Important Service Announcement: Cal Student Central (in-person & phone advising and Virtual Front Desk) will be closed for the Winter Break from Monday, Dec 23rd – Friday, Jan 3rd. Our phone advising and Virtual Front Desk will re-open on Monday, Jan 6th, 2025. In-person advising services will re-open on Monday, Jan 13th, 2025.
We Are Here to Serve You
Need a transcript? Have questions about your financial aid or a hold on your registration? Cal Student Central is your destination for key university business related to financial aid, fees and billing, payments, disbursements, registration, and enrollment.
Our goal is to serve students more efficiently by providing:
- This website as a resource for the most frequently asked questions we get from students like you.
- One central location with service-oriented, cross-trained staff who will work to resolve issues without needing to refer students elsewhere.
- In cases where additional time is needed to research a situation or a student needs to meet with a partner office, Cal Student Central will track the progress of a student’s issue from initial inquiry to final resolution.
Our Team
Our advisors and service representatives are here to help you. Cross-trained to deliver comprehensive advising services, our goal is to answer your question as quickly as possible.
We are organized to help you navigate among the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, Office of the Registrar, and Billing and Payments. Start at Cal Student Central, and we’ll guide you through the process.
Cal Student Central
Cal Student Central is the starting place to find answers about:
- financial aid
- fees and tuition
- billing, payments, and disbursements
- registration and enrollment
- student records
The CSC office is located in 120 Sproul Hall.
**Note to Newly Admitted Students: For questions regarding submitting transcripts and other documents, please follow this link.
Get the Most Out of Cal Student Central
Search our website.
Our staff compiled answers to our most-asked questions for you to find on our website. If you need more information, you’ll be pointed to the appropriate campus partner page.
Visit our Virtual Front Desk.
The Virtual Front Desk has re-opened! The Virtual Front Desk is staffed by our student workers who can help navigate you to the appropriate office to answer your questions.
Standard Hours: 9:00am–4:00pm PT, Monday through Friday
Virtual Front Desk
Ask our Chatbot.
Get your Financial aid, Registration, Billing, and Payment questions answered through text and video in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese.
Open a case.
Sometimes you have very specific questions; we understand! If you still need assistance, you can open a case with us online. Your case will be directed to one of our trained staff who can either find answers or direct you to appropriate resources or steps to take. We will respond to all inquiries within five to seven business days.
Please DO NOT use Safari when opening a case. Make sure to use Chrome or Firefox browsers to open a case and check your spam/junk folder for our response.
Not a student? Parents/guardians and alumni, among others, can open a case for support as well.
If possible, please include student’s full name and student ID number to assist in resolving your case quickly!
*Due to high volume, we are currently taking 10-12 business days to respond to cases. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience!
Give us a call.
510-664-9181
Standard Hours: 9:00am–12:00pm PT and 1:00pm–4:00pm PT, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; closed on Wednesdays.
Please note that our office, which includes in-person advising and callback queues, will close at 3:00pm PT before major federal holidays (**EXCEPT during peak times, such as the start of each semester).
Stop by for in-person advising.
Standard Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm PT in Sproul Hall 120. Please note that the queue may close earlier than stated based on volume.
Please note that our office, which includes in-person advising and callback queues, will close at 3:00pm PT before major federal holidays (**EXCEPT during peak times, such as the start of each semester).
Residency inquiries.
Have questions about Residency for tuition purposes? For any inquiries regarding residency requirements, determinations, and/or official exemptions, join the Residency Callback Queue.
For Residency Questions - Click Here!
Residency Callback Queue hours are:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00am-12:00pm PT
Wednesday: 2:00pm-4:00pm PT
Thursday: 2:00pm-4:00pm PT
Friday: 10:00am-12:00pm PT