Graduate Division Caregiver GrantThe Graduate Division is adding a companion program to the Student Parent Grant, designed to provide assistance to graduate students who are the primary live-in caregiver for an adult individual. Examples of those eligible for this grant include graduate students who live with and serve as the primary caregiver for an elderly parent or other individual that may qualify as a dependent adult. These grants may be applied toward housing and living expenses, dependent health insurance, and/or tuition. If funding permits, awards of up to $12,000 per year ($6,000 per academic term) will be made to eligible applicants. To be eligible for the 2023-24 academic year, a graduate student must:
Note: Students in self-supporting programs are not eligible for this program. The 2023-24 Student Caregiver Grant application will open after 7/1/2023 and will close on 12/2/2024. Award notifications will be sent in August. To apply, visit Slate Application Login and submit your FAFSA: https://fafsa.ed.gov/.
FAQ:Who qualifies as a dependent adult?Our eligibility requirements for a qualifying dependent adult follow the California State Legislature’s definition. The California State Legislature defines “Dependent adult” as a person, regardless of whether the person lives independently, between the ages of 18 and 64 years who resides in this state and who has physical or mental limitations that restrict his or her ability to carry out normal activities or to protect his or her rights, including, persons who have physical or developmental disabilities, or whose physical or mental abilities have diminished because of age. “Dependent adult” also includes any person between the ages of 18 and 64 years who is admitted as an inpatient to a 24-hour health facility. My spouse is recently unemployed and I am now the primary caregiver for our household, do I qualify? One’s current employment status does not impact eligibility for this grant. Students must be the primary caregiver for a dependent adult as defined by the California State Legislature in order to be eligible. I have privacy concerns; what type of information are you asking for on the application to determine eligibility? In an effort to be respectful of private family matters, we ask for basic information about your household including the name, date of birth and relation to the dependent adult. We do not request external documentation, but ask for a brief 2-3 sentence statement that identifies the reasons you meet the eligibility requirements for this grant. Like other need-based fellowship applications, financial information including a completed FAFSA is required to determine financial need. I am the primary caregiver for my elderly grandparent who is over 65, they do not fit California’s definition of a dependent adult, do I qualify? Students who are the primary caregiver for an elderly individual may qualify. Please complete the application for further consideration. I am a student parent who cares for dependents, do I qualify? If your children do not fit California’s definition of a dependent adult you do not qualify. However, you may qualify for our Parent Grant. I am a graduate student that receives a Parent Grant, I have a qualifying adult who lives with me, am I eligible for the Caregiver Grant as well? Students who meet the eligibility requirements for the Caregiver Grant will be considered without regard to whether they qualify for other types of need-based aid programs, such as the Parent Grant. | Contact UsQuestions regarding the application should be sent to: gradfell@berkeley.edu |
