DREAM Loan

The Dream Loan will be included as part of your academic year financial aid package if you are eligible. You can view your financial aid package in CalCentral. If you decide to borrow the Dream Loan, you need to complete the following processes.

LOAN PROCESS IMPORTANT DATES

To receive the Dream Loan at UC Berkeley, please complete the required

processes by the following deadlines:

• Attending Fall-only: November 30
• Attending Fall/Spring or Spring-Only: April 30

Please note:

1. You will be able to begin the required online process for the Dream Loan after you receive the email from Heartland ECSI, starting August 1.
2. To receive reimbursement from this loan before the end of the fall term, whether or not you will be attending the spring term, please complete your loan requirements by November 30. 
3. Dream Loan processing will be on hold between December 10 and January 2. If you accept the loan during this period, you will be able to begin and complete the online process after January 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Step 1. Accept your loan on CalCentral. You can only accept or decline this loan once you log in. If you miss the opportunity or need to accept an additional loan, please open a case on Cal Student Central.

Step 2. 1 to 2 business days after you accept your loan, you will receive an email from Heartland ECSI advising you to complete the required online process (Master Promissory Note, entrance loan counseling, and Truth In Lending Agreement documents).

• The email will contain a Heartland PIN required for successful login and authentication. Please wait to receive this email before proceeding to Steps 3 and 4. If you try to complete the following steps before getting the email notice from Heartland ECSI, you might not be able to login, or you might have to redo the whole online process when Heartland ECSI has your file ready. Check all email folders, including your spam folder, for this email.

Step 3. After receiving the email in Step 2, complete the Master Promissory Note and entrance loan counseling (combined with the Truth In Lending Agreement documents) through Heartland ECSI's electronic promissory notes.

• For California Dream Act Applicants, please use your 9-digit California Dream Act ID number instead of your Social Security number to log in to the website (see the section below).
• If you cannot locate the email, but it has been a few days since you accepted your California Dream Loan via CalCentral, you can contact Heartland ECSI (live chat through the website or phone at 1-888-549-3274). You will be asked to authenticate using the Heartland PIN (see Step 2 above). You will need to provide your full legal name, permanent address, and date of birth (DOB) to obtain your Heartland PIN and continue with the authentication of the online process. Note: Your identifying information must match the information provided on CalCentral.

Step 4. Select the promissory note/entrance loan counseling process to proceed. This process consists of the Master Promissory Note, entrance loan counseling (a small multiple-choice quiz), and Truth In Lending Agreement documents (includes references). Once you have completed the process online, Heartland ECSI will send the electronic data to UC Berkeley after the mandatory rescission period ends (about 3 business days after the online process is completed). Your loan requirement checklist will be updated after we receive this data.

CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT APPLICANTS

Berkeley uses your 9-digit California Dream Act ID number instead of a Social Security number to identify your records for the Berkeley Loan. The California Dream Act ID number was provided to you on your California Dream Act Application Confirmation Page. This number begins with 3 or 4 zeroes and is 9 digits long. Please reference the tips below to complete your online processes.

Note: If you enter a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Social Security number, the database may not locate your record and prevent you from completing the process.

1. When asked to enter your Social Security number (SSN) on your Entrance Interview Login page, enter your California Dream Act ID Number.
2. You will be asked to authenticate using a PIN. Please reference your Heartland ECSI email for the Heartland PIN to continue. Check all folders in your Berkeley email account to locate the Heartland ECSI email. If you cannot find the email, but it has been a few days since you have accepted your California Dream Loan via CalCentral, you can contact Heartland ECSI. You will need to provide your full legal name, permanent address, and date of birth (DOB) to obtain your Heartland PIN and continue with the authentication of the online process. Note: Your identifying information must match the information provided on CalCentral.
   Note: You must complete the online process (Master Promissory Note, entrance loan counseling, and truth in lending agreement documents) successfully for UC Berkeley to receive a confirmation from Heartland ECSI that you have completed the process. You will be asked to complete the whole online process again if it is finished without authentication (Heartland PIN required) via the Heartland ECSI website. We do not accept the paper master promissory notes for this loan. If you forgot your California Dream Act ID number, log into the California Dream Act website and obtain your California Dream Act ID number.
3. If you cannot complete the online process or require assistance, please contact Heartland ECSI via live chat through the website or at 1-888-549-3274.

If you have any other questions regarding your loan that are not related to the online process (Heartland PIN, login, authentication process, and the online loan process). In that case, you can contact us for assistance by visiting Cal Student Central or opening a case. Be sure to include your Berkeley student ID and indicate the case is regarding your California Dream Loan.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU DO YOUR PART

• Berkeley will receive an electronic confirmation from Heartland ECSI only after all of the required processes are completed and authenticated (Master Promissory Note, entrance loan counseling, and truth in lending agreement documents). The mandatory 3 business day rescission period is over.
• The Loan Requirement checklist on CalCentral will be updated to "completed" 1–2 business days after UC Berkeley has received the confirmation from Heartland ECSI.
• If you meet all other eligibility criteria, the loan will disburse 1–2 business days later to your student billing account.

WHERE DO YOUR FUNDS GO

• Your loan disburses to your student billing account in CalCentral and pays for any outstanding charges for the current academic year.
• If there are no outstanding charges on your student billing account when the loan is paid, or if your loan disbursement is larger than your total balance, you will receive a refund.
• If you are eligible to receive a refund, you will receive notification from Billing and Payment Services.

• Interest accrual and repayment of the Dream Loan begin 6 months after you leave school or any time you drop below half-time enrollment.
• The interest rate of the Dream Loan matches the Federal Subsidized Direct Loan rate for the same year. You can view the latest interest rate information.
• The standard repayment period is 10 years.
• The annual loan maximum is $4,000 with an aggregate maximum of $20,000.
• Borrowers are subject to credit reporting.
• UC Berkeley is your lender. You will make your payments to Berkeley's contracted loan servicer, ECSI.
• Before leaving school or graduating, complete your Exit Loan Counseling with Heartland ECSI.
• Keep your contact information up-to-date with UC Berkeley and ECSI to receive essential information about your repayment.
• Toward the end of your 6-month grace period, you should receive information about beginning repayment. If you have not received anything at the beginning of the 6th month of your grace period, contact Berkeley at accountconsultants@berkeley.edu.

• Cal Student Central is the destination for student university business related to financial aid, fees and billing, disbursements, registration, and enrollment.
• Students with questions regarding their California Dream Loan are requested to open a case on Cal Student Central.