Cancel for Non-Payment Policy - Office of the Registrar

In response to the unusual and challenging circumstances that our students faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cancel for Non-Payment (CNP) policy was suspended from Fall 2022 through Spring 2024. We’re happy to announce that this suspension has been extended through Spring 2026. The following deadlines and fees (located below) will still apply to all students.

Fall 2025 CNP key dates:

August 18, 2025 – Earliest date Financial Aid and Scholarships will begin to disburse
August 20, 2025 – First date emergency loans can be requested (optional)
August 22, 2025 – Official Tuition & Fees due date
August 26, 2025 – Last day to withdraw without obligation to pay some or all of tuition and fees
August 27, 2025 – Instruction begins
Starting August 20, 2025, you can apply for an emergency loan to assist you with your fee payment.

How the Cancel for Non-Payment Policy Works

The Cancel for Non-Payment Policy (CNP) encourages students to enroll and pay their tuition and fees on time.

CNP allows students with outstanding financial obligations an opportunity to resolve those before instruction starts.
CNP ensures students access essential campus resources and other support services from the first day of instruction.
CNP’s pre-instruction deadline allows the university to effectively manage enrollment, resulting in maximum access for students to available classes.

It’s important to keep an eye on your student billing account and ensure tuition and fees are paid in a timely manner. In late July, students enrolled in classes will be billed for their tuition and fees. At that time, you may view the tuition and fees you owe within the My Finances section of CalCentral. You are responsible for checking and confirming that payment for the required tuition and fees has been received by the deadline. Verify your information in CalCentral.

Tips for Navigating Tuition and Fee Payments

Be sure to read your Berkeley email and monitor CalCentral to stay informed of your payments and enrollment status.

Pay any past-due charges on your student account. Any payment you submit will be applied to these charges first.
If you are receiving financial aid or other awards, review your Tasks in CalCentral to make sure your financial aid file is complete and that you have satisfied all eligibility requirements for disbursement.
If you are receiving funding from an outside source (i.e., agency, scholarship, sponsor), work closely with them to disburse your funds promptly. If you are paying tuition and fees from personal funds, don’t wait until the last minute.
You may pay with a Credit Card through CalCentral (with a 2.85% fee for domestic cards and a 4.25% fee for international card payments, which only covers the cost of the service provider), which is an option that students and parents have told us they wanted.
Starting approximately a week before each semester begins, you can apply for a short-term emergency loan to assist you with your fee payment.
Clear any holds so that you are officially registered and able to access campus services.

Why was this policy created? How does it benefit students?
Historically, some students enrolled in classes and neglected to drop those classes even if they were not planning or able to attend for the term. As a result, other students would need to wait until the third, fourth, or fifth week of the term for a seat that might have been available much earlier. The late dropping and adding was distracting to students and created administrative challenges for students, faculty, and staff. CNP helps avoid this.
What is the typical payment amount?
Your payment amount will depend on your academic level and enrollment year. You must cover at least 20 percent of your tuition and fees by the payment deadline. Find your specific tuition and fee amount in the Fee Schedule or by viewing your bill in CalCentral.
- Payment for your Tuition and Fees includes document management, course materials, and SHIP fees.
- The Tuition and Fee Payment Plan (FPP) allows students to pay fees in five monthly installments. If you enroll in FPP, your first installment will cover the required 20% of your payment due. To enroll, go to My Finances in CalCentral.
What are my payment options?
You may pay your tuition and fees via:
- Financial aid awards, scholarships, fee remission*, fellowship awards*
- CalCentral:
  - Using a credit card (2.85% fee for domestic cards; 4.25% fee for international cards; minimum $3 charge)
  - Through e-check (no fee)
  - International funds transfer (foreign currency)
- Paper check by mail
- 529 College Savings Plan
- Emergency loan**
For more on payment options, visit the Student Billing Services website.

*Graduate students: If you are expecting a fee remission to pay a portion or all of your tuition and fees, check with the hiring department to determine when your fee remission will credit your account. If you are expecting a fellowship award to pay your tuition and fees, contact your departmental graduate advisor to ensure payment is in process.

**The maximum co-payable emergency loan available for registration is $1,420 for all students. Students requiring additional funding beyond the co-payable maximum are encouraged to secure alternate sources of funding to meet the minimum amount due in advance of the payment deadline. Visit Emergency Loan the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office website for more information.
What if I am relying on financial aid to pay my tuition and fees?
If you have completed all of your financial aid tasks, your financial aid (excluding work-study earnings and some private loans) will disburse 10 days before the start of the semester. All of your accepted financial aid will first pay your bill on CalCentral. You can monitor your aid disbursements in the My Finances section of CalCentral.

For students who receive financial aid (the majority of our students do), their aid will cover their minimum payment. If sufficient aid is ready to disburse and will cover at least 20 percent of your tuition and fees by the payment deadline, you will not be subject to Cancel for Non-Payment and will receive a corresponding alert in CalCentral.

Additionally, students with extenuating circumstances can have a protective flag placed on their status. The protective flag, which students will be able to see indicated on CalCentral as “Exception to Cancel for Non-Payment,” will ensure that class enrollments are protected. Staff are working to identify those students, and students are encouraged to reach out to Cal Student Central.

You are encouraged to review the Messages and Tasks in the My Finances section of CalCentral for required documents or additional information needed to complete your financial aid file and to ensure a timely disbursement of aid.
What happens if I do not pay at least 20 percent of my tuition and fees by the deadline?
Prior to the deadline, you will see reminder alerts within your CalCentral portal informing you that you are subject to Cancel for Non-Payment. If applicable, you will be notified via CalCentral and email that your enrollment has been canceled. If your enrollment is canceled, you will be dropped from all of your classes, and tuition and fees will be de-assessed from your billing account.
What do I do if my enrollment has been canceled for non-payment?
Re-enroll in open classes the following morning starting at 8 am. Tuition and fees will be reassessed once you enroll in at least one class. Please take immediate action to pay your bill. You should also resolve all holds to be officially registered. Please note: If you are enrolled on or after the first day of instruction, you will be held to the withdrawal refund schedule.
Does the policy apply to graduate students?
The policy applies to graduate students with some variation.
- Due to the unique nature of their programs and funding sources, graduate students will not be dropped from their classes.
- Graduate students must pay the required 20% of fees to become officially registered by the end of the 3rd week of instruction (see deadline on the student calendar).
- Nevertheless, fee payments are due on the date referenced above, and graduate students may not have full access to all of their campus services and may incur late fees if they do not meet the fee payment deadline.

What do I do if I need help or have questions?

Students should check their email and CalCentral for alerts and messages.

Undergraduates can also reach out to Cal Student Central.
Graduate students may contact their department advisor for assistance.