Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP)

Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP)

The UC’s Native American Opportunity Plan ensures that in-state systemwide Tuition and Student Services Fees are fully covered for California students who are also enrolled in federally recognized Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes.

NAOP Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Native American Opportunity Plan, students must meet all the following criteria:

1. Must be a current or newly admitted University of California undergraduate, graduate or professional school student.
2. Must be a California Resident for tuition purposes
3. Must be an enrolled member in a federally recognized Native American, American Indian and/or Alaska Native tribe.
4. Must be enrolled in a qualifying UC degree program that charges UC systemwide mandatory Tuition and Student Services Fees.

Required Documentation

Documentation of tribal enrollment may include any of the following:

• Certification of tribal enrollment on tribal letterhead.
• Enrollment/membership card that contains the tribal seal and/or official signature of a tribal leader.
• Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) if the CDIB includes tribal enrollment information.
• Tribal identification card with a tribal enrollment number. You must also submit tribal contact information (address, phone, and email) if it is not evident on submitted documentation.

To see if you qualify for the Native American Opportunity Plan, please complete the NAOP Screening Form.

We will review your details and respond within 10 business days. Please submit the form only once. However, you should submit a new form or contact our office at omar.faustino-carreon@ucr.edu or 951-827-5174 if you change your academic program or your tuition residency status.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the UC Native American Opportunity Plan do?

The goal of the UC Native American Opportunity Plan is to make college more affordable and accessible for California’s Native American students. This initial phase of the plan will ensure that in-state systemwide Tuition and Student Services Fees are fully covered for California residents who are members of federally recognized Native American, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. The plan applies to new and continuing undergraduate, graduate and professional school students in state-funded degree programs who don’t already qualify for financial aid that covers their tuition.

Are the funds provided to students through the UC Native American Opportunity Plan considered loans? Will students have to pay them back?

No, these funds are not loans and students do not need to pay them back. They fall under the category of tuition remission, grants, and scholarships from federal, state, university or private sources.

Which fees are covered?

The program promises that systemwide Tuition and Student Services Fees, which are assessed to all California residents, will be covered by grants or scholarships. Campus fees, summer tuition and fees, and Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition are not part of the Native American Opportunity Plan.

Why is this aid limited to Native American students from federally recognized tribes?

UC is bound by state law, specifically Proposition 209, which prohibits the University of California from providing financial aid to students based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. UC can provide financial aid to students based on their membership in federally recognized tribes because such membership is legally deemed a political classification, rather than a racial classification, due to the sovereign-to-sovereign relationship that the law recognizes between the federal government and federally recognized tribes.

What kind of support will be available to Native American students from non-federally recognized tribes?

UC consulted with tribal leaders to develop the UC Native American Opportunity Plan. This consultation included discussions on how to benefit all Native American students, including those from non-federally recognized tribes. California’s Native American tribes and other external organizations may provide scholarships to Native American students who are not members of a federally recognized tribe. The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria recently announced a scholarship fund which will cover UC tuition and mandatory fees for all eligible California Native American students. Learn more about the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Scholarship Fund | Federated Indians Graton Rancheria.

Is this plan only available to members of tribes that are located within California?

No. The UC Native American Opportunity Plan is available to California residents who are enrolled members of any federally recognized Native American, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.

Why is UC doing this, and why now?

Native Americans are among the most underrepresented groups within higher education, including at the University of California. The UC Native American Opportunity Plan is part of the university’s larger commitment to expanding diversity and its efforts to make a UC education more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds. This plan builds on the Tuition Stability Plan and the university’s commitment to creating a path to a debt-free education for its students.

Which programs qualify for the Native American Opportunity Plan?

Only programs that confer a graduate or undergraduate degree, receive State support, and charge systemwide mandatory Tuition and Student Services Fees qualify for the Native American Opportunity Plan. Certificate programs, self-supporting graduate programs (e.g., Executive MBA programs), and extension programs do not qualify. 

If you have questions about whether or not your program qualifies, please contact your program admissions or financial aid counselor or  UCR Graduate Division Financial Aid Officer, Omar Faustino-Carreon at omar.faustino-carreon@ucr.edu and 951-827-5174.

Who can I contact for more information about the UC Native American Opportunity Plan

Students may contact the UCR Graduate Division Financial Aid Officer, Omar Faustino-Carreon at omar.faustino-carreon@ucr.edu and 951-827-5174.

Are students required to maintain full-time enrollment to remain eligible for NAOP funding?

No. As long as a student is enrolled at least half time as defined by the campus for their degree program, they maintain eligibility for the funding. The NAOP award may be reduced to match the tuition and student services fees.

Do graduate students need to complete a FAFSA/CADAA to receive NAOP funding?

No. NAOP funding will still be awarded to the student if they do not have a FAFSA/CADAA on file. Students can submit a FAFSA/CADAA if they want to be considered for loans.