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We encourage all students to complete a FAFSA or CADAA to apply for federal, state and UCI funded financial aid. Students will automatically be awarded the maximum amount eligible from all sources, including gift aid that does not need to be repaid, loans and  work. Students are encouraged to only borrow what they need to assist with school related expenses. Private loans may also be available to students who qualify, but should be considered as a last resort due to generally higher costs and less consumer protections.

Your Cost of Attendance (COA), also referred to as your budget, is the estimated cost to attend UCI for one year, and is used to determine the total amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive. It includes direct costs that will be charged to your student account that you are responsible to pay, such as tuition, fees, and room and board (if you live on campus). It also includes average estimates for indirect costs associated with going to college, for items like books, transportation costs and personal expenses.

The total amount of financial aid that you receive from any source (federal, state, institutional or outside agency) cannot exceed your cost of attendance. 

You can review your Cost of Attendance by logging in to your ZotAid portal.

The coordination of Veteran Benefits with other financial aid awards, including UCI Grant, follows a UC systemwide policy. The UC Education Financial Model formula is below: 

Cost of Attendance (budget)

- (minus) parent contribution from FAFSA (or student contribution if Independent)

- (minus) Federal Grant (Pell Grant, SEOG, Veteran Benefits)

- (minus) State Grant (Cal Grant, CHAFEE, Cal Vet Fee Waiver, MCS)

- (minus) Blue & Gold Opportunity Plan

- (minus) Federal Direct loans and federal work study

= UC Grant award amount (also called your ‘demonstrated need’)

If a student is initially awarded UCI Grant and later becomes eligible for Veteran Benefits or other financial aid, their financial aid award will be revised if necessary in accordance with the UC awarding formula above. It may be necessary for you to repay financial aid already received once your aid offer is revised. 

It is possible for a student to receive both UCI Grant and Veteran Benefits if they have sufficient demonstrated need. 

Federal Veterans Benefit

This is gift aid provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for education and training purposes to students who are active or were active in military service. There are several different types of awards called chapters. All but Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 are paid directly to the student veteran.  Chapter 33 and 31 pay for UC Tuition and other fees directly to the campus. Dollars paid directly to the campus may affect other forms of financial aid, beginning with loans and work-study, and may affect UC Grant in accordance with the formula above.

Fed Vet Dependent Aid

This is gift aid provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for education and training purposes to students who dependents of active or formerly active duty military members. There are several different types called chapters. All but Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 are paid directly to the student. Chapter 33 and 31 pay for UC Tuition and other fees directly to the campus. Dollars paid directly to the campus affect other financial aid programs, starting with UC Grant, in accordance with the formula above.

If you incur educational expenses that are greater than the standard cost of attendance, you may contact our office to request a Cost of Attendance increase review. Expenses must be incurred during the current academic year, and you must provide documentation for all requested budget additions. If a COA increase is approved, the difference between your current budget and your increased budget will likely be funded with additional loan eligibility.

Expenses that may be considered for COA appeals include:

• Rent/mortgage and utilities,
• On-campus residence hall fee, transportation,
• Computer purchase,
• Necessary medical/dental/optical expenses,
• Childcare expenses and/or special books and supplies.

You will be asked to complete an on-line request documenting the COA increase.

You also should expect to justify expenses by providing supporting third-party documentation such as:

• Copy of a signed lease/mortgage/housing contract,
• Copies of receipts/cancelled
• Checks/billing statements and/or an itemized list of approved special books and supplies that are required for a class.

To request an appeal, please call the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at (949) 824-8262 starting in August.

You can contact your VA County Office office or visit the CalVet website and create an account.

No. The Cal Grant and the Cal Vet Fee Waver are both considered fee-paying resources, and you are only eligible to receive one during a period of enrollment. Your waiver can also be applied to your summer fees and/or study abroad program.

If you are eligible to receive a Cal Grant B award, it may be more beneficial for you to elect to utilize your Cal Grant B in lieu of a Cal Vet Fee Waiver. Please email fafiscal@uci.edu if you would prefer to use your Cal Grant B and Cal B Grant Access Award in a given year, instead of your Cal Vet Fee Waiver. You can check your Cal Grant award status online here.

All Cal Vet Fee Waivers must be received by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships by June 30 of the academic year for which the claim applies (for example, all 2024-25 waivers must be submitted by June 30, 2025).

Retroactive approval for a prior academic year can only granted be granted in limited situations when the student applied for a waiver in a timely manner during the academic year,  but approval was delayed by U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs processing of original or reopened service-connected disability compensation or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation claims. In these circumstances students are required to submit the petition “Notice of Intent to Secure VA Disability Rating” immediately with VA documentation to support the  veteran’s disability rating application submission.

Yes. A CalVet Fee Waiver may be used to study abroad with non-self-supporting UCI Education Abroad Programs (UCEAP). Once you have obtained your waiver, the UCI Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will coordinate with UCI EAP to apply your waiver to your study abroad program tuition and fees.

Yes. A CalVet Fee Waiver may be used for UCI Summer Session. Summer CalVet Fee waivers are managed by the Summer Session Office. Contact Summer Session for more information.

CalVet Fee Waivers cannot be applied to self-supporting graduate programs. If your graduate program is not a self-supporting program, UCI will accept a CalVet fee waiver.