Berkeley Loan

The Berkeley 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.

You can complete the Heartland ECSI loan requirements once you receive an email from ECSI beginning August 5.

The Heartland ECSI email will include a PIN for logging into Electronic Promissory Notes. Please log in with your SSN and PIN to complete the following loan requirements:

• Entrance Loan Counseling (contains a short multiple-choice quiz)

• Master Promissory Note (consists of the Truth in Lending Act disclosure)

Heartland ECSI does not share student PIN information with UC Berkeley. If you can’t locate your PIN information, please get in touch with ECSI. You may need to provide ECSI with your Social Security Number, full legal name, permanent address, and date of birth, as it appears in CalCentral.

Please note to receive reimbursement from the Berkeley Loan before the end of the Fall term, complete loan requirements by the end of November, and to receive reimbursement from the Berkeley Loan before the end of the Spring term, complete the requirements by the end of April. Please complete the required processes by the following deadlines.

• Attending Fall-only: November 30

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

Berkeley Loan processing will be on hold between December 15 and January 2. If you accept the loan during this period, you may only be able to begin the online process after January 2. Loan requirements completed after November 30 may result in refunds issued in January.

After the student completes Berkeley Loan requirements and the mandatory three-business day rescission period is over, UC Berkeley will receive an electronic confirmation from Heartland ECSI. 

Your Loan Requirements checklist in CalCentral will be completed 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 for the term.

Billing and Payment Services will notify you if you are eligible for a refund.

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

Notify the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office by opening a case with Cal Student Central if you would like your Berkeley Loan or Federal Direct Loans reduced or canceled.

Interest accrual and repayment of the Berkeley Loan begin nine months after you leave school or any time you drop below half-time enrollment.

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

Interest is fixed at 5%, and the standard repayment period is five years.

You can make payments on your Berkeley Loan to the loan servicer Heartland ECSI.

Complete Exit Loan Counseling with Heartland ECSI if you leave school, graduate, or enroll less than half-time.

Keep your contact information up-to-date with UC Berkeley and Heartland ECSI to receive essential information regarding repayment.

You can repay your loan without penalty at any time. The faster you pay your loan, the less interest you pay over time.

You will receive information regarding beginning repayment toward the end of your nine-month grace period. 

If you are still waiting to receive notification on your repayment, please contact UC Berkeley at accountconsultants@berkeley.edu, Heartland ECSI, or open a case with Cal Student Central.

Please note UC Berkeley changed the loan servicer from ACS to Heartland ECSI on August 1, 2017. If you borrowed a Berkeley Loan before August 1, 2017, your account balance was transferred to ECSI.

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

Please notify the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office by opening a case with Cal Student Central if you want your Berkeley Loan or Federal Direct Loans reduced or canceled.