Skip to Main Content
Financial Aid and Scholarships
two people surrounded by art

Types of Aid Available

Financial Aid and Scholarships awards financial aid packages to those applicants for whom an official need analysis has been performed. Utilizing both need-based and non-need based funding sources, financial aid packages are provided to assist students in meeting the costs associated with attending UCLA. Financial aid packages consist of one or more of the following types of aid:

Aid

Teaching & Research Assistantships/Fellowships & Grants

The UCLA Graduate Division provides students with support funds in the forms of grants, fellowships, traineeships, teaching assistantships and graduate student researcher appointments.

Please refer to the UCLA Graduate Division Financial Support for additional information regarding these awards.

Teach Grant

The TEACH Grant program is a non-need based grant program that gives up to $4,000/year to FULLTIME STUDENTS. TEACH Grants are ONLY available to citizens and permanent residents. Reduced eligibility is calculated for less than full time enrollment in an eligible program (see ‘Eligibility Criteria’ below).

**STUDENTS MUST AGREE TO TEACH low-income elementary or secondary school for 4 YEARS. You must complete this within 8 years of finishing the program paid by the TEACH Grant. Students must teach in a high-need field as a highly qualified teacher. You must sign a service agreement to this effect every year. You must complete all required counseling prior to receiving TEACH Grant. You must have a 3.25 GPA for each quarter to maintain eligibility.

**If you do NOT meet the requirements of the service agreement, TEACH Grant will be treated as a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Then you must repay the TEACH funds, with interest accrued from the date of disbursement.

Eligibility Criteria:
Graduate students enrolled in UCLA’s Teacher Education Program who are working toward a credential in Science, Math or Special Education.

Cal Grant Eligibility:
If you have Cal Grant A or B and plan to enroll in a teacher credential program, you may be eligible to renew your Cal Grant award for an additional year. The additional year of payment is provided to students who are seeking an initial teacher credential and cannot be used for other graduate level courses of study. To qualify, you must be enrolled in a professional teaching preparation program at a school approved by California Commission on Teacher Credentialing within 15 months of the end of the term for which you last received a Cal Grant payment. Renewal recipients who have received a bachelor’s degree should:

  • Enroll in a teacher preparation program at an institution approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing within 15 months of last receiving Cal Grant payments.
  • Submit a Request for Cal Grant Teaching Credential Program (TCP) Benefits Form (G-44) www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/G-44.pdf
  • File a FAFSA so your school will be able to determine your grant renewal eligibility.
  • The school verifies you are enrolled at least half-time in an approved teaching credential program.

Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG)

The Golden State Teacher Grant Program (GSTG) encourages students to consider earning a preliminary teaching or pupil personnel service credential and commit to work at either a priority school or a California preschool program for four years. You must complete the Service Agreement requirements within eight years of graduating from your UCLA program.

GSTG awards of up to $20,000 are available to students in a professional preparation program approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

What are the grant requirements?

Before accepting the Golden State Teacher Grant, all applicants must agree to the terms and conditions of a Service Agreement. In addition to completing the program
requirements and passing state credentialing exams, the Service Agreement requires
recipients to fulfill several conditions:

  • Complete the Service Agreement. The Service Agreement explains the student’s obligations under the provisions of the grant. Non-compliance with the Service Agreement will result in partial or full grant repayment.
  • Complete their program and obtain their credential within 6 years from the first disbursement of GSTG funds.
  • Maintain good academic standing while enrolled in the CTC-approved teacher professional preparation program.
  • Commit to work at either a priority school or a California preschool program for four (4) years, within eight (8) years upon graduation from the professional preparation program.
  • Work at a priority school. Priority schools are CA public schools that provide instruction in any grade K-12 with more than 55% of pupils classified as English Learners, eligible for free or reduced-price meals, or current foster youth, as determined by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) in consultation with the California Department of Education (CDE). The priority school list is compiled every year by April 15th using data submitted via CALPADS to the California Department of Education (CDE) by each public California school. GSTG recipients should refer to the GSTG CSAC website to ensure they find employment with an eligible priority school.

What are the steps to apply?

  1. Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CA Dream Act Application (CADAA).
  2. Apply for a Golden State Teacher Grant. All applicants who meet the program eligibility criteria requirements will be sent a Letter of Acceptance and a Service Agreement.

A Service Agreement must be electronically signed before funds are disbursed to the student.

For More Information, contact the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) Golden State Teacher Grant Program At:

Service Agreement Update

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) recently announced a new flexibility for Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG) student recipients, “Integrated/Blended” programs. Any time worked prior to completing their program (both credential and degree portions) and obtaining their credential is not counted towards the 4-year service requirement. However, with this new flexibility, a GSTG recipient who has completed the credential portion of their integrated/blended program and earned their preliminary teaching or pupil personnel services credential but has not graduated/completed their UCLA degree program may qualify to begin earning service credit so long as no additional GSTG funds are paid. The following are examples of this new flexibility:

  1. A student received the maximum award amount of $20,000 in GSTG funds in a previous academic year, earned their credential, is now working at an eligible priority school, and plans to graduate from their degree program in the next year(s). The work performed at their priority school may qualify for earning service credit.
  2. GSTG recipients who received less than $20,000 and earned their credential must choose to either:
    • Begin earning service credit while completing their degree program but cannot receive additional GSTG funds.
    • OR receive their remaining GSTG eligibility funds but cannot earn service credit until after they graduate from their UCLA degree program.

