It is important that you carefully consider the total financing of your education, from your opening term at UC Berkeley to completing your degree. If financial help will be needed beyond the funds that you or your family can provide, you should make the necessary applications for financial assistance well in advance of enrollment.
You should pay particular attention to early deadlines for application for grants, scholarships, Work-Study, and Loans. While the needs and resources of each student differ, the University can provide a general list of tuition and fees and expenses normally encountered.
Note: Fees are subject to change without notice.
Part of your tuition and fees may be refunded if you cancel your registration before the first day of instruction or withdraw before the beginning of the sixth week of classes of any semester. If you are enrolled in classes and/or have paid fees, and you do not plan on attending that term, you must take action; for more details, see the Registrar's website.
Please note that the cost of attending the University varies according to individual circumstances. The expenses listed in this Guide are approximate costs for the nine-month academic year and should be used only as a guideline.
Please refer to the tabbed information on this page, or visit the Financial Aid website for more information.
Tuition & Fees
Required Tuition and Fees: Current Fee Schedule
Visit the Office of the Registrar’s website for current fee information. All tuition and fees are subject to change.
Paying Tuition and Registration Fees
Use CalCentral My Finances for billing activities, including viewing new charges, account balances, transaction history, and paying your bills.
Tuition and Fee Payment Plan
Eligible students will have the option to sign up for the “Tuition and Fee Payment Plan” (FPP), formerly known as Deferred Payment Plan. Through FPP, you will be able to pay your fees in five installments; an additional fee will apply.
Financial Aid
Access to a world-class education is life-changing. Students worldwide dream of attending Berkeley for a chance at that opportunity. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO) works with students and their families to make these dreams reality. We support families by helping them identify and obtain scholarships, grants and many other resources readily available. FASO provides critical financial literacy so students can seize their future, and worry less about how to pay for college expenses. Confidence through financial literacy allows students to focus more on obtaining an excellent education rather than worrying about how to pay for that education.
Through strategic partnerships and rigorous planning, our dedicated team:
- Counsels students and their families on empowering options to manage their financial wellness.
- Provides funding: grants, scholarships, research stipends, work-study, and loans.
- Advocates on behalf of students at the campus, state, and federal level.
- Recruits, retains, and graduates students, paving the way for success.
- Encourages community with alumni and donors to give the gift of access to the next generation of students.
To see what’s new and access detailed information about the various types of financial aid available at Berkeley, please visit our Financial Aid and Scholarships Office website.
Students may apply for financial aid by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or if a Dream Act student, by submitting a California Dream Act Application (CADAA). The priority deadline for applying is March 2.
Financial aid is granted on the basis of financial need. (Some exceptions are: fellowships, honorary scholarships, teaching and research appointments, and prizes.) Financial need is the difference between your cost of attendance for the academic year and the amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward those costs. Prizes are determined through competitive processes or in recognition of an outstanding ability in some area of creative/ scholarly endeavor. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic performance and financial need. For a detailed walkthrough of understanding the cost of attending Berkeley, please view our Cost and Awards video.
Typically, funding for graduate students derives from sources outside of the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. Additionally, fellowships are awarded through the Graduate Division, 318 Sproul Hall.
Reserve Officers Training Corps
The University of California, as a land-grant institution established by the Morrill Act of 1862, offers courses and programs in military training. This training is voluntary and affords you the opportunity to qualify for a commission as an officer in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps while completing your college education. Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) courses are offered by three departments: Aerospace Studies (Air Force), Military Science (Army), and Naval Science (Navy and Marine Corps). Scholarship programs are available; they carry a monthly stipend and pay for tuition, books, and most fees for qualified students. Individual programs are described under Military Officers Education Program in the Courses and Curricula section of this Guide.
Veterans’ Educational Benefits
UC Berkeley’s Veteran Services unit in the Office of the Registrar provides veterans and their dependents the information and assistance required to seamlessly receive veterans’ educational benefits while pursuing their academic careers at Berkeley.
The Veteran Services unit serves as a liaison between the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and UC Berkeley students that are using federal veterans’ educational benefits. We also assist students eligible for the California Department of Veterans Affairs College Fee Waiver (Cal Vet) program.
The Veteran Benefits unit in the Office of the Registrar also serves as the liaison between the University and the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is responsible for oversight and approval of California institutions offering education programs that elect to participate in GI Bill education and training. The VA publishes approved institutions and programs on their Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS). Applications for approval/renewal of programs are submitted to the VA annually in June for the next academic year beginning in August. Complete program and course information must be published in the Berkeley Academic Guide when it’s first released in June to be considered for approval by the VA.
