COVID-19 Updates

Contact and Resources

Student Billing

Questions

If you have questions about your student billing account, please contact Cal Student Central.

Phone

510 664 9181

Address

120 Sproul Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720

Hours

Monday through Friday
9:00 am to Noon, 1 pm to 4:00 pm

Email

Open a case through Cal Student Central

Third Party Contracts

Email

tpcsupport@berkeley.edu

Entitlements

Heartland ECSI download forms

Student Loan Relief for Campus Based Loans

Spring 2020 Course Materials Fee Refund or Credit

Many Spring 2020 Course Materials Fees were reduced and this credit will be reflected on your account between June 15-17, 2020 and will either be refunded to you or applied to Fall 2020 fees as per the following guidelines:

  • Students whose Course Materials Fee was paid with Federal or Financial Aid will be refunded the week of June 15, 2020
  • Students who will not be attending in Fall 2020 will have their refund processed the week of June 22, 2020, or earlier
  • Students who will be attending in Fall 2020 and do not have any other credits on their account will have their credit applied to Fall 2020 fees

Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) refunds are processed nightly, and paper checks are processed weekly on Wednesdays.

​If you have any questions regarding your course materials refund or credit, please contact Cal Student Central by opening a case or calling 510 664 9181. The Cal Student Central phone line is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to noon and from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Student Account Payments

Reduced Onsite Check Payment Processing

Billing and Payment Services has moved from a daily onsite cashiering of payments to weekly processing on Thursdays. This includes student check payments mailed or placed in the drop box at University Hall. This change is effective as of March 17, 2020. These changes are expected to remain in effect through the planned shelter in place period.

From August 10, 2020 to August 28, 2020: Payments will be processed 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This includes student check payments mailed or placed in the drop box at University Hall.

If you would like to make a payment on your student account, please submit the payment online through CalCentral.

UC Berkeley offers alternative payment options to students and delegates through CalCentral, and we encourage students to submit payments electronically. You can make payments online via ACH, credit card, and IFT for our international students. Payments submitted through CalCentral will continue to post to student accounts as normal.

​If you have any questions, please contact Cal Student Central by opening a case or calling 510 664 9181. The Cal Student Central phone line is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to noon and from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Student Account Billing

Temporary suspension of late fees

We also understand that some of our students may be experiencing hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of these challenges and to alleviate students of these potential pressures, UC Berkeley will temporarily suspend the assessment of late fees on student accounts. Effective as of March 16, 2020, late fees will not post to student accounts. We will revisit the late fee assessment as appropriate.

Billing and Collections

The university will continue to send billing statements and past due notifications to ensure students and delegates understand their account balance and status. Effective April 8, 2020, the university has temporarily ceased placement of delinquent student accounts with an outside collection agency for students who are currently separating from the university. Students who left the university and have already been placed with a collection agency are encouraged to continue working with that agency.

Tax offsets

The California Franchise Tax Board has resumed the intercept of any state tax refunds as of July 16, 2020. Students who were placed with the FTB prior to March 26 will be eligible for offset and their intercepted payment applied towards their past due student account.

​If you have any questions regarding charges on your student account and payment due dates, please contact Cal Student Central by opening a case or calling 510 664 9181. The Cal Student Central phone line is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to noon and from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Third Party Contracts

There is no change or delay with the processing of authorization letters for Third Party Contracts. Please continue to follow the standard submission guidelines available on the Third Party Contract (TPC) page.

If you have any questions regarding Third Party Contracts, please contact tpcsupport@berkeley.edu.

Student Account Refunds

Refund checks are not available for pickup at Cal Student Central. All refund checks will be mailed to the local address on the student account. If you are not able to receive refunds at the local address you provided to the university, please update your address in CalCentral. Please note that due to the Shelter in Place order, refund checks will be printed once a week on Wednesdays.

Students who have enrolled in Direct Deposit will see refunds processed daily. Students who have not enrolled in Direct Deposit are encouraged to enroll right away to avoid any delays in receiving funds.

To enroll, log in to CalCentral and select the 'My Finances' tab. Refer to the 'Financial Resources' section to the right. Select 'Manage Account' to be taken to the Direct Deposit management page.

