The way financial aid is disbursed to University Village residents differs slightly from other housing residences. We’ve outlined key expenses and budgeting considerations that will help you on your financial journey.
Budgeting financial aid at University Village
Timing: Disbursements for financial aid begin 10 days before the start of the semester; students must meet all eligibility requirements and exact timing can vary by circumstance.
Payments: Any financial aid you receive will first pay toward your charge balance in CalCentral. Any remainder is provided to you through a refund. Sign up for direct deposit to have your refund transferred directly to your account.
Budgeting considerations: Three critical factors can influence budgeting for your financial aid package.
- Cost of attendance considers student expenses, not family expenses.
- Budget your refund for monthly rent payments.
- Pay previous year charges to avoid registration holds.
Details about each point are covered in the following sections. We highly encourage you to stay updated on how these details relate to your individual circumstances while attending UC Berkeley.
Factor 1: Cost of attendance considers student expenses, not family expenses
Cost of attendance is calculated to account for the student’s academic and living expenses, and does not factor in expenses for dependents.
How it works: The university is able to grant student parents an exemption to self-help expectations that are normally expected of students. This means an aid package can cover up to your full estimated cost of attendance when determining your amount of qualified aid — both direct costs to the university and indirect academic expenses.
Financial aid is intended to support the student. Your aid refund and loans are not expected to cover all family expenses. We know that you may have many other expenses to consider, and the Student Parent Center has compiled resources to help with these. Please consult the Student Parent Resource Guide with recommended services for child care, pregnancy and postpartum, nutrition and food assistance programs, health advice, and many other areas. The Students with Dependents page details financial options and resources for students with children.
Budget tip: Make a plan for family expenses that will not be covered by financial aid.
Factor 2: Budget your refund for monthly rent payments
Your aid for the semester is typically disbursed at one time at the start of the semester, but charges for rent at University Village are billed monthly. This means that rent for upcoming months has not been charged to your account when your aid is disbursed. To avoid outstanding charges at the end of the year, you need to set aside money from your refund to pay your rent monthly.
How it works: When you live in University Village, you have a month-to-month rental agreement. Your rent is charged monthly to your account in CalCentral, and you will be responsible to make regular payments. This means that if you have financial aid disbursed to you as a refund as one-lump sum, you will want to budget and save those funds to cover your monthly rent.
Housing aid typically covers 9 months of rent, not 12 months. Most residents living at University Village year-round will receive 9 months of housing assistance aid. This means year-round residents will be responsible for 3 months of rent that are not covered by financial aid. To get a full picture of your costs and refund, please use the interactive Calculate Your Balance tool from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.
Budget tip: Set aside money from your refund for rent each month.
Factor 3: Pay previous year charges to avoid registration holds
Aid for the current academic year does not pay for charges from the previous year. If you have previous unpaid charges, including unpaid rent, you could experience restrictions in the current year.
How it works: Financial aid you receive can only pay for charges in CalCentral for the academic year when it was awarded. Which means financial aid for the current academic year cannot pay off remaining account balance from the previous year, including Summer Sessions. The academic year for financial aid begins at the start of Fall Term and continues until the end of Summer Sessions. Conversely, within a given year, one semester’s refund can cover prior expenses; for example, a spring refund can pay unpaid rent from fall, and a summer refund can pay rent from spring. But if summer rent is unpaid, it will not be covered by a fall refund.
Unpaid charges from a previous year can prevent students from enrolling in classes. Unpaid rent can stack and become an outstanding charge in CalCentral and can prevent you from being able to renew your rental agreement at University Village for the following academic year. Be sure to resolve all charges to ensure that you become officially registered. Students who are not officially registered may not be able to enroll in classes for the following semester until their account balance is resolved.
Budget tip: At the start of each academic year, be sure to pay any remaining balance from the prior year.
How to pay rent at University Village
Rent for University Village is charged and paid through your CalCentral account. Check your account monthly to see your rent due for each month and make payments. We recommend setting yourself a monthly reminder to stay on schedule. For details, visit the Billing and Payment pages.
Rent is due on the first day of the calendar month. Details about your rent assessment and due date are available in your rental contract and your CalCentral account. Navigate to MyFinances and click on View Transactions in the Billing Summary section. If you have any unpaid balances, the page will show the description of the charge, the amount due, and the due date.
Save money by paying rent with an e-check payment. Rent paid with a credit card will incur a 2.85% card fee. You can also send a physical check by mail, but to ensure your payment is received on time, this is not recommended.
You can request to have payments pay housing charges first, before other charges. When payments are received in CalCentral, they typically apply toward your oldest charges first, before applying to newer charges. You can open a case with Cal Student Central to request to have a payment applied to new housing charges, rather than to your older charges in CalCentral.
Resources for families and basic needs
We’ve highlighted a few of the many resources in the Student Parent Resource Guide below. Read the full guide for additional topics and options.
Parent and Family Needs
- Student Parent Center | Offers holistic support for the success of student parents at UC Berkeley.
- Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP) | Provides early childhood services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in Berkeley and Albany.
Food and Nutrition Needs
- Basic Needs Center | Virtual and physical hub that supports the community with food, housing, and financial stability resources plus other essential services.
- Bear Pantry | A resource within UVA that has dedicated staff to support basic needs efforts at UVA. The Pantry is open to all UVA community members (residents and staff) and currently provides produce, hygiene products, and baby products as well as emergency food services for residents experiencing crisis
- UC Berkeley Food Pantry | A food program designed by students to meet the short-term, immediate food needs of all UC Berkeley students.
- CalFresh | California’s food and nutrition program for low-income people who meet federal income eligibility rules.
Financial Budgeting Support
If you want guidance or coaching to help you cultivate best practices for money management, reach out to the Center for Financial Wellness. This peer-to-peer financial wellness program offers workshops and one-on-one appointments with financial coaches that can help you learn, plan, and budget.
Financial aid for special circumstances
There are some appeal and loan options for unique circumstances.
- Cost of Attendance Adjustment (COAAR) | If your actual educational expenses exceed your estimated cost of attendance, you can request your cost be updated through a Cost of Attendance Adjustment. The Student Parent Center and other campus programs offer workshops and counseling on how to properly complete this form.
- Economic Hardship Appeal | For special circumstances due to unexpected financial hardships not reflected on your financial aid application.
- Short-term Emergency Loans | These interest-free loans tend to be approved quickly and are due within 60 days from submitting the application.