University policy permits individuals covered under chapter 31 or 33 of Title 38 U.S.C. to participate in their course of education after submission of: 1) a certificate of eligibility for assistance under chapter 31 or 33 of Title 38 U.S.C.; 2) a written request to use such entitlement; and 3) the information necessary to submit a certification of enrollment on VA-ONCE. The University imposes no penalties on covered individuals due to the late disbursement of payments under chapter 31 or 33 of Title 38 U.S.C. All late fees are waived for covered individuals and no requirement to borrow additional funds is imposed. Additionally, covered individuals are granted full access to classes, libraries, and all other University facilities and services while disbursement of payments under chapter 31 or 33 of Title 38 U.S.C. is pending.
If you have questions regarding Veterans Educational benefits, please visit or contact Veteran Services at:
Office of the Registrar
123 Sproul Hall #5404
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720
Fax: 510-643-4222
Phone: 510-642-1592
Email: veteransbenefits@berkeley.edu
Cal Veteran Services Center
The Cal Veteran Services Center, located at 102 Hearst Gym, is a great resource for veterans seeking academic counseling, admissions help, assistance regarding financial aid, or a place to socialize or study with other veteran and dependent students. The Cal Veteran Services Center can be reached by phone at 510-642-0083, or by email at cvsc@berkeley.edu.
Fellowships, Graduate Scholarships, and Academic Appointments for Graduate Students
Numerous programs — from fellowships, grants-in-aid, and loans to assistantships, subsidized housing, and child care programs — can help students reduce the costs of graduate school. Some programs are need-based and are administered through the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. Others are merit-based and are administered through the Graduate Fellowships Office and the academic departments. For detailed information, consult the Graduate Application for Admission or the Graduate Fellowships Office.
Fellowships and Graduate Scholarships
Applications for University fellowships and graduate scholarships are considered only once a year as part of the admission process. Awards are made for the academic year beginning with the fall semester. U.S. citizens and permanent residents should complete the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) for determination of financial need.
Fellowship Application Procedure
Students applying for admission/fellowship, must file the Graduate Application for Admission, according to instructions included in the application.
Students applying for admission for the spring semester must contact the academic department.
Continuing or returning graduate students at Berkeley may obtain the necessary fellowship application materials from the department or graduate group. For a list of funding opportunities throughout the year, visit the Graduate Fellowships website.
The fellowship application deadlines for new students range from early December to late January, depending on the department; see the Graduate Application for Admission for deadlines. Continuing students should consult their departments about departmental funding application processes and deadlines.
Announcement of Awards
University Awards are announced by March 1 and must be accepted or declined, in writing, by April 15.
Fellowship Supplementation
Recipients of full Graduate Division-administered fellowships (i.e., fellowships that pay fees and a stipend for a full year) are limited to working, on average, no more than 25% time (25% each semester or 50% in one semester). There is no work restriction during the summer term.
Fellowship opportunities are announced monthly in GradNews, the online newsletter of the Graduate Division. All continuing graduate students receive GradNews each month; others may sign up for GradNews by sending an email to gradpub@berkeley.edu with "GradNews mailing list" in the subject line.
Office for Graduate Diversity
The Office for Graduate Diversity provides active support to students historically underrepresented in graduate education, through a number of services:
- Outreach visits throughout the country
- Academic advising/mentoring throughout the student’s academic career
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Advice on applying to graduate school
- Monthly seminars on professional development
- Career advice/planning
- Networking opportunities on campus
Underrepresented students will find social and academic support in numerous student organizations on campus, such as those listed on the Graduate Minority Students’ Project website. In addition, the University maintains discipline-based student diversity programs in engineering, the humanities, public health, and the biological, physical, and social sciences. For information regarding opportunities and support on behalf of diversity, contact the Office for Graduate Diversity, 327 Sproul, #5900; 510-642-7294 or see grad.diversity@berkeley.edu.
Graduate Student Academic Appointments
Academic appointments are an important source of financial support and pedagogical development for Berkeley graduate students. Their availability varies from department to department. As part of an offer of admission, departments may propose a combination of teaching and research appointments as part of a financial support package. Other departments may expect graduate students to arrange for appointments once they have been admitted. Some departments have a teaching requirement as part of their academic program. Admitted students should clarify with their department's opportunities and obligations regarding academic appointments.
