Qualifying for Financial Aid

To qualify for Federal, State, or University funding you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen and you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid is not available for students with F1 or F2 Student Visas, J1 or J2 Exchange Visitor Visas, or G Series Visas.

Undergraduate Dean’s Award

Admitted international students receive the Undergraduate Dean’s Award in recognition of academic achievement. 

The award for first-year students is $20,000 over 4 years:

• $4,000 for the first and second years
• $6,000 for the third and fourth years

The award for transfer students is $10,000 over 2 years:

• $4,000 for the first year
• $6,000 for the second year

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 to qualify for renewal.

Scholarship Resources for International Students

►International Education Financial Aid
►International Scholarships.com
►Institute of International Education’s Funding for U.S. Study

To see a list of undergraduate tuition and costs, please go to the UCSC Financial Aid web site.

Frequently Asked Questions

►Does UCSC offer scholarships for international students? – If admitted to UCSC, international students will receive the Undergraduate Dean’s Award. To learn about other scholarships that might be offered, please visit the Scholarships page on the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships web site.
►As an international student, do I qualify for financial aid? – To qualify for financial aid, you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
►How do I know if I must pay resident or non-resident tuition as an international student?  – Please refer to the residency requirements for tuition purposes page on the Office of the Registrar’s web site.
►Can I get a job on campus to help pay for my expenses? – International students do not qualify for federal work-study programs, but may find work on their own on campus. Although campus jobs are extremely competitive, students may work up to 20 hours per week during regular school terms and full-time during school breaks such as summer vacation. Please refer to this web site for more information on F-1 student employment: ieo.ucsc.edu/intl-students/f1/employment.html.