Finances

(Fees and non-resident tuition are subject to change at any time)

Students from outside California, who are citizens or Permanent Residents of the US should attain California residency status by the end of their first year in California; this will significantly reduce the cost of graduate work for the second year and beyond. Fees and tuition are set by the Regents of California and are subject to change. (June 2011 figures)

International students are assessed non-resident tuition (as well as registration fees) each semester at the full rate until advancing to PhD candidacy unless they have a fellowship or employment that covers or remits tuition and/or fees for the semester. Once they advance to PhD candidacy, international students are eligible for a 100% reduction in non-resident tuition for three consecutive years from the advancement date, whether registered or not. Any such student who continues to register after the grace period will be charged the full non-resident tuition rate effective at the time. Advancement does not reduce in-state fees.

Budget Requirement for Visa Documents: U.S. Federal regulations require that international students be able to demonstrate sufficient financial support for their studies in the U.S. before a student visa (F or J) may be issued for entry into the U.S. After being admitted to the University, you will be informed of your required minimum annual budget for visa purposes and must be prepared to document financial resources equal to or greater than this budget. (This process is not part of the application for admission.) Further information about finances and international students can be obtained at: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/prospective/index.shtml (click on Cost and Fees under "Financing a Berkeley Education”). Information about visa requirements can be obtained from The Berkeley International Office, International House, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-2321, or by e-mail ( InternationalOffice@berkeley.edu ).

COST OF LIVING: periodically check  http://students.berkeley.edu/finaid/home/cost.htm
for updated cost of living figures for 2012-2013

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
(Continued support after the first year is contingent upon satisfactory progress as assessed yearly by the department)

Applicants for admission: To be eligible for fellowship consideration domestic and international applicants must complete the fellowship section(s) of the online Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships. In addition, domestic applicants for whom the study of a specific language is critical to their academic field of study are urged to complete the section on Foreign Language and Area Studies awards. The entire application is due by the December deadline. Domestic students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March prior to fall entry (if applying for loans) otherwise they must file a FAFSA by June 30*. The FAFSA is available at financial aid offices at colleges and at high schools or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov Students are also urged to apply for extramural fellowships for which they are eligible.

Entering students are offered a history department funding package, which includes tuition, registration fees and a living allowance in the form of graduate student employment and/or stipend. Health insurance is covered by the registration fees. Student appointments are made by the head graduate adviser and although s/he tries to appoint students to courses within their first or second fields of study, the needs of the department do not allow us to guarantee such appointments. Continued fellowship support from year to year is contingent upon timely and adequate progress through the program.  One of the years in our five-year package is in the form of either a Doctoral Completion Fellowship (DCF) – for those who entered 2010 and after, or a Dean's Normative Time Fellowship – for those who entered prior to 2010. The DCF/DNTF is to be used for the research year, and it includes registration fees with health insurance, and stipend. It does not include non-resident tuition. It is awarded only if the student advances to candidacy by the expected time for their field (see Normative Time to Degree page 11). All guaranteed support years must be completed by the end of the fifth year. One full fellowship only.  If you subsequently receive an offer of another award (e.g., a University or extramural fellowship) please notify the department immediately. The department's expectation is that you will accept the other award in full because it helps us to fund more students. The history department may withdraw or modify our offer, but please be assured that your total funding package (tuition, fees, and stipend/salary) will not fall below the level of the department's original offer.

Continuing students (already in our program)   should continue to apply for non-departmental fellowships (university and extramural) (e.g., continuing FLAS, NSF). The Department is able to offer five-year packages to all of our admittees based on the expectation that a certain percentage of our students will obtain outside awards after the first year. Three benefits of obtaining an outside fellowship are: (1) the prestige of an outside award can enhance a student’s curriculum vitae for the job market; (2) having an outside award could reduce your department work obligation and allow you to concentrate on coursework, because many outside fellowships restrict the amount the awardee can work while on their fellowship; and (3)students successful in obtaining outside grants for their research year (e.g. Fulbright, SSRC, DAAD) can postpone use of the Doctoral Completion Fellowship (or the Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship) to a later year. One full fellowship only.  If you receive a non-departmental award (e.g., a University or extramural fellowship) please notify the department immediately. The department's expectation is that you will accept the other award in full. The history department may withdraw or modify our offer, but please be assured that your total funding package (tuition, fees, and stipend/salary) will not fall below the level of the department's original offer.  The only year of support that can possibly be deferred is the DCF/DNTF year.  After Year Five students have opportunities to apply competitively for additional GSI and Reader appointments and a competitive dissertation write-up award.The Supplemental Funds program will continue to be available to students who entered 2010 and prior. It has been discontinued for cohorts 2011 and thereafter.