Graduate students appointed by the University to most academic titles must meet minimum academic requirements, such as a minimum GPA and a limit on incomplete grades, and be registered and enrolled in at least 12 units per semester. Most graduate student academic appointments are eligible for tuition and fee remissions in addition to a salary. For more information on eligibility requirements and the availability of appointments, students should contact the department for which they wish to work.
Graduate students are restricted to working no more than half time regardless of the positions they hold. To ensure proper academic progress, the University limits appointments during the academic year to half time but allows for exceptions up to 75% to be made by the student’s Head Graduate Advisor. Appointments of 76% or more require approval of the Dean of the Graduate Division. Summer appointments may be full time.
Graduate student instructors (GSIs), acting instructors (AI-GS), readers, tutors, nursery school assistants, and community teaching fellows are covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the United Automobile Workers (UAW). Under the language of the contract, students hired in those titles are referred to as ASEs (academic student employees), an acronym used in the contract and in some campus communications. ASEs should familiarize themselves with the contract; see the Labor Relations website. Information on anticipated appointments for the next academic year can be found on the Labor Relations website.
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS
Many departments make GSI positions available to qualified graduate students. GSIs must be registered full-time students and are limited to working half-time or less. They are chosen for scholarly achievement and promise as teachers, and they serve under active supervision of the regular faculty. Some departments require their students to complete a specified minimum period of teaching as part of their PhD programs.
Graduate students who do not speak English as a native language and do not hold a bachelor’s degree from an institution in the United States must pass a test of spoken English before they can be appointed as graduate student instructors. For students who have taken the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT), the speaking section score will be used to determine proficiency. Students who have not taken the TOEFL iBT, and who need to demonstrate oral English proficiency, should take the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) at Berkeley.
For further information on the Language Proficiency Program (testing and courses), visit the GSI Teaching and Resource Center website.
RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS
Qualified registered full-time graduate students may seek a research appointment in the departments, centers, and institutes of the University. Graduate student researchers (GSRs) perform research broadly related to their degree programs in an academic department or research unit under the direction of a faculty member or authorized principal investigator. The duration and extent of such an appointment may vary. Students should apply directly to the department, center, or institute in which they wish to work.
STIPENDS AND TUITION AND FEE REMISSIONS
Graduate stipends are not subject to U.S. income tax deductions but are taxable income. For teaching appointments, salary is typically paid in five equal installments per semester. Many appointments carry the benefit of tuition and fee remission, which offsets either a portion or all of assessed tuition and fees. Students should check with their department to determine specific eligibility, and review the basic requirements in the Fee Remission Bulletin.
More information about being a graduate student instructor, graduate student researcher, reader, or tutor is available from the Graduate Services Appointment Guide.
Student Budgets
Undergraduate Student Budgets 2020–21
Our 2020–21 Cost of Attendance, or budgets, are available online for all students. Your budget is the estimated average and reasonable cost of completing an academic year at UC Berkeley based on your living arrangement. Your budget serves as the foundation for determining your financial need as well as the amount of qualified aid that can be offered to you (this includes grants and scholarships amounts). Cost of Attendance figures are established through student surveys, other research, and may include the following components:
- Tuition and fees (assuming full-time attendance)
- Books and supplies
- Room and board
- Personal costs
- Transportation
- Health insurance (this amount may be waived if you can demonstrate equivalent coverage)
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office may adjust the cost of attendance for students on a case-by-case basis to address individual circumstances.
Given the rapid changes due to COVID-19, we understand that your family’s financial picture may have changed. We’re always mindful of your future, so when financial circumstances become a roadblock to your family’s ability to pay for school, we’re ready to help you find another path. If your family’s current income becomes substantially less than what’s reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA), or if your family is experiencing extenuating financial circumstances, you can submit an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Appeal and we’ll work with you to get you back on course.
To better understand whether or not you should appeal, review our video walkthrough for EFC appeals.
The Student Budget is subject to change. For the most up-to-date budgets, please visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office website.
Please note: UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Information is subject to change.
