Berkeley Loan

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

LOAN PROCESS IMPORTANT DATES

To receive the Institutional Berkeley Loan at UC Berkeley, you need to complete the required processes by the following deadlines:

Attending Fall-only: November 30

Attending Fall/Spring or Spring-Only: April 30

Please note: In order to receive a reimbursement from this loan before the end of fall term, whether or not you will be attending spring term, all requirements must be completed by November 30. Requirements completed after November 30 will result in refunds issued in January. Berkeley 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 2.

Attending Summer Sessions:

You will not be able to begin the process for a Summer Berkeley Loan until you receive the email from Heartland ECSI starting May 20. Check all of your Berkeley email folders including the spam folder for this email.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Step 1. Accept your loan on CalCentral. You can only accept or decline this loan once online (via CalCentral). If you miss the opportunity, or need to accept an additional loan, please email entrance_mpn@berkeley.edu with your full student ID and put the loan program in the subject line.

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 that will be 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 may not be able to login or you might have to complete the entire process again. Check all email folders including the spam folder for this email.

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

• Be sure to use the date of birth that is reflected on CalCentral to log in to the website.
• You will be asked to authenticate using the Heartland PIN (see Step 2 above). If you cannot locate the email, but it has been a few days since you accepted your Berkeley Loan via CalCentral, you can contact Heartland ECSI (live chat through the website or by phone at 1-888-549-3274). 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 (about 3 business days after the online process is completed) ends, 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 successfully 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 could 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. Be sure to check all folders in your Berkeley email account to locate the Heartland ECSI email. If you cannot locate the email but it has been a few days since you have accepted your Berkeley 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 in order 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 completed 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 are unable to complete the online process or require assistance, please contact Heartland ECSI via live chat through the website or by phone 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), you can contact Cal Student Central. Be prepared to include your Berkeley student ID and indicate that the case is regarding your Berkeley Institutional 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) and 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.
• The loan will disburse to your student billing account 1–2 business days later, if you meet all other eligibility criteria.

WHERE YOUR FUNDS GO

• Your loan disburses to your student billing account in CalCentral and pays any outstanding charges for the current academic year.
• If there are no outstanding charges on your student billing account when the loan is disbursed, 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 a notification from Billing and Payment Services.

• Interest accrual and repayment of the Berkeley Loan begins 9 months after you leave school or anytime you drop below half-time enrollment.
• Interest is fixed at 5%.
• The standard repayment period is 10 years.
• UC Berkeley is your lender. You will make your payments to Berkeley's contracted loan servicer, Heartland ECSI.
• Before leaving school or graduating, be sure to complete your Exit Loan Counseling with Heartland ECSI.
• Keep your contact information up-to-date with UC Berkeley and with Heartland ECSI so that you receive important information about your loan.
• Toward the end of your 9-month grace period, you should receive information about beginning repayment. If you have not received anything at the beginning of the 9th month of your grace period, contact Berkeley at accountconsultants@berkeley.edu.
• You can repay your loan without penalty. This means that the faster you pay your loan, the less interest you pay over time.

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

If you are in repayment and have questions, please contact accountconsultants@berkeley.edu.