FUNDING AND CHANGE-OF-MAJOR APPLICANTS You are a change-of major applicant if you were ever in another Berkeley graduate program prior to entering the history program. Change-of-majors are not eligible for university fellowships designated for students entering Berkeley for the first time. Exceptions: 1) MA-only students from Folklore, Asian Studies, and Range Management who are completing their MA in these fields in May prior to fall entry are eligible to compete with first-year students for University multi-year fellowships. 2) currently-enrolled change-of-majors can apply for a one year FLAS, but they must apply as a continuing student in their department of origin and adhere to the FLAS deadline for continuing students. Change-of-majors are considered for our five-year departmental fellowship along with other entering students; however, one complexity might affect your eligibility to receive the DCF/DNTF for your research year: the University will count all semesters spent previously as a Berkeley graduate student (registered or withdrawn) towards normative time in our program. If you feel that your normative time clock should be reassessed, you must petition the Graduate Division soon after you enter our program. Remember that your eligibility for DCF/DNTF (included in our package for the research year) is dependent upon your advancing to candidacy within normative time as decided by Graduate Division. Change of major students who are unsuccessful in getting a roll back and who cannot meet an accelerated DCF/DNTF deadline should be prepared to apply for alternative sources of funding for their research year.

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LIST OF FUNDING SOURCES
(Continued support after the first year is contingent upon satisfactory progress as assessed yearly by the department)

FELLOWSHIPS
HISTORY DEPARTMENTAL FELLOWSHIPS Starting with the Fall 2007 entering cohort the department has offered entering students a five-year funding package, which includes tuition, registration fees and a living allowance in the form of graduate student employment and/or stipend. Health insurance is covered by the registration fees. (See more details under Financial Support page 14). To be eligible for a fellowship the entering applicant must complete the fellowship section(s) of the online Graduate Application for Admissions and Fellowships. After the five-years of support, these students can apply competitively for a limited number of student appointments and a departmental write-up grant (stipend and fees) in the final year. Students eligible for in absentia status while on a department write-up grant are expected to apply for in absentia status through the Graduate Division. (See bottom of page 11.)

UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIPS Entering students are considered for university fellowships based on completion of the fellowship section(s) in the Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships and nomination by the department during the admissions review process. If a nomination is successful, the University award will replace and in some cases augment the department fellowship.  After the first year, as appropriate to their year of study continuing students may apply for (1) continuing Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships; (2) the one-time Doctoral Completion Fellowship (DCF)( if you entered 2010 and after), or the Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship (DNTF) (if you entered prior to 2010). The DCF/DNTF is awarded only to students who pass the orals and advance to PhD candidacy by the prescribed time for their field; (3) various university fellowships (e.g., Graduate Division Summer Grant, Conference Travel Grant, Mentored Research Award, and UC Dissertation Year Fellowship).

EXTRAMURAL FELLOWSHIPS All students (entering and continuing) are encouraged to apply for extramural fellowships for which are eligible. Examples of extramural fellowships are the Javits ( for entering and first-year students) the National Science Foundation fellowship, Institute of International Education Grants Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Competition [DAAD], and others). Continuing students may obtain information and application forms at the Graduate Division Fellowship Office (318 Sproul) for a number of extramural awards.
 

GRADUATE STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

FEE REMISSION By union contract, students employed as Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs), Readers, and Graduate Student Researcher (GSRs) are currently eligible to receive, in the semester of employment, a 95% reduction (estimated) of their registration fees, if their appointment is for the entire semester and at a 25% time minimum. (Note that most GSR positions in History are less than 25% time and some readerships may be less than 25% time, and will not come with a fee remission.)

Students employed as GSIs, Readers, or GSRs must complete registration by the end of the 3rd week of the semester or they will lose their eligibility for the fee remission.

GRADUATE STUDENT INSTRUCTORSHIPS (GSIships). Academic requirements: GSI’s must have at least an overall 3.1 gpa, at least a 3.5 gpa in graduate history courses, and no more than two incompletes. Applications for GSI appointments are available in the