Financial Assistance

"Financial Assistance" banner showing a staff member in a denim jacket smiling at a student with braids during a one-on-one advising session at a desk with a computer monitor.

EOP offers guidance and support to help students understand their campus budgets and financial aid awards. Staff also help students with Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) issues and appeals, financial aid cost of attendance adjustment requests, and referrals to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. In addition, EOP offers modest assistance towards student expenses by offering limited grants, waivers, deferments, and fee reductions.

Emergency Loans

For information on emergency loans, please visit the emergency loan section of the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office website.

Basic Needs Emergency Fund

The Basic Needs Emergency Fund provides one-time financial assistance to students experiencing urgent, unanticipated expenses that impact their basic needs. This support is designed to offer immediate relief and help students remain focused on their academic and personal well-being. The Basic Needs Emergency Fund is a collaboration between the Basic Needs Center, Financial Aid & Scholarships Office and Graduate Division. 

This fund supports students with: rent, food, other emergency/safety needs & housing security deposit. 

FUND ELIGIBILITY:

  • Enrolled in the current term
  • Exhausted all financial resources
  • Have NOT received funds from the Basic Needs Emergency Fund within the last 2 years

Fee Reductions and Deferments

EOP students are eligible to receive fee deferments and/or reductions (housing, readmission, etc.). Deferments and/or reductions are available for the following:

  • Readmission/Enrollment Fee Waiver: Waives the $70.00 processing fee of the readmission application.  

For all students who were registered and pursuing a UC Berkeley degree at some prior point and would like to return, you need to be readmitted or approved for re-enrollment.  Undergraduate students who left the University and were absent for one or more semesters must apply for readmission. Readmission and re-enrollment is not guaranteed.  The readmission deadlines are as follows:

  • Fall 2025 - June 1st
  • Spring 2026 - November 1st 

The Readmission Application includes a $70 fee payable to UC Regents. However, EOP students receive a fee waiver that covers the entire cost! When you submit your readmission eForm, the EOP readmission fee waiver will automatically be applied at the same time that the readmission fee is charged. No application is needed! 

  • Berkeley Student Cooperative Housing (Deposit Reduction)

EOP students receive a deposit reduction and are given priority housing placement in the Berkeley Student Cooperative. To request an EOP referral for the Berkeley Student Cooperative, please complete this form here.

Graduate/Professional School Admissions Exam Prep Courses

EOP has established agreements that provide significant reduction in fees of various graduate/professional school admission exam prep courses for low-income EOP students. Our current agreements include:

Letter of low-income verification

Students may request a letter verification from Cal Student Central that confirms their status as a low-income student.

Readmission Equity Grant 

This grant offers financial assistance towards clearing past due balance holds for qualifying EOP students who are seeking readmission to UC Berkeley.

Eligible students may receive up to $4000 in one-time funds towards clearing their past due balance hold with the university. Students who receive this grant will also receive academic counseling and case management support. Please note that this grant does not guarantee successful Readmission but rather supports students whose LAST task for Readmission is clearing Past Due Balance holds.   Click here for more info