by our College Data Analytics TeamMany students attending University of California - Merced can expect to receive financial assistance in various forms, such as scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs, making the cost of attendance more manageable.
Curious about the financial aid opportunities at UC Merced and what you may be eligible for? Explore the answers here.
University of California - Merced average financial aid offer for freshmen students is $21,425.00. A significant 93% of freshmen benefit from financial aid, with the main type being grants and scholarships.
Financial aid contains loans, grants, and scholarships. But college loans need to be repaid, thus they are not a real college discount.
A loan is not a legitimate college discount, but rather an outcome to consider. See how much student loan debt from University of California - Merced you may end up taking on.
Institutional scholarships and grants refer to financial aid provided directly by a college or university to support students in covering their educational expenses. These awards can be either merit-based or need-based and do not require repayment. Merit-based institutional scholarships reward students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievements, talents, or skills in specific areas. Such scholarships often take into account a student’s high school performance, standardized test scores, or extracurricular activities. On the other hand, need-based institutional grants are allocated to students who exhibit financial need. The amount awarded is usually determined by the student’s family’s financial circumstances and aims to cover the difference between the cost of attendance and the family’s capacity to pay. To assess eligibility for need-based grants, colleges and universities may use information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or other financial aid forms. Institutional scholarships and grants play a crucial role in assisting students, as they can considerably lower the cost of college and make higher education more attainable.
The next numbers refer to grants and scholarships mainly supplied by the college itself.
80% of first-year students (1690 total) were offered scholarships at University of California - Merced, averaging $11,424.00 per person. This puts it the top 25th percentile among colleges and universities nationwide.
In addition to scholarships, 70% of first years (1461 total) were awarded federal grant aid, averaging $5,222.00 each.
Amount of Financial Assistance Per Income Level
| Income Level | Percent of Freshman | Average Assistance |
|---|---|---|
| Income 0-30k | 32.79% | $24,642.00 |
| Income 30k-48k | 18.09% | $23,605.00 |
| Income 48k-75k | 14.66% | $20,744.00 |
| Income 75k-110k | 6.52% | $15,210.00 |
| Income 110k + | 4.14% | $4,882.00 |
The table above shows students who are obtaining Title IV aid, which is federal assistance from the government in the form of grants, loans, and work-study. Learn more here.
1913 UC Merced undergrads obtain grant aid (this is about 93% of the entire undergraduate student population). The average amount these students receive is $21,425.00.
Check out the Tuition and Fees page or the Cost Per Credit Hour page to find out more.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.