Funding your MSW

Tuition and Fees 

Visit the UC Berkeley Registrar website to view the latest fee schedule, which are listed are per semester.

Additionally, the displayed tuition and fees reflect those of the current academic year and will be finalized for the following year closer to the start of the academic year, typically by early summer. You can learn more about student fees by visiting the Student Fees Explained website

Social Welfare master's students are assessed UC Berkeley Graduate Professional Fees, which include Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) and student health insurance fees. Master's students enrolled in a concurrent degree program are assessed the higher of the PDST in effect for each program.

Social Welfare Graduate Student Funding

Most Social Welfare departmental graduate student funding is typically offered and awarded at the time of admission. To be considered, all applicants must submit a Graduate Application for Admission by the published deadline each year. A separate funding application is not required.

Continuing students automatically receive notifications about any additional or new opportunities for financial support, and any eligibility or application requirements, as they become known.

Departmental student funding support is generally intended to subsidize the cost of graduate school and does not typically cover the entire cost of attendance.

Funding Resources to Get You to The Finish

Opportunities outside of UCB Social Welfare that students may apply to.

Options for UCB Graduate Students

Student Budgets (Cost of Attendance) & Economic Hardship Appeal

Understanding the Cost of Attendance (CoA) & Student Budgets (Financial Aid and Scholarships Office)(link is external) is essential. The CoA determines your financial need as well as the amount of qualified aid, including grants and scholarships, that can be offered to you. Graduate Student Budget (Professional)(link is external) is applied to Social Welfare master's students. Students with additional expenses that are higher that the standard buget (e.g., childcare, medical, or transportation expenses) can request a cost of attendance adjustment(link is external). 

Students with special circumstances that impact your ability to contribute can request an Economic Harship Appeal(link is external) for reconsideration of their eligibility for financial aid. 

Note that while the CoA adjustment and hardship options expand the opportunity for aid, any changes to your financial aid awards will be contingent on the type of funds available, eligibility policies, and regulations. Adjustments typically result in increases to loan or work-study eligibility.

Residency for Tuition Purposes

Graduate students (U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and some eligible nonimmigrants) who enter UC Berkeley as nonresidents and who establish residency for the required year may be eligible to apply to be classified as residents for tuition purposes within one year after their arrival. These students then receive the benefit of paying at the lower resident rate. International students with F-1 or J-1 visas/nonimmigrant status are not eligible to establish residency.

For eligibility requirements and application instructions please visit Residency for Tuition Purposes (Office of the Registrar).(link is external)

Student Health Insurance Fees

As a condition of enrollment all registered students at the University of California are required to meet the university’s health insurance mandate. Registered UC Berkeley graduate students are automatically enrolled in the Berkeley Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and assessed required fees for health insurance coverage as a way to meet this mandate. Graduate Student Budgets(link is external) include the cost of required health insurance coverage. You may be eligible to waive enrollment in SHIP and not pay the mandatory health insurance fee if you already have comparable insurance coverage that satisfies the University's requirement.

For more information regarding SHIP and SHIP waivers, please visit University Health Services - Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP).(link is external)

Fast Facts

  • The Council on Social Work Education reports approx. 76% of MSW graduates in nationally-accredited programs graduate with student loan debt (CSWE, 2021). The amount of Berkeley MSW students who graduate with debt is significantly lower at 56% and with approx. 10% of median salary in debt at the time of graduation.
  • An ASUC vote in 2025 elections approved unlimited fare-free public transits for all UC Berkeley students (including AC Transit, BART, Muni, Caltrain, and more! Read more.
  • UC Berkeley students have access to software licenses to use Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, and more! 

Resources

Student Billing and Payment Options

Federal Student Aid: Loans and Work-Study

MSW Workforce Development Training Grants

Professional Development

Specialized Support