Financial Aid: Eligibility Requirements for Undergraduates

Learn what you need to do to be eligible to receive and keep undergraduate financial aid.

In the right place? If you're a graduate student, see the Graduate Student Eligibility Requirements.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements

• Be enrolled and admitted to a degree program at UCSD.

  • If you're in your 1st through 15th quarter of undergraduate study, you'll be considered for all funding.
  • If you're in your 16th through 18th quarter of undergraduate study, you'll be considered for limited funding:
    • Federal Pell grants, Stafford loans, Parent PLUS loans, and alternative loans
  • If you're in your 19th quarter of undergraduate study (or higher), you're not eligible for funding.
  • If you're enrolled as a "limited status" student (returning to UCSD after graduation), you may be eligible for limited funding:
    • Up to $5,500 in Stafford loan eligibility for up to one 12-month period
  Visit or contact the Financial Aid Office to complete the required forms.

• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen.

  You're eligible if you're a:

  • U.S. citizen
  • U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa and Swain's Island).
  • U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551 or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card).
  • Student who has an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the INS with one of the following designations:
    • Refugee
    • Asylum Granted
    • Indefinite Parole and/or Humanitarian Parole
    • Cuban-Haitian Entrant (Status Pending)
    • Conditional Entrant (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
  You are not eligible for federal financial aid if:
  • You have only a Notice to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464)
  • You're in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only
  • You're in the United States on an J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only
  • You have a G-series visa

• Have a valid Social Security number.

  The Financial Aid Office will verify your Social Security number with the U.S. Social Security Administration.

• Be in good standing with satisfactory academic progress.

  Note: The requirements for satisfactory academic progress for financial aid recipients may differ from the requirements for UCSD's minimum progress policy.

  You must maintain progress toward a degree to receive and remain eligible for financial aid. This progress includes a 2.0 cumulative GPA and credit for 36 units during the academic year.

  • For more details, read UCSD's Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid Eligibility (PDF).
  • If you don't meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards:
    • The first time, you'll be given a one-time only financial aid probationary year.
    • During this period, you must maintain SAP standards and must also meet with an academic advisor for a progress plan at the beginning of the year.
    • If you fail to meet SAP standards at the end of the probationary year, you will lose your financial aid eligibility.

• Not be in default on federal education loans, or owe any federal grant money to any institution.

  "Default" means a failure to make loan payments or otherwise honor a loan's terms. Loan defaults are reported to credit bureaus and can influence future credit and your ability to receive financial aid.

  • Check your Pell Grant and Stafford/ Perkins loan history.

• Register with the Selective Service, if you are male.

  If you're a male U.S. citizen (or eligible noncitizen) between the ages of 18 and 26, you must register with the Selective Service. Register in one of the following ways:

  • Register online.
  • Obtain a registration form from your high school or any U.S. post office.
  • Check "yes" in box #29 on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

• Be enrolled in the required number of units for each type of aid received.

  Before funds can be disbursed, most types of aid require enrollment in at least 6 units per quarter and 8 units during Summer Session.

  • Read more about UCSD's Undergraduate Enrollment Requirements and how they affect various types of financial aid and the amount you'll receive.
  • Even though your financial aid awards may be disbursed while you're enrolled in only 6 units per quarter, you must still meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines (PDF) which require you to receive credit for 36 units per academic year.
  • Some awards may be pro-rated or not disbursed at all if you're not enrolled full time.