Short-Term Loan Program for
UCLA Campus Students
Loan Services (LS), a unit of Financial Education, Loan and Support Services (FELSS) (formerly SLS&C), makes available to qualified students who need help meeting unforeseen expenses three types of short-term loans. To qualify for a short-term loan, you must be a UCLA student *, enrolled within the current quarter with sufficient accepted funding to cover your current quarter/semester student services fees, and have no outstanding short-term loan. You must apply in person and present one of the following picture IDs: Bruin Card, driver's license, state ID card, military ID, or passport. The three types of short-term loans offered are the:
- Emergency Loan: a loan of up to $200 for those who meet the above criteria.
- Living Expense Loan: a loan of up to $350 for those who meet the above criteria, are employed, and provide written employment verification on company letterhead from the employer.
- Financial Aid Advance: A loan to help when there is a delay in current quarter/semester financial aid disbursement. This particular type of loan or 'advance' is generally made against yet-to-be disbursed current quarter/semester Federal Direct, Direct Grad PLUS, Perkins Loans; University/Regents Loans and Dream Loans as well as electronically-disbursed Federal Parent PLUS Loans.
Even the best budget plan cannot foresee unexpected expenses that occasionally arise. Many students feel the only alternative is to put such expenses on their credit card, but a short-term loan may be a better alternative than falling into the credit card trap. What is the credit card trap ? You find yourself confronted with an unavoidable expense. You don't have the money at the moment but will within a few weeks. You figure you can put it on a credit card and pay off the balance next month. In the meantime you make a few extra credit card purchases, those of which were based more upon want than need. Now the balance is a bit too large to pay off in one payment. You are now forced into making monthly payments and accrue high interest charges. Rather than putting such an expense on a credit card, adding to your monthly budget expense column, and increasing your overall indebtedness, why not apply for a short-term loan?
Short-term loans are interest-free and due to be paid in full by the twentieth day of the month following the date borrowed, the same day most Bruin Bill charges are due. The promissory note that you sign when taking out a short-term loan always indicates the due date. You will receive a copy of it for your records along with your short-term loan check. Any previously received short-term loan must be paid in full before obtaining another; you can only have one short-term loan at a time.
What happens if I don't pay it back? Short-term loans that are not paid by the due date are subject to late fees and will be referred to the UCLA Debt Management unit. The ability to take out future short-term loans will be jeopardized and a hold will be placed on University services including, but not limited to, financial aid disbursement, registration, obtaining classes and transcripts.
The short-term loan program has helped many UCLA students who have experienced times when pay day schedules or loan disbursement dates don't match up with payment due dates or the unanticipated circumstance. If you find yourself in short-term need of a little quick funding that you know you can pay back by the twentieth of the next month, come to Loan Services and apply for a short-term loan.**
* Please note that this program is not available to UNEX students.
** Students of certain professional schools such as Law, Dentistry, and Nursing should go to their respective Financial Aid Office to make a request for a short-term loan application. If you are a graduate/professional school student, go to your individual professional school's Financial Aid Office prior to visiting Loan Services.
Short-term loans are available through the Loan Services unit. To request a short-term loan, go to the Contact Us page to view the program schedule.
Bruin Basics
Student Loan Process 101
How the long-term student loan process works at UCLA
Bruin Budget Plan
Handling today's finances with the future in mind
Short-Term Loan Program
Financial safety net for the UCLA campus student