California Dream Loan

The California Dream Loan will be included as part of your academic year financial aid package if you are eligible.

If you wish to borrow the loan, you can begin by accepting the loan under the My Finances tab in CalCentral.

The loan servicer, Heartland ECSI, will email you instructions on completing the loan requirements beginning August 1.

Use your legal name, Dream ID, date of birth, and home address as they appear in CalCentral to complete the loan entrance counseling and promissory note.

Please complete the loan requirements by November 30 to receive a disbursement from the California Dream loan before the end of the Fall and by April 30 to receive a disbursement from the loan before the end of the Spring semester.

After the student completes California Dream Loan requirements, in approximately 5 days UC Berkeley will receive an electronic confirmation from Heartland ECSI.

Your loan requirements task in CalCentral will be complete once UC Berkeley receives confirmation from ECSI.

The loan will be disbursed to your student account if you meet all eligibility criteria.

You will receive a refund if your loan disbursement exceeds your outstanding charges on your billing account.

Sign Up for Direct Deposit if you want your refund deposited directly into your bank account.

Please open a case with Cal Student Central if you have questions.

The Summer Berkeley loan is a subsidized loan offered to California Dream Act Applicants in the summer term.

The loan is available to students enrolled in six or more units that qualify for AB 540 nonresident tuition exemption and meet Summer Aid eligibility requirements, including SAP.

Students must be enrolled in six or more units to qualify for financial aid. Private loans are available to students enrolled less than half-time. 

You may qualify for a maximum of $6,000 in the combined academic year California Dream Loan and the Summer Berkeley Loan.

For example, if you utilized $3,500 in the California Dream Loan during the academic year. You will qualify for a maximum of $2,500 in the Summer Berkeley Loan, limited by need.

Summer is the last term in the current 2024-25 academic year. If you want to be considered for financial aid in the Summer, you must complete the 2024-25 California Dream Act Application (CADAA).

Non-U.S. citizens eligible for in-state tuition under AB 540 may complete the CADAA at https://dream.csac.ca.gov. Log into your account to retrieve and complete the 2024-25 CADAA.

Summer Berkeley Loan has a fixed interest rate of 5.0%. 

Please open a case with Cal Student Central if you have questions.

Interest accrual and repayment of the California Dream Loan begins six months after you leave school or drop below half-time. 

Interest will accrue from the beginning of the repayment period, and periods of authorized deferment are not included in the repayment period.

The interest rate of the California Dream Loan is the same as the interest rate for the Federal Subsidized Loan each year. The standard repayment period for the California Dream Loan is ten years.

The annual loan maximum is $4,000, with a $20,000 aggregate limit as an undergraduate and a $20,000 aggregate limit as a graduate student.

If you leave school, graduate, or enroll less than half-time, you will be asked to complete Exit Counseling with Heartland ECSI. Be sure to keep your contact information up-to-date with UC Berkeley and ECSI.

You will receive information regarding repayment at the end of your grace period; please keep your contact information up-to-date with ECSI.

Cal Student Central is your destination for key university business related to financial aid, fees and billing, payments, disbursements, registration, and enrollment.

Please open a case with Cal Student Central if you have questions.