A FINANCIAL AID INITIATIVE FOR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UNDERGRADUATES

If you're ready to attend the University of California, money shouldn't stand in your way. UC's new Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan will cover your systemwide fees if you are a California resident whose family earns less than $60,000 a year and you qualify for financial aid. And this is just the starting point. More than half of UC students qualify for even more grant aid to help reduce the cost of attending.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, you must:

• Be a California resident
• Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and provide any additional documentation campuses may request.
• Apply for a Cal Grant (if you haven't already)
• Demonstrate income below $60,000 with financial need (as determined for federal need-based aid programs)
• Be in your first four years as a UC undergraduate (first two for transfer students)
• Meet other campus basic requirements for UC grant aid (for example, be enrolled at least half-time during the academic year, meet campus academic progress standards, not be in default on student loans, etc.)

In addition to the minimum funding under the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, undergraduates with sufficient financial need will receive additional grant support to help defray other educational expenses (e.g., books, living expenses, transportation, etc.). However, no student will receive more scholarship and grant support than the calculated financial need.

Integration with Other Financial Aid Programs

All sources of scholarship and grant awards (federal, State, institutional, and private sources including outside agency scholarships) will count towards covering fees and meeting the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan commitment. We will begin identifying students needing additional grant funds to meet the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan guidelines in the fall semester.

Effective Date

This will be effective for fall 2009.

More information:

UC Newsroom announcement

UC Office of the President Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan Information

UC Office of the President Blue and Gold Fact Sheet