Need financial aid?
The first step in obtaining financial aid is applying! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) opened on October 1st. More information about applying.
Financial Aid Application Information
- The financial aid applications uses the Prior-Prior Year (PPY) income.
- The FAFSA will link directly to the IRS to populate Federal Tax Information (FTI) needed to determine your eligibility if you and your parents (or spouse, if applicable) provide consent.
- Don't forget to include our school code: 041271
What You Need to Apply
You might need the following information or documents as you fill out the FAFSA form:
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Your parents’ SSNs if you’re a dependent student
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Your spouse's SSN if you're a married student
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Tax returns
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Records of child support received
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Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
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Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
Financial Aid Application Help
Need help completing your financial aid application? Use the Help(?) icons on both FAFSA and CADAA online forms for question descriptions and other helpful tips. You should never pay someone else to help you complete your financial aid application, because these are free.
Our office will be available to help you complete your FAFSA or CADAA in the following ways:
FAFSA & CADAA Workshops
Financial Aid Advisors will be available to help you complete your FAFSA or CADAA at our FAFSA & CADAA Workshops. These “drop-in” style workshops will be open to any UC Merced student. We encourage students to start their applications, and then attend a workshop whenever they need help answering a question.
FAFSA Helpful Resources
Applying for Financial Aid with FAFSA Form
CADAA Helpful Resources
CADAA Common Application Issues
CADAA Frequently Asked Questions
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has gone mobile! You can now complete the FAFSA on your smartphone or tablet device! Visit the FAFSA website for more information.
