You can afford to participate in UCDC. The UCSC Financial Aid Office adjusts aid awards to meet the program costs of participating in the UCDC Washington Program. All students who use financial aid are encouraged to request a financial aid estimate to learn how much aid you can expect to receive for your program.
Budgets
Estimated UCDC Cost for 2023-2024
| Tuition (Resident/Non-Resident)**** | Same as on campus $4,880 California Resident $15,222 Non-Resident |
| Housing (UC Washington Center)*** | $3,948 |
| Campus Health Insurance** | Same as on campus $1,047 |
| Round-Trip Airfare* | $750 |
| Local Transportation* | $495 |
| Books & Supplies* | $200 |
| Living Expenses* | $2,530 |
| Personal Expenses (business attire, one-time expenses, household supplies, program activities)* | $1,235 |
| Total (Resident/Non-Resident) | $15,085 California Resident $25,427 Non-Resident |
Estimated UCDC Cost for 2024-2025
| Tuition (Resident/Non-Resident)**** | Same as on campus $4,880 California Resident $15,222 Non-Resident |
| Housing (UC Washington Center)*** | $4,027 |
| Campus Health Insurance** | $1,147 |
| Round-Trip Airfare* | $575 |
| Local Transportation* | $363 |
| Books & Supplies* | $453 |
| Living Expenses* | $1,919 |
| Personal Expenses (business attire, one-time expenses, household supplies, program activities)* | $1,084 |
| Total (Resident/Non-Resident) | $14,448 California Resident $24,790 Non-Resident |
* Costs will vary based on a variety of factors including personal needs, spending habits, and living accommodations.
**The University of California Regents mandates that all students be covered by a health insurance plan. All full and part-time undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in and charged for the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) unless they choose to submit an online insurance waiver confirming they have comparable health insurance coverage to the Health Center. Please note that a waiver of the UC SHIP may result in adjustments to awarded aid. Subject to change after UC SHIP finalizes their premiums for the year.
***Winter housing for the 23-24 year is $3,589.Winter housing for the 24-25 year is $3,713. Winter housing is less than fall and spring as the program is 10 weeks instead of 11 weeks.
****The tuition and fees indicated above are calculated based on the cohort of students who entered UCSC during the 2022-2023 Academic Year. If you entered UCSC after the 2022-2023 Academic Year, please confirm what cohort tuition and fees you will be billed on this webpage. Tuition and fees are charged per quarter enrolled at UCDC. Tuition and fees indicated here are estimates based on currently approved amounts. These figures may not be final. Students who pay Non-Resident Tuition (NRT) at UCSC must also pay Non-Resident Tuition per quarter enrolled at UCDC. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by State funding reductions. Accordingly, final approved levels, and thus a student’s final balance due to UCSC, may differ from the amounts shown.
Tuition
For the academic year program, university tuition fees for UCDC are the same as a regular quarter on campus. Tuition, fees, and other charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by State funding reductions.
Financial Aid Information
All UCDC Participants are encouraged to complete a FAFSA by the State’s priority deadline in early March (the year prior to UCDC participation) to ensure that they are considered for any financial aid for which they may be eligible.
Financial Aid eligibility criteria are the same when studying at UCDC or at UCSC. All UCSC financial aid (grants, scholarships, and loans – except work-study) is available to qualified UCDC students.
The UCSC Financial Aid Office adjusts aid awards to meet the modest increase in the cost of the UCDC Washington Program. Upon selection, we will provide participant names to the Financial Aid Office, which will recalculate awards based on the estimated costs above.
*Pro Tip: Get a Financial Aid Estimate. Estimates are available before and after you apply!
Housing
All students accepted to the UCDC Washington Program must live at the UC Washington Center and pay the housing fee. The Washington Center is a great home for UC students that provides all the necessities for living in Washington, DC for a quarter including a furnished room, fully-equipped kitchen, and other accommodations. For more information, please see Living in D.C.
Airfare
Students that fly to DC will have air travel costs which can vary widely and get more expensive the sooner it is to your departure. Be sure to purchase your tickets as early as possible and get changeable/refundable tickets in case any changes occur! Also, expect to spend around $40-80 getting to the UCDC Center from the airport.
Local Transportation
If you need the metro to reach your internship, you can expect to spend around $50 bi-weekly. Also consider the costs of whatever special trips you want to take while in DC (taxi, bus, etc).
Personal Expenses
Washington DC has an endless supply of restaurants, shows, and more! While some of these options are more expensive than others, there are many fun things to do on a budget. Keep an eye out for fun and inexpensive things to do around the city (festivals, talks, museum exhibits, etc). Also, carry your student ID with you so you can take advantage of student discounts offered by theaters, museums, and other DC organizations.
UCSC Basic Needs
The UCSC Food Access & Basic Needs Team supports students’ basic needs and wellness through a variety of programs and resources, one being the CalFresh Outreach Program. CalFresh, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a nutrition program that can help you stretch your monthly budget by as much as $234 per month if you qualify. Please access their website to see who qualifies and how to apply.
If you receive CalFresh as a UCSC student, you can use your SNAP benefits while away in DC as long as you maintain your residency in Santa Cruz County. There are no repercussions to using your EBT during your time in DC. Temporary absences are allowed as long as you intend to return to Santa Cruz County and maintain Santa Cruz County as your permanent residence. Temporary absences may last up to 12 months.
If you are in DC when your SAR-7 is due, the County does not require proof of address as long as it is not questionable that you will continue to be a county resident after the UCDC program ends.
If you have any questions about CalFresh, please contact UCDC Basic Needs directly. With your CalFresh case being in Santa Cruz, they will be able to support you with anything that comes up.
Scholarships
There are a number of scholarship opportunities to help fund your academic internship financial needs. The Presidential UCDC Fellowship award is $1,000 and two students are chosen from every UCSC cohort. There are also a variety of scholarships available through UCSC and other outside organizations which you can see on our Scholarships for Global Learning webpage.
Other scholarship opportunities will be provided to you in the UCDC Student Handbook you receive upon admittance to the program.