional eligibility criteria, which can be found here.
There are many requirements to be met, so make sure to go through each of them and make sure that you meet the requirements. If you do meet all of them, you are eligible.
5. Federal Pell Grant
Federal Pell Grant is known to most prospective students around the US. It is a government funded grant, and it is not specific only to UC Berkeley. You can receive up to approximately $6,000 a year depending on your circumstances.
To apply for a Pell Grant, you have to file FAFSA.
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
You can get an additional $400 a year through federal grants depending on your circumstances. This is given in addition to Pell Grants.
7. Blue and Gold Opportunity Grant
If you are a California resident and your family makes less than $80,000 a year, you are guaranteed that combination of grants and scholarships cover the tuition fees of approximately $12,000. However, this is dependent on your need. The Blue and Gold Opportunity Grant will cover the rest of the tuition and fees if your financial need indicates that this is the case.
For example, if your family makes under $80,000 a year, but for some reason, the assets are over one million dollars, you won’t be covered because you don’t need the grant. For more information about this grant, visit this page.
8. Undergraduate Dream Act Aid
If you are eligible for nonresident tuition exemption, you might be eligible for this scholarship if you meet the criteria. Visit this page to learn more.
9. UC Berkeley Grant
If you have additional needs after getting UC Berkeley scholarships and other financial aid, they can be met with UC Berkeley Grant. These funds come from the university funds from donors, alumni, government grants, etc. The university will do its best to make your education at UC Berkeley financially feasible for you.
How to Apply for These UC Berkeley Financial Aid
You can apply for these grants by completing FAFSA. Depending on the particular scholarship, you may be asked to complete additional paperwork. One of the more popular forms is the California Dream Act Application. For more information, visit UC Berkeley Financial Aid Page.
Financial Aid Application Deadlines
The deadline to submit these forms is March 2. If you submit after this date, you will be still considered for scholarships and grants, but it might be limited.
I hope that this article on UC Berkeley scholarships and financial aid was helpful. If you are interested, I highly suggest that you visit California Scholarship Category as well as Authority Scholarship Website.
