Financial Aid Packaging Policy for Undergraduates
Learn how the Financial Aid Office determines the amount of financial aid you're eligible to receive, and in what order awards are made.
In the right place? If you're a graduate or professional student, see the Packaging Policy for Graduate Students.
Award packaging covers your financial need with a mix of different types of financial aid.
- "Need" is the difference between the UCSD budget (your estimated costs) and your expected family contribution, as determined by your FAFSA). Read more about how UCSD determines financial aid awards.
- 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 availablity. Funds are distributed in the following sequence:
- Outside resources, including veterans benefits, college fee waivers, and ROTC funds
- Scholarships from UCSD and outside agencies
- Grants
- Federal Pell Grant
- Cal Grant for California Residents
- Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS)
Note: for Non California Residents, the nonresident supplemental tuition would be funded with increased Federal Direct Loan eligibility
- Federal Work-Study and/or Perkins Loan or University Loan
- UC grants: Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Opportunity Grant (OG), and Grant-in-Aid (GIA)
You must file your FAFSA by March 2 to be eligible for Work-Study, Perkins loans, UC grants, or new Cal Grant awards.
See more information on all types of financial aid.