California Dream Loan

The California Dream 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. Check all Berkeley email folders, including the spam folder, for this email.

The Heartland ECSI email will include a PIN for logging into Electronic Promissory Notes. Please log in with your CSAC ID 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 contact ECSI. You may need to provide ECSI with your CSAC ID, full legal name, permanent address, and date of birth, as it appears in CalCentral.

Please note to receive reimbursement from the California Dream Loan before the end of the Fall term, complete loan requirements by the end of November, and to receive reimbursement from the California Dream Loan before the end of the Spring term, complete loan 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

California Dream 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 California Dream 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 would like 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.

You are a UC Berkeley undergraduate student.

You are enrolled in at least six units.

You meet all Summer Aid eligibility requirements.

You qualify for the AB 540 nonresident tuition exemption.

You completed the CA Dream Act Application (CADAA).

You were eligible for the California Dream Loan during the academic year. 

Based on financial need, you can qualify for a maximum of $6,000 in the combined academic year California Dream Loan and the Summer Berkeley Loan.

For example, if you utilized $3,500 in the California Dream Loan during the academic year. You will qualify for a maximum of $2,500 in the Summer Berkeley Loan based on financial need.

Please note that Summer is a trailer which means to be eligible for Summer 2023 financial aid, you need to complete the 2022-2023 CADAA.

Interest accrual and repayment of the California Dream Loan begins six 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.

The interest rate of the California Dream Loan matches the Federal Subsidized Direct Loan interest rate for the same year.

The standard repayment period for the California Dream Loan is ten years.

The annual loan maximum is $4,000, with an aggregate maximum of $20,000.

You can make payments on your California Dream 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 about your 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 six-month grace period.

If you have yet to receive notification on 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 California Dream 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 California Dream Loan reduced or canceled.