Please contact the UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships office and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) via goldenstateteachers@csac.ca.gov for further information and questions.

Work-Study

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federally funded program for students who demonstrate financial need. Work-Study funds are limited and offered to eligible students based on financial need and on-time application status.
Additional information about Work-Study can be located under Work-Study and Jobs.

Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP)

UC’s Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP) ensures that in-state system-wide Tuition and Student Services Fees are fully covered for California students who are also enrolled in federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes.

For additional information please visit the UC Admissions website here.

Loans

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federally guaranteed loans that all students, regardless or need, are eligible to receive. Interest begins accruing after the first initial disbursement. Students are not required to start making payments on this loan until six (6) months after they graduate or drop below half time.

For more information please see our Loan Guides on the Publications page.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans

The Direct PLUS Loan is a loan option for Graduate/Professional students to help pay for their educational costs. Students can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid that the student is receiving. Interest begins accruing upon first disbursements. Students are not required to start making payments on this loan until sixty (60) days after the loan is fully disbursed. Students may also defer payment if the student is enrolled at least half-time, or during the six (6) month period after graduation, or after the student drops below half-time enrollment.

For more information please see our Graduate Loan Guide on our forms and publications page, or our PLUS vs Private Loan fact sheet, for a quick comparison of the two types of loan.

Private Loans

Choosing how to finance your education is one of the most important decisions you will make - and the impact of that decision will follow you well beyond graduation. Once you have exhausted your eligibility for Federal and University financial aid and loans, you may need to consider applying for a private educational loan (also called an alternative loan). These loans are not federal student loans. They are offered by private lenders and are used to supplement your financial aid. The interest rates and repayment terms on these loans may vary.
Refer to the UC Preferred Lender List for lenders that have been extensively evaluated by the University of California Office of the President and found to provide competitive rates and loan terms to students.
To find out more information regarding the terms and the application process for private loans please see the Graduate Loan Guide on our Publications page. For a quick comparison of the two types of loans see our Private vs PLUS fact sheet.
UC Code of Conduct for Preferred Lender Arrangements

California DREAM Act Loan Program

California DREAM Loan

The California DREAM Loan Program allows for UC and CSU campuses to administer non-federal loans to undocumented graduate students who meet the DREAM Act Application requirements.

Students who demonstrate financial need can borrow up to $4,000 through the Dream Loan Program (up to $20,000 aggregate).

Interest rates are fixed at the same rates as Federal Subsidized Direct Loans and there are no loan fees. Please complete a DREAM Act application. Once it is received by UCLA, please contact Financial Aid and Scholarships office to determine your eligibility. If you are a professional student, please reach out to the financial aid office at your school.

Corbett Disclosure Statement

Students considering student loans need to be aware of the differences between federal student loans and private student loans:

  • Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options including, but not limited to, income-based and income-contingent repayment plans, as well as loan forgiveness benefits that private lenders are not required to provide.
  • Federal direct loans are available to most students regardless of income. Other qualification criteria do apply. For more information, please visit www.studentaid.ed.gov/eligibility
  • Private student loan lenders can offer variable interest rates that can increase or decrease over time, depending on market conditions.
  • The interest rate on a private loan may depend on the borrower's and/or co-signer's credit rating.
  • Private student loans have a range of interest rates and fees and students should determine the interest rate of, and any fees associated with, the private student loan included in their financial aid award package before accepting the loan. Students should contact the lender of the private student loan or their UC campus' financial aid office if they have any questions about a private student loan.

Some UC campuses offer students their own private (institutional) student loans. Students offered a UC institutional private student loan should know that:

  • Interest rates on UC loans will be fixed, not variable.
  • UC loans can have a range of interest rates.
  • UC loans are not awarded based on the credit history of the borrower.

Federal Loan Origination Fee Calculator

Federal Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS, and Graduate PLUS Loans include an origination fee which is part of the principal loan amount (the total amount to be repaid). The fee is deducted from the amount disbursed (applied to your Bruin bill) with UCLA.

The origination fees for loans disbursed after October 1, 2020, are as follows:

  • 1.057% Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • 4.228% Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS Loans

The Federal Loan Origination Fee Calculator can tell you the amount that will disburse/be paid to your Bruin bill after the origination fee OR the amount you should request to borrow to get a specific amount disbursed/applied to your account. Keep in mind that the calculator rounds to the nearest dollar and actual amounts may vary slightly because of this.