Summer Aid

Summer Financial Aid Information

Summer Financial Aid information is published in March for the upcoming summer session term. Information on this page is general and updates are made as we receive them. For more detailed financial aid information, including policies, procedures and terms, please visit the policy information section of our website.

Students must have a 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) on file to be eligible for financial aid for Summer 2024.

Students do not need to submit a subsequent application to request financial aid. Our office will award financial aid based off actual summer enrollment data. The summer estimator/calculator can help with planning and providing an estimate of what your summer aid may look like based on the units and sessions you input.

  • Grants and Loans

    • Pell Grant, if eligible. The Pell Grant amounts are based on academic year EFC and summer enrolled units.
    • UCSB Scholarship if eligible. Awarded to students who meet the eligibility criteria for the UCSB Scholarship. The estimated amount for summer 2023 was $1,700 max. 
    • Federal Direct Student Loans. Subsidized or Unsubsidized loan that was offered during the academic year, that was NOT accepted, may be offered to you in the summer.
    • Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
    • Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
    • Private Student Loans

      UCSB Loan, CA Dream Loan, Work-Study and Cal Grant are not available during the summer term/s. Please check with our office if you have questions on any other types of aid.
  • Important Dates

    April 8, 2024 - The Summer Financial Aid Estimator will be available on My Aid Status

  • Enrollment Requirements & Eligibility

    • Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 units, over all sessions, in order to be eligible for summer financial aid. 
    • Graduate students must be enrolled in at least 4 units, over all sessions, in order to be eligible for summer financial aid.
    • If enrollment changes after you have been awarded, we may modify your award on targeted dates.
    • Eligibility is subject to enrollment at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Students enrolled in a non-degree granting program and students who have been academically dismissed are ineligible to receive financial aid. We reserve the right to change this offer due to changes in financial status, academic status, enrollment status, or changes in the availability of funds.
  • Awarding Timeline and Award Revisions

    • Our office will began awarding summer aid in late May.
      • Awarding will continue weekly throughout the summer based on when you enroll in courses.
    • Once awarded, we will revise your award if there has been a change of enrollment data from the time you were initially awarded.
    • We will modify award letters every Friday.

    • If you are inquiring about how your aid will be adjusted if there is a change of enrollment after you were initially awarded, the best estimate we can provide you is through the Summer Aid Estimator on My Aid Status. Your own unique circumstances may allow you to keep more aid or less aid than the estimate provided. As a reminder, this will be determined on the summer repackaging dates listed under "Enrollment Requirements and Eligibility".
  • Disbursement Information

    The first day that summer financial aid will begin to post to students’ billing accounts (BARC) is 10 days before the start date of the term of which you are enrolled in.

    Federal Direct Loans: Must be accepted on My Aid Status before they can be applied to your BARC account.

    Grants and Scholarships: Are automatically applied to BARC as long the following criteria are met:

    • You are within the valid enrollment period. Aid cannot be disbursed if you are not within the 10 day period of your term starting.
    • All required documents are submitted and processed by our office
    • Undergraduates are enrolled in at least 6 units and Graduate students in at least 4 units
    • You are maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Attending Another UC for Summer?

    Financial Aid is available to UCSB students enrolled in summer sessions at another UC.

    The UC Cross Campus Application is available in early April, 2024 

    • If you are unable to access the application through My Aid Status, you can access it using a link that will be provided in early April.

    • This application should be filled out by UCSB students who plan to participate in a summer program at another UC.

    • Students who participate in a non-UC program through a Consortium Agreement are not eligible for financial aid.
      • Wildlands is the only non-UC program that UCSB will offer aid for. Check with our office for additional information.
  • Summer UCDC

    Financial aid is available to cover the costs of the UC Washington Center Program. A summer application is not required since our office will receive a participant list from the UCDC Program Coordinator. We will award you summer financial aid in mid to late May.
  • Summer Education Abroad Program (EAP)

    Financial Aid is available for students who attend EAP in the summer. A summer aid application is not needed as our office will receive a participant list from the campus EAP office. We will begin awarding for EAP in mid to late May.

    Students are generally awarded aid for their program 30 days before departure.

Freshman Summer Start Program (FSSP)

  • Who is Eligible for Financial Aid?

    Students who wish to receive financial aid for the Summer term must file a 2024-2024 FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application and have submitted all required documents that are posted under the Documents Tab of My Aid Status.

    Information on how to complete the appropriate application can be found on How to Apply

    Important:

    • The 2023-24 application is used only for the summer term
    • The 2024-25 application is used for the upcoming 2024-25 academic year
    • June 30, 2024 is the deadline to file a 2023-24 financial aid application
      • After this date, no applications can be processed



  • What's Next?

    Financial aid will be awarded to you as long as all of the following conditions are met:

    • The 2023-24 FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application is submitted and not rejected by June 30, 2024.
    • All required documents, if any, are reviewed and processed by our office.
    • You are enrolled in at least 6 units across all terms.
    • You have completed all loan requirements, if you have accepted loans.
  • Where Do I View My Award Letter?

    Your summer award will be posted to My Aid Status  under the 2023-2024 Financial Aid Award Letter tab in early July.

  • When Will My Aid Apply to BARC?

    Disbursement Timeline

    The first day that summer financial aid will begin to post to your billing account (BARC) is 10 days before the start date of the enrollment period.

    Grants and Scholarships

    All grants and scholarships that you are awarded are automatically applied to your BARC account. If you plan to accept student loans, they must be accepted through My Aid Status before they can be applied to your BARC account.

    Loans

    Loans need to be accepted through My Aid Status. Once accepted, you will be prompted to complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling Interview before your loan can credit to BARC. These are done on the studentaid.gov site.

  • How Does my Aid Pay my Fees for the Program?

    You should review your award and compare your financial aid awards to the cost of attendance for the Freshman Summer Start Program, including tuition and variable costs, such as books and living expenses.

    If your financial aid exceeds your BARC balance, then you should expect to receive a refund from the BARC office. If your financial aid does not exceed your BARC balance, then you should consider accepting loans or making a payment to the BARC account before the fee payment deadline.

  • When are Refunds Issued?

    Refunds are generated 10 days before the start of the enrollment period and issued by the BARC Office.

    Refunds will be applied via direct deposit unless direct deposit is not set up with BARC. If it is not set up, paper checks will be mailed to your local mailing address.