Applying for Financial Aid
at UC Berkeley

File a FAFSA

All undergraduate students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete the application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

The FAFSA is available on January 1 each year, and the deadline is March 2. UC Berkeley's federal school code is 001312.

For help with the FAFSA, watch "7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA," a video tutorial on how to complete the FAFSA application. For more FAFSA tips, read "Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Student Aid" and "FAFSA Tips for Applicants in Unique Situations." For questions about the FAFSA, see http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/contact.htm and http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help.htm. You can also follow @FAFSA on Twitter for the latest FAFSA information and financial aid tips.

For fun, check out this rap video about the FAFSA made by students at the Williamsburg Charter High School in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The undergraduate FAFSA application deadline is always March 2. If you file after the March 2 deadline, we will still accept your application, but your campus-based financial aid could be limited.

Transfer Students applying for Fall 2012 who filled out a 2011-12 FAFSA should complete a 2012-13 FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov by March 2.

Cal Grants: If you are a California resident and a new undergraduate student, or a current UC Berkeley freshman who hasn't yet received a paid Cal Grant for academic year 2011-12, contact your former high school to have your grade point average submitted to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) by March 2 so that you will be considered for a 2012-13 Cal Grant. For more information about Cal Grants, please see our Cal Grant Frequently Asked Questions page or the Cal Grant Frequently Asked Questions page on the CSAC website.

California Dream Act: If you are an undergraduate student and you qualify for an AB 540 waiver, please see the Berkeley Undergraduate Dream Act Aid page.