All Social Welfare doctoral students are considered for funding packages and department financial support at the time of application for admission. Separate funding applications are not required.
Newly admitted doctoral students receive funding details from the department at the same time they receive their official admission offer. Continuing students will typically receive annual funding update notices whenever significant changes to the original funding package occur.
For more information on financial support policies, please see the Graduate Division Guide to Graduate Policy > Financial Assistance Policy.
Multi-Year Funding Packages
The Social Welfare PhD Program strives to provide financial support consistent with UC Berkeley Graduate Division’s Multi-Year Funding strategy. While individual funding packages and sources will vary, in most cases Social Welfare doctoral student funding packages will commonly include:
- Coverage of in-state tuition and fees (including health, vision, and dental care benefits) for five years of study.
- Living expense and/or salary support totaling at least $36,000 per year for five years, paid from various sources such as departmental funding, Graduate Student Academic Appointments, departmental research and professional development support awards, and summer awards:
- One year (two semesters) of funding support (no work obligation required).
- Three years (four or six semesters) of salary support from academic student employment as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) or Graduate Student Instructor (GSI).
- One year (two semesters) of support from the Doctoral Completion Fellowship.
Nonresident Supplemental Tuition
Nonresident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) for out-of-state Social Welfare doctoral students will only be covered by the department for the first year. Social Welfare doctoral students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are expected to establish California residency at the end of their first year in California and to maintain residency throughout their studies. For further information about residency classification and instructions on how to establish residency, please visit the Registrar's information page on California Residency for Tuition Purposes.
International students in F-1 or J-1 status are not eligible to establish California residency and are assessed NRST each semester they are enrolled. The department will pay NRST on behalf of international students for the first three years of study only. Upon advancement to candidacy, nonresident doctoral students may be granted a Reduction in Nonresident Tuition by the Berkeley Graduate Division. After the three-year NRST waiver period the student will be charged the full nonresident tuition rate that is in effect at the time.