Tuition, Fees & Financial Aid

Tuition, Fees and Student Budgets

For up-to-date tuition and fees, visit the UC Berkeley Registrar websitePlease note that the fees 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.  

  • Social Welfare doctoral students are assessed UC Berkeley Graduate Academic Fees. 

  • 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.

For annual estimates of the total cost of attending Berkeley, including average living expenses, please see Cost of Attendance & Student Budgets  (Financial Aid and Scholarships Office).

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).

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 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).

Student Billing and Payment Options

Financing Your Degree

Federal Student Aid: Loans and Work-Study

Financial Support

MSW Workforce Development Training Grants

Professional Development

Specialized Support