Funding Your Ph.D. Education
At the I School, all our Ph.D. students receive funding packages with a minimum of six years of financial support through a combination of fellowships, research positions, and academic student employment. Details of individual funding packages may vary; in order to take full advantage of offered funding, students need to remain in good academic standing and advance to doctoral candidacy in normative time to degree, and may need to meet other funding conditions of specific fellowships or positions.
In the first year, I School Ph.D. students receive fellowship support to cover all tuition and fees, including Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition and the Student Health Insurance Fee, and a stipend for living expenses. For the academic year 2023–2024, the minimum first-year I School Ph.D. student 12-month stipend is $40,000.
After the first year, Ph.D. students are typically funded through graduate student academic appointments or research positions for up to four years (eight semesters). In addition to an hourly wage, students receive fee remission that offsets a portion or all of their tuition and fees. For more information, see Graduate Student Academic Appointments and Fee Remission.
Some students continue their research positions during the summer. The I School also offers limited summer grant opportunities for Ph.D. students who have no other summer funding sources secured.
After Ph.D. students pass their qualifying exam and advance to doctoral candidacy, the Berkeley Doctoral Completion Fellowship (DCF) provides eligible students with one year (two semesters) of tuition remission and a stipend for living expenses. Students are expected to make every effort to meet DCF eligibility conditions in order to take advantage of this funding opportunity.
The University also awards through competition a limited number of merit- and need-based fellowships each year. See University Fellowships for further details.
Tuition
| 2024–2025 Ph.D. Tuition & Fees (per semester) | California Residents | Non-Residents |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $6,381.00 | $6,381.00 |
| Student Services Fee | $627.00 | $627.00 |
| Berkeley Campus Fee | $820.00 | $820.00 |
| Class Pass Fee (Transit) | $105.00 | $105.00 |
| UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) Fee * | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| Instructional Resilience and Enhancement Fee | $130.00 | $130.00 |
| Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) ** | $3,221.00 | $3,221.00 |
| Non-resident Supplemental Tuition | — | $7,551.00 |
| Continuing Student Total (per semester) | $11,287.50 | $18,838.50 |
| Document Management Fee *** | $140.00 | $140.00 |
| New Student Total (first semester only) | $11,427.50 | $18,978.50 |
Tuition and fees listed reflect currently approved amounts; these figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change. Students should expect fees to increase moderately each fall term.
* Students may opt out of the UCGPC fee.
** Students have the option to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) if they have other major medical health insurance that meet the SHIP waiver criteria and don't wish to have dual coverage. For waiver qualifications, instructions, forms, and FAQs, please see Waiving SHIP.
*** The Document Management Fee is a one-time fee charged in the first term of enrollment.
For additional information on the cost of attendance, please visit: Financial Aid and Scholarships Office Cost of Attendance.
Residency
California residents, for purposes of registration, are those who have been legal residents of California for at least one year immediately before the opening day of the semester for which they register. Legal residence is a combination of physical presence and the intention of making the state one’s permanent home, coupled with the relinquishment of legal residence in any other state.
Eligible Ph.D. students are expected to establish California residency for tuition purposes by their second year of the program.
International students with F-1 visas cannot be classified as California residents for tuition purposes.
More Information:
- Residency (for Tuition Purposes)
- How to Apply for Residency (for Tuition Purposes)
- Residency Requirements: Graduate Students
- Immigration
- Exceptions & Exemptions
Financial Aid
Graduate students may apply for need-based loans and work-study through the Financial Aid Office. The programs are based on demonstrated financial need and require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Only U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (those holding permanent resident cards) may apply for funds administered by the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid can include work-study, loans, the Native American Opportunity Plan, and other sources of financial aid.
If you are employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization, you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Learn more here.
Additional Fellowships
In addition to the first-year fellowship and academic student employment, Ph.D. students may supplement their funding by applying for additional internal and external fellowships. Some university restrictions on combining funding opportunities apply; students are encouraged to consult our admissions staff with questions about specific conjunctions of funding.
Fellowships for I School Students
All admitted Ph.D. applicants will automatically be considered for the Hal Varian fellowship.
The I School awards a variety of fellowships to I School students.
List of I School fellowship opportunities
External Fellowships
Students are encouraged to apply for external fellowship opportunities as relevant. Below are several examples of external fellowships that our I School Ph.D. students have successfully obtained:
- Facebook Fellowship
- Fulbright Study/Research Award
- Hertz Fellowship
- Marcus Foster Fellowship
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
- Peter Lyman Fellowship for New Media
- Soros Fellowships for New Americans
- UC Berkeley Mentored Research Award
Grants
Our Ph.D. students have also received grants from the following organizations and centers: