Financial Support
The Department assists graduate students in financing their graduate work through a combination of fellowships, teaching and research positions, and readerships. The Department annually distributes over four million dollars in graduate student support, including over $500,000 in fellowships awarded to incoming students. Additionally, after their first year in the graduate program, students become eligible for Graduate Student Instructorships (GSIs). Currently, GSIs are given partial fee remission and paid approximately $15,000 for two semesters. Between 90 and 100 such positions are awarded each academic year.
The cost of graduate work at Berkeley for California residents is currently $4,789.25 per semester (educational fees). The cost for non-resident domestic and international students is $12,283.25 per semester ($4,936.25 in educational fees, plus $7,347.00 in non-resident tuition). Students from outside California, who are citizens or Permanent Residents of the US, can establish residency status at the end of their first year in California, significantly reducing the cost of graduate work at the beginning of the second year.
The Department considers Graduate Student Instructorships to be a vital component of its graduate program. In addition to financial support, instructorships offer opportunities for mastery of basic subject matter, invaluable teaching experience and training, and close association with a member of the faculty. Every effort is made to assure each graduate student two semesters of teaching during his or her period of graduate study, and many students have the opportunity to teach more than four semesters while at Berkeley.
Many students also serve as Graduate Student Research Assistants (GSRs) with department faculty or in research units on campus. These positions are arranged directly with faculty and are undertaken, for the most part, by students who have completed their first year in the graduate program. First year students are often employed as readers in large undergraduate courses, helping professors grade student papers and examinations. Readers are compensated on an hourly basis and approximately ten to 20 students serve in that capacity each semester.
In addition to the departmental assistance described above, the University of California offers a wide variety of financial aid programs to help students meet their educational expenses. Among the types of aid offered are loans, work-study awards, grants, and fellowships. The first three of these are based entirely on demonstrated financial need and are administered through the campus Financial Aid Office. To apply, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available in the fall at all universities, colleges, and high schools in the US. Only US citizens and permanent residents may apply for these funds. For further information on loans and work-study, consult the Office of Financial Aid. The Graduate Division also adminsters fellowship support for students from a variety of resources. See the Graduate Fellowships Office for more information about University fellowships. University fellowships are merit-based awards and provide tuition and fees plus a stipend for living expenses for entering graduate students. Competition for these fellowships is held during the admissions cycle each year with the first screening at the departmental level. All applicants are encouraged to apply for fellowship support both through the University and through outside sources.
The department also maintains a list of extramural resources of particular relevance to political science scholars. See Fellowship Resources for ongoing and regularly-updated information.