Application Process

For federal and University financial aid, including grants, fellowships, loans and work programs, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Meet all University deadlines, Full-Time MBA students ONLY
  • Respond promptly to all requests for supplemental information.

FAFSA Information

You may complete the FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Begin by registering for a PIN number from the Department of Education at www.pin.ed.gov. The PIN serves as your electronic signature and provides access to your personal records.

The FAFSA application is the only application UC Irvine requires to apply for the Federal Direct Stafford Loan and the Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan. Applicants do not have to be admitted to submit the FAFSA application.

Federal School Code

The Federal School Code Number for UC Irvine is 001314. You will need to include this in Step 6, Question 97 of the 2008-2009 FAFSA.

What's Next

Once the FAFSA has been processed you will receive a “Student Aid Report” from the processing agency via e-mail. Upon receipt of your FAFSA, the financial aid office will send you an e-mail notification. Our office will at that time let you know if your file is complete or if you will be required to submit additional documentation.

Awarding

Financial Aid Award notifications will be e-mailed to students once they have a completed file. Students will be directed to “Visual Aid” www.ofas.uci.edu to accept their awards. Awards must be accepted by the student before their financial aid can be disbursed. In addition, the promissory loan note must be signed and the entrance interview completed.

Disbursements

All financial aid funds such as fellowships, grants, and loans will be disbursed equally among the number of quarters attended per academic school year. All funds will be applied directly towards the payment of fees/tuition and will be reflected as a credit on the ZOT Bill, the University quarterly tuition statement. After fees have been paid, any remaining financial aid will be disbursed on the first day of the quarter. Students may choose to have these funds mailed to them or directly deposited (DEFT) into their personal bank account.

Private Educational Loans

If you are interested in applying for a private educational loan, there is a separate application process which does not require the completion of a FAFSA. However, due to the higher cost involved, we strongly recommend you apply for federal loan funding prior to applying for the private loan. Additional information is available at: Loans/Employment section.