The Office of Financial Aid

Find the Answer

We’ve anticipated many of your questions and tried to answer them. If you are unable to find the answer here, don’t hesitate to contact us.

• Where do we send scholarship checks?

  You will need to send your scholarship checks to the UCR Student Business Services office at:

  UCR Main Cashiers Office 900 University Avenue Student Services Bldg, Rm 1111 Riverside, CA 92521

  You may drop off payments and scholarship checks using the Cashier's Drop Box located on the east side of the Student Services Building.

  Ensure that the scholarship check has the Student Identification number (SID) located on the check, the students name, and made payable to REGENTS UC.

• How do I accept my Financial Aid in R'Web?
  1. Visit rweb.ucr.edu
  2. Log in to your R'Web account.
  3. Click on the Financial Aid icon in your Authorized Applications window.
  4. Select the Award link.
  5. Choose 2017–2018 Award Year from the drop-down menu.
  6. Select the Accept Award Offer tab.
  7. Accept the financial aid award, decline it or accept a partial amount.
  8. Select the Award Overview tab to review your financial aid package and the status of each award.
• How do I find out if I still have incomplete financial aid requirements?
  1. Visit rweb.ucr.edu.
  2. Log in to your R'Web account.
  3. Click on the Financial Aid icon in your Authorized Applications window.
  4. Click on “Requirements and Eligibility” to view the requirements you need to complete.
• How do I request a Financial Aid appeal?
  1. Visit rweb.ucr.edu.
  2. Log in to your R'Web account.
  3. Click on the Financial Aid icon in your Authorized Applications window.
  4. Select the Award link.
  5. Select the Resources/Additional Information tab.
  6. Choose the appropriate type of appeal from the drop-down menu and submit your request. Your advisor will follow up by email with the appropriate financial aid forms to process your request.
• Do I have to apply for financial aid every year?

  Yes. Your eligibility for financial aid is based on data from the prior calendar year – information that may change from year to year. Be sure to submit the correct year FAFSA, Renewal FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application for the academic year that you plan to enroll, and by the annual priority deadline of March 2. (Applications can be submitted after March 2.) For 2024-25 only, the priority deadline is May 2, 2024.

• How can I check to see whether my FAFSA has been processed?

  If you submit online, you can check the status of your FAFSA immediately. 

  You can check the status of a paper FAFSA after it has been processed (roughly 7–10 days from the date mailed) by logging in to fafsa.gov or by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center.

  If your FAFSA is still being processed, we recommend that you wait a few days before checking the status again.

• My taxes are filed: How do I use IRS Data Retrieval to update the tax estimate I used to complete my FAFSA?

  See directions for using the IRS Data Retrieval tool here.

• How do I apply for scholarships? now that my taxes are filed?

  If you’re a new student, you apply for scholarships on the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships. Scholarship awards may be based on your academic achievement and/or financial need. UCR scholarship notifications will be included in financial aid offers.
  
  If you are a continuing student, you are encouraged to check for scholarship opportunities sent to UCR from outside agencies throughout the year. Scholarships are available through various corporations, civic organizations, and clubs, as well as from some parents' employers.

  Below are just a few resources for online scholarship searches.

  • finaid.org
  • fastweb.com
  • scholarships.ucr.edu
  • studentaid.ed.gov/sa/
  • careerinfonet.org/scholarshipsearch

  Learn more about scholarships.

• How can I get Work-Study?

  Connect with the Career Center to learn more about Work-Study and how to apply for it. 

• I don't want to borrow loans. How do I get grant money?

  Most grant funds are targeted to the highest need students from the lowest income families. For example, Federal Pell Grants are available to undergraduate students who meet Student Aid Index (SAI) limits.  University grant funds are offered to undergraduate students who apply on time, based on family income and financial need.   If you do not qualify for grant funding, fixed rate, low interest federal loans are a good way to finance your education and invest in your future.

  Other options to reduce your need to borrow include:

  • Work part-time in an on or off-campus position.
  • Reduce your costs by carefully choosing your housing plans and transportation expenses. You can also control and reduce your food and personal expenses from the amounts allowed in the financial aid budgets.
  • Look for outside scholarships to reduce your loan and work aid.

  Learn more about grants.

• What is my Student Aid Index (SAI)?

  The Student Aid Index (SAI) (which appears on your financial aid offer in R'web) is an eligibility index number that is used to determine how much Federal aid the student would receive. This number results from the information that the student provides in their FAFSA.

• Do I have to pay the Parent Contribution (PC) to the college?

  Not necessarily. Quarterly fees, on-campus housing charges, and parking fees are paid directly to the college and will show up on your Growl student account. Your financial aid will first credit these charges, and then you are responsible for paying any of the expenses remaining. These expenses, and any other remaining educational costs, can be paid out of pocket or your parents may be eligible to borrow a parent PLUS loan to replace all or part of the PC.

• What if I need additional financial aid assistance?

  If you need more financial aid, contact your school's financial aid office. Some options you can consider are applying for scholarships, working at an on-campus part-time job, or borrowing student loans. Your parent may be eligible to borrow a Parent PLUS Loan or you may qualify for an alternative loan. 

• Can I get an early estimate of my financial aid award at UCR?

  Yes! Check out UCR's Net Price Calculator. Actual aid awards begin to appear on MyUCR on or after the date you’ve been admitted beginning in mid-March, and can also be viewed at UCR’s student portal in R'Web.

   

• When will my financial aid funds be available to pay my fees?

