This post was updated on Sept. 17 at 12:20 a.m.
After a two-month delay, state officials notified more than 16,000 University of California students on Monday about the funding they will receive from the state’s new Middle Class Scholarship.
UC students whose families make $80,000 to $150,000 a year will receive an average of about $1,100 for the 2014-2015 academic year, said Patti Colston, a spokeswoman for the California Student Aid Commission.
UCLA officials expect that about 2,500 of its students will receive the award, said university spokesman Ricardo Vazquez.
Students were supposed to hear back about their scholarship allocations in July, but after state legislators changed the eligibility requirement to factor in athletic scholarships, the process was delayed, Colston said.
The commission will send scholarship funding directly to each university’s campus, which will credit students’ accounts each quarter, Colston said. Students can visit the California Student Aid Commission website to check how much funding they will receive.
The grants will not be fully funded by the state until the 2017-2018 academic year. Because of this, students will receive more scholarships in future academic years.
The scholarship comes fromthe Middle Class Scholarship program, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed into effect last year.
For students whose families make less than $100,000 a year, the scholarship aims to provide up to 40 percent of their UC or California State University tuition. Students with annual household incomes of less than $150,000 are also eligible for the scholarship for at least 10 percent of their tuition.
Students who are already receiving need-based financial aid that covers more than 40 percent of their tuition are not eligible for the middle class scholarship, Colston said. To be eligible for the scholarship, students also have to meet certain academic and residency requirements, such as having at least a 2.0 GPA, being a California resident or qualifying through Assembly Bill 540.
The California Student Aid Commission is continuing to process more applications for the scholarship, and will notify remaining students soon, Colston said. She added that in the winter and spring quarters, the commission will give out additional middle class scholarships to transfer students who are starting their school terms.
Compiled by Jeong Park, Bruin senior staff.