COVID-19 Student Loan Relief for Campus Based Loans

ReliefInstitutional (includes Dream Loans)PerkinsHRSA
Interest Accrual Suspend interest accrual on all institutional loans through December 31, 2020. Suspend interest accrual on all Perkins loans through December 31, 2020. Suspend interest accrual on HPSL, PCL, LDS, NSL, and NFLP from March 13, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
Late Fees Late fee assessment stopped through December 31, 2020. Late fees already assessed remain on the account. Late fee assessment stopped through December 31, 2020. Late fees already assessed remain on the account. Late fee assessment stopped through December 31, 2020. Late fees already assessed remain on the account.
Administrative Forbearance

Administrative Forbearance from April 15, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

Borrowers who are current with payments must request administrative forbearance.

Borrowers who become or are more than 31 days delinquent or in default will have the administrative forbearance applied automatically.

Repayment on UC-held loans in the administrative forbearance is set to begin after January 31, 2021. ECSI will begin sending the first bills around January 21. Depending on the borrower’s monthly or quarterly billing cycle, payments will be first due on February 10, March 10, or April 10.

Administrative Forbearance from April 15, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

Borrowers who are current with payments must request administrative forbearance.

Borrowers who become or are more than 31 days delinquent will have the administrative forbearance applied automatically.

Repayment on UC-held loans in the administrative forbearance is set to begin after January 31, 2021. ECSI will begin sending the first bills around January 21. Depending on the borrower’s monthly or quarterly billing cycle, payments will be first due on February 10, March 10, or April 10.

Administrative Forbearance from March 13, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

All Borrowers must request administrative forbearance.

Borrowers who become or are more than 31 days delinquent will have the administrative forbearance applied automatically. Administrative forbearance applies to defaulted loans (please refer to HRSA FAQs).

Repayment on UC-held loans in the administrative forbearance is set to begin after January 31, 2021. ECSI will begin sending the first bills around January 21. Depending on the borrower’s monthly or quarterly billing cycle, payments will be first due on February 10, March 10, or April 10.
Hardship Deferment and/or Forbearance (Borrower must request) Any Deferment or Forbearance available under the Loan Program Guidelines.

Economic Hardship Deferment: Defers both principal and interest and has a post-deferment grace period of 6 months.

Unemployment Deferment: Defers both principal and interest and has a post-deferment grace period of 6 months.

Forbearance: Temporarily postpones payments; interest continues to accrue and is due once regular payments resume.

All options listed above are limited to 36 months of eligibility.

Forbearance: If a borrower suffers a drastic change in his or her financial situation which makes it impossible to repay the HPSL according to schedule. Events that can have such an effect on an individual's financial circumstances include prolonged illness, unemployment, or a natural disaster (e.g., flood, fire).

Requires borrower request, documentation, and minimum payment

Loans already in deferment/forbearance stop accruing interest starting March 13, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Any outstanding accrued interest prior to March 13, 2020 is capitalized (please refer to HRSA FAQs).
Consolidation N/A

Borrowers who consolidate will be eligible for the CARES Act relief benefits.

Borrowers who consolidate will be eligible for the CARES Act relief benefits. Once the consolidation is completed, the loan will be placed in forbearance with a 0% interest rate until December 31, 2020 per the CARES Act.

Please note: Borrowers who plan to utilize the Federal Perkins cancellation benefits should not consolidate their loan.

Borrowers who consolidate will be eligible for the CARES Act relief benefits.

Once the consolidation is completed, the loan will be placed in forbearance with a 0% interest rate untilDecember 31, 2020 per the CARES Act.
Tax Offsets

Tax Offsets were suspended by the Franchise Tax Board March 26 through July 15.

UC discontinued tax offsets through the remainder of 2020.

Tax Offsets were suspended by the Franchise Tax Board March 26 through July 15.

UC discontinued tax offsets through the remainder of 2020.

Tax Offsets were suspended by the Franchise Tax Board March 26 through July 15.

UC discontinued tax offsets through the remainder of 2020.

Interest accruals and late fees

The University of California has approved the following on Perkins, HPSL, and Institutional loans through December 31, 2020:

  • Interest accrual $0 and late fees stopped (late fees already assessed will remain on borrower accounts)

Entitlements

Entitlement options are available to borrowers. If you are experiencing financial hardship from the COVID-19 emergency, please review available deferment or forbearance forms that are posted under the Download Forms section of the Heartland ECSI website to determine if any may apply to your situation.

Please select "School Is Not on the list" to view your options. Administrative forbearances may also be available (with restrictions and does not apply to HPSL borrowers).

Collection placements

UC is temporarily ceasing collection agency placements on deliquent institutional loans. Perkins borrowers may request a disaster waiver for three months.

Tax offsets

Tax Offsets were suspended by the Franchise Tax Board March 26 through July 15. Effective June 30, the UC has chosen to discontinue tax offset collections for the remainder of the year for campus-based loans.