  Once you have accepted your financial aid, it will be applied to pay your registration fees automatically prior to the deadline to pay fees, as long as you have submitted any required documents, enrolled in courses, cleared all holds, and completed pre-loan counseling (new borrowers). You should accept your awards in R'web and submit your loan promissory notes at least two weeks prior to the date that fees are due in order to allow for processing in time to meet the fee payment deadline. For example, fall bills are usually available to view in R'web in mid-August and fall fees are usually due September 15.

  Outside scholarships may be issued to you directly in a check, depending on the procedures of the donor. Scholarship checks made payable to UC Regents will be credited to your student account as soon as possible, either in full or 1/3 of the amount each quarter.

  Federal Work-Study is paid on a monthly basis by a payroll check for hours worked the preceding month and will NOT appear as credits towards the student account or fee charges.

• What if I need aid to pay for costs other than fees?

  You will receive the balance of any remaining financial aid in a “refund” of account overages. You will receive your financial aid refund in a direct deposit to your bank account via electronic funds transfer. Direct deposits are usually available to you on the first day of each quarter. Visit Student Business Services to get more info on Direct Deposit application deadlines.

• What types of aid are available at UCR?

  There are two types of financial aid: gift-aid and self-help aid. Students may be awarded a financial aid package including a combination of these. Gift-aid includes grants and scholarships which do not have to be repaid or earned. Self-help aid includes loans, which must be repaid, and work-study funds, which must be earned.

• What is the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans?

  "Subsidized" means the federal government pays the interest on a borrower's loan while the student is enrolled at least half-time and during grace periods and deferment periods. Students must demonstrate financial need to qualify for a subsidized loan. 
  
  “Unsubsidized” means the federal government does not pay interest on the loan while the student is in school, during the grace period, or while in deferment. Interest is charged on the loan from the date on which it is disbursed until it is paid in full. The interest may be paid on a monthly basis (recommended), or borrowers can allow the interest to accumulate. If you choose not to pay the interest while you are in school, your interest will accrue, (accumulate) and be capitalized (that is, your interest will be added to the principal of your loan).  

   

   

   

• When are the financial aid application deadlines?

  Financial Aid – Important Dates
  March 2 (priority deadline)	Priority deadline to submit FAFSA or California Dream Act application (Applications can still be submitted after March 2.) For 2024-25 only, the California State Priority Deadline is extended to May 2, 2024.
  April 15	Financial Aid Requirements Deadline for continuing students
  May 1	Deadline to complete Request for Summer Aid application
  May 22	Target Date to Release Summer Financial Aid awards
  June 1	Financial Aid Requirements Deadline for new students
  June 1	CalVet Fee Waiver Deadline for Summer
  August 1	CalVet Fee Waiver Deadline for Fall

 HEERF Funding Questions and Answers

• What is the HEERF funding?

  On December 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (P.L. 116-260). This new law gives the U.S. Department of Education (Department) approximately $22.7 billion to distribute to institutions of higher education in order to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus through the HEERF. This law has some similarities—as well as important differences—from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116–136) that was enacted on March 27, 2020.

  The CARES Act required that 50 percent of an institution’s allocation under section 18004(a)(1) be used for financial aid grants to students, which was represented by the institution’s CARES Act Student Aid Portion award. The CRRSAA requires that an institution receiving funding under section 314(a)(1) provide the “same amount” in financial aid grants to students from the new CRRSAA funds that it was required or which it would have been required to provide under its original CARES Act Student Aid Portion award.

  HEERF II (CRRSAA) Emergency Grant report 03.20.21

• Who can qualify for HEERF funding?

  While HEERF-student share dollars are not Title IV aid, the Department of Education requires that students must meet Title IV eligibility requirements in order to receive a HEERF emergency grant. If a student has filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then the student has demonstrated eligibility to participate in programs. The criteria to participate in programs include but are not limited to the following: U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen; a valid Social Security number; registration with Selective Service (if the student is male); and a high school diploma, GED, or completion of high school in an approved homeschool setting.

• Are AB540 or students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program eligible to receive HEERF Act grants?

  Although DACA students are not eligible for this Federal funding, the UC system and UC Riverside are committed to the support of our entire community. UCR plans to use institutional funding to provide an equal UC grant to our eligible enrolled Dreamers. 

• What kinds of expenses should the HEERF payment be used to cover?

  Financial aid grants for students may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. 

• How do I apply?

  If you have not already done so, you may apply by filing a 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to demonstrate your eligibility to participate in programs under Section 484 of the HEA. Eligible graduate students at UCR may complete an affidavit, in lieu of a FAFSA, by following the instructions emailed to their account.

• Does the HEERF money need to be repaid?

  No, money received through this fund does not need to be repaid.

• Would this funding reduce my current financial aid awards?

  No, this fund will not reduce or replace financial aid. 

• Does a change in income qualify a student for HEERF funding?

  No, student share dollars are to aid students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the coronavirus; this is different than a change in a student's financial need due to COVID-19, which could be a result of a loss of income rather than new expenses. 

  If your FAFSA or Dream Act application does not capture a financial difficulty that you are currently facing, you may request a PJ/EFC Change of Income Appeal provided there has been a significant change in your financial situation, which began on, or after January 1, 2019. Please reach out to your financial aid counselor to discuss your situation. 

• What additional resources are available at UC Riverside if I need access to food or housing?

  You can apply for additional assistance through Basic Needs to get the support you need to survive and thrive at this difficult time.