Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

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.

Financing an education is a partnership. We want to help students maximize all of the aid for which they are eligible and ensure that students graduate with the lowest amount of debt possible. 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 May 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 Understanding and Awards & Costs video on the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office’s Current Students portal. 

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.

Veteran's Educational Benefits

UC Berkeley’s Veteran Benefits unit in the Office of the Registrar provides military-connected students the information and assistance required to seamlessly receive veterans’ educational benefits while pursuing their academic careers at Berkeley.

The Veteran Benefits 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 also serves as the liaison between the University and the California State Approving Agency for Veterans Education (CSAAVE), which is responsible for oversight and approval of California institutions offering education programs that elect to participate in veterans’education and training benefits offered by the VA. 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 in the Enrollment Management portal.  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 the Veteran Benefits unit at:

Office of the Registrar
120 Sproul Hall #5404
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720

Phone: 510-643-4222
Fax: 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 Student Funding Office and the academic departments. For additional information, visit the Graduate Fellowships website or the Graduate Fellowships Office.

University Fellowships and Graduate Scholarships

University fellowships are considered only once a year as part of the admission process. Awards are made for the academic year beginning with the fall semester. For a list of funding opportunities throughout the year, visit the Graduate Fellowships website. U.S. citizens and permanent residents should complete the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) for determination of financial need to help the campus identify eligible students for need-based awards.

Continuing students should consult their departments about departmental funding application processes and deadlines.

Office for Graduate Diversity

The Office for Graduate Diversity (OGD) provides outreach, advising, and mentoring support to students historically underrepresented in graduate education, including those who are undocumented, first-generation, or system impacted.  OGD programs include the Diversity & Community Fellows Program, Undocumented Graduate Student Resources, American Indian Graduate Program (AIGP), STEM*FYI Program, Path to the Professoriate Program, and the Inclusive Excellence Hub, a one-of-a-kind collaborative space where underrepresented graduate students can find camaraderie and build multi-disciplinary networks of their peers.  OGD also offers undergraduate programs to support graduate school pathways, including the Getting into Graduate School (GiGS) Program, Firebaugh Scholars Program, and the Inclusive Excellence Summer Research Experience.

In addition, OGD offers a number of student services:

• Holistic academic advising/mentoring throughout the student’s academic career

• Workshops and networking opportunities for graduate students

• Faculty workshops on holistic admissions, departmental climate, and student mentoring

• Seminars on professional development

• Career advice/planning

• Resources on creating anti-racist change in your department

• Connecting students to childcare support and mental health advisors

• Outreach visits throughout the country and online

• Undergraduate research opportunities

• Advice and workshops on preparing for and applying to graduate school

Underrepresented students will also find social and academic support in numerous student organizations on campus, including the First Generation Low Income (FGLI) Grads, Latino Association of Graduate Students in Engineering and Science (LAGSES), Black Graduate Engineering and Science Students Society (BGESS), Gender Equity Center (GenEq), and the American Indian Graduate Student Association.  For a full listing of many more campus organizations, visit the LEAD Center website.  For information regarding opportunities and support on behalf of diversity, contact the Office for Graduate Diversity at grad.diversity@berkeley.edu.

Graduate Student Academic Employment 

Academic employment is an important source of financial support and pedagogical development for Berkeley graduate students. Availability for employment opportunities varies from department to department. As part of an offer of admission, departments may propose a combination of teaching and research employment opportunities as part of a financial support package. Some departments have a teaching requirement as part of their academic program. Admitted students should clarify their department's opportunities and obligations regarding academic employment before accepting their offer of admission.

Graduate students employed 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.  Departments may also post any available positions on our website page for open positions.

Graduate students are restricted to working no more than 50% FTE (half-time), meaning 20 hours a week, 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% FTE, or 30 hours a week, to be made by the student’s Head Graduate Advisor. Summer appointments may be 100% FTE (full-time), or 40 hours a week.

Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs), Acting Instructors (AI-GS), Readers, and Tutors, 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. Graduate student researchers (GSRs) are also covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the United Automobile Workers (UAW).  ASEs and GSRs 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 are also known as Teaching Assistants (TAs).  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, or another country in which English is the sole language of instruction (with the exception of instruction in foreign language departments) and the primary spoken language of the community, 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. A graduate Student Researcher (GSR) is defined as a graduate student who performs research as a condition of receiving compensation from funding generated by the University in an academic department or research unit, provided that the graduate student is performing this funded research under the control of the University and under the specific 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 where they wish to work.

STIPENDS

Graduate stipends are student financial awards that are disbursed to students for different reasons as determined by their department. Stipends are not subject to U.S. income tax deductions but are taxable income. 

TUITION AND FEE REMISSIONS

Many ASE and GSR appointments carry the benefit of tuition and fee remission, which offsets either a portion or all of assessed tuition and fees. The eligibility for this benefit is determined by the collective bargaining agreement (contract) for these two units.  More information about being an ASE and GSR is available from the Graduate Students Academic Appointments Guide.

Cost of Attendance

Undergraduate Cost of Attendance and Student Budgets

Our 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, course materials, equipment and supplies

• Living expenses (food and housing)

• Miscellaneous and 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.

If you or your family has experienced a loss of income or had a financial change and your family’s current income is substantially less than what’s reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA), you can submit an Economic Hardship 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 on the Current Students portal.

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 financial aid offers 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 offers. Information is subject to change.

Graduate Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid

The Cost of Attendance is available online for all students. Your COA  is the estimated average and reasonable cost of completing an academic year at UC Berkeley. The COA 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, and 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 loans 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.