Applying for Aid
Step 1: Eligibility Criteria
In order to receive federal financial aid, you must:
- Be a US citizen, permanent resident, or U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island) with a valid Social Security number*
- Be registered with Selective Service, if required
- Be enrolled at least half-time in a degree program
- Not be in default on any federal funds
- Be making Satisfactory Academic Progress
Financial Aid and Undocumented StudentsFinancial Aid Eligibility Requirements for Non US Citizens
If you're in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, you are not eligible to receive federal student aid. Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are NOT eligible for federal student aid.
The eligibility criteria for private loans varies between lenders. Please consult the private lender of your choice for more information.
Please note: It is your responsibility to secure funding for your entire program regardless if funding is not available or is denied.
*(I-151, I-551, or I-551C Alien Registration Receipt Card)
If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible:
"Refugee"
"Asylum Granted"
"Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
"Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
"Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you aren't eligible for federal student aid.
Step 2: Applying for Aid
FAFSA Instruction “Easy steps to FAFSA (Tutorial)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed by all who wish to be considered for any financial aid. There are currently no fees associated with this application. The FAFSA should be submitted in accordance with the instructions as early as possible. You must include full parental data in order to be considered for all University Aid (including loans, grants, and applicable University need-based scholarships). If you complete the FAFSA with estimated figures, you will need to update the application when you have accurate tax data.
Be sure to list “UCLA School of Dentistry” under Releases and Signatures, and include Title IV Federal School Code number 001315. This is the ONLY code that will allow us to receive your FAFSA data.
Students who applied for financial aid in the previous academic year should receive a renewal FAFSA form from the Department of Education in January. If you did not receive the renewal FAFSA by the end of January, please visit the FAFSA website to access your account.
It is your responsibility to adhere to the March 2nd FAFSA deadline for outside sources that require that deadline date.CSS Profile Video Overview
The CSS Profile must be completed by all DDS student who wish to be considered for All University Aid. The CSS Profile is to be completed with both student and parental information. The UCLA School of Dentistry CSS code: 3678. When completing the CSS Profile, please include your 9-digit UCLA ID number in the area of the CSS Profile indicating ‘School Assigned ID.
4-Year DDS Program
- Apply for all University Aid. (Allows consideration for grants and low interest subsidized, federal loans, in addition to federal Direct Loans. Among the required forms are documents, which request parental information.)
- Apply for the federal Direct Loan only.
- Apply for Scholarships only or in conjunction with one of the other options.
- Apply for a Private Educational Loan only or in conjunction with any of the above options.
- A federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan may also be considered after Direct Loan eligibility has been determined through the financial aid application process.
2-Year PPID Program
- Apply for the federal Direct Loan.
- Apply for a Private Educational Loan.
- A federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan may also be considered after Direct Loan eligibility has been determined through the financial aid application process.
Step 3: Access and Complete Forms
To apply for all University Aid or a federal Direct Loan, you must meet all of the eligibility criteria and submit all completed forms required for the particular type of financial assistance you seek. An incomplete financial aid application will not be processed.
2024-25 Financial Aid Processing:
Below is a list of the financial aid applications for the period from July 2024 through June 2025, prior to the implementation of the new Bruin Financial Aid process for the Academic Year 2025-2026.
24-25 Dental Student Application
24-25 Custodial Parent Application
24-25 Non-custodial Parent Application
All eligible students applying for federal, and university financial aid must complete the FAFSA Form with Student/Spouse information.
• DDS Students Only: If applying for ‘All University Aid’ students must also complete the CSS Profile Application to include both student and parental information.
2025-26 Financial Aid Processing
We are pleased to introduce Bruin Financial Aid, a new, cloud-based system designed to improve your experience, speed up the processing of your financial aid, and meet the needs of our students.
Here’s what you need to know:
Bruin Financial Aid System:
Bruin Financial Aid will be the platform for managing your financial aid. Helpful resources such as videos, guides, and FAQs can be found on the Bruin Financial Aid Help Webpage.
Why Bruin Financial Aid?
This new system will enhance your experience, speed up processing times, and help UCLA support you in achieving your academic goals. Access Bruin Financial Aid through MyUCLA Bruin Financial Aid Portal, and for more details, you can watch the Bruin Financial Aid Announcement Video.