Undergraduate Residence Halls |
|
|---|---|
| Direct Costs Charged by UC Berkeley | |
| Tuition & Fees | $14,254 |
|
Room and Board |
$17,952* |
| Student Health Insurance Plan | $3,536 |
|
Total Direct Costs |
$35,742 |
| Other Estimated Costs | |
| Food | $1,470 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,094 |
| Personal | $1,792 |
| Transportation | $594 |
| Total Cost of Attendance | $40,692* |
|
*Students living in Bowles Hall add $3,948. New undergraduate students entering in fall 2020 or spring 2021 add $380 for housing during orientation, if you plan on living in a residence hall or university apartment in the fall term. |
|
| Optional Student Health Insurance Plan: can be waived with proof of insurance that us equivalent to SHIP or better. | |
|
Nonresidents of California: Add $29,754 in Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and Fees |
|
| The amount of grants and scholarships awarded are subject to change and may be prorated based on a student's actual budget type, i.e. residence hall versus off-campus apartment. UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Some or all instruction for all or part of Academic Year 2020-2021 may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Information is subject to change |
Undergraduate On-Campus Apartment |
|
|---|---|
| Direct Costs Charged by UC Berkeley | |
| Tuition & Fees | $14,254 |
| Room and Board* | $14,274 |
| Student Health Insurance Plan | $3,536 |
| Total Direct Costs | $32,064 |
| Other Estimated Costs | |
| Food | $3,568 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,094 |
| Personal | $1,792 |
| Transportation | $594 |
| Total Cost of Attendance | $39,112 |
|
Optional Student Health Insurance Plan: can be waived with proof of insurance that is equivalent to SHIP or better. |
|
|
Nonresidents of California: Add $29,754 in Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and Fees |
|
| The amount of grants and scholarships awarded are subject to change and may be prorated based on a student's actual budget type, i.e. residence hall versus off-campus apartment. UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Some or all instruction for all or part of Academic Year 2020-2021 may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Information is subject to change |
Undergraduate Off-Campus |
|
|---|---|
| Direct Costs Charged by UC Berkeley | |
| Tuition & Fees | $14,254 |
| Student Health Insurance Plan | $3,536 |
| Total Direct Costs | $17,790 |
| Other Estimated Costs | |
| Housing & Utilities | $10,868 |
| Food | $4,158 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,094 |
| Personal | $1,738 |
| Transportation | $864 |
| Total Cost of Attendance | $36,512 |
|
Optional Student Health Insurance Plan: can be waived with proof of insurance that is equivalent to SHIP or better. |
|
|
Nonresidents of California: Add $29,754 in Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and Fees |
|
| The amount of grants and scholarships awarded are subject to change and may be prorated based on a student's actual budget type, i.e. residence hall versus off-campus apartment. UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Some or all instruction for all or part of Academic Year 2020-2021 may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Information is subject to change. |
Undergraduate Commuter (living with relatives) |
|
|---|---|
| Direct Costs Charged by UC Berkeley | |
| Tuition & Fees | $14,254 |
| Student Health Insurance Plan | $3,536 |
| Total Direct Costs | $17,790 |
| Other Estimated Costs | |
| Housing & Utilities | $2,704 |
| Food | $3,362 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,094 |
| Personal | $2,088 |
| Transportation | $1,750 |
| Total Cost of Attendance | $28,788 |
|
Optional Student Health Insurance Plan: can be waived with proof of insurance that is equivalent to SHIP or better. |
|
|
Nonresidents of California: Add $29,754 in Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and Fees |
|
| The amount of grants and scholarships awarded are subject to change and may be prorated based on a student's actual budget type, i.e. residence hall versus off-campus apartment. UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Some or all instruction for all or part of Academic Year 2020-2021 may be delivered remotely. Tuition and mandatory fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Information is subject to change. |
Graduate Student Budgets 2020–21
The Cost of Attendance, or budgets, are available online for all students. Your budget is the estimated average and reasonable cost of completing an academic year at UC Berkeley. Your budget serves as the foundation for determining your financial need as well as the amount of qualified aid that can be offered to you. This includes fellowships, block grants, fee remissions, outside scholarships, etc. Cost-of-attendance figures are established through student surveys, other research, and may include the following components:
-
Tuition and fees (assuming full-time attendance)
-
Books and supplies
-
Room and board
-
Personal costs
-
Transportation
-
Health insurance
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office only awards federal loan and work-study to graduate students. We may adjust the cost of attendance for students on a case-by-case basis to address individual circumstances.
Student Budgets are subject to change. For the most up-to-date budgets, please visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office website.
Please note: UC Berkeley reserves the right to adjust awards to correct any awarding errors. Changes to qualifying information or revisions of federal, state, or institutional policy may result in updates to aid eligibility and adjustments of financial aid awards. Information is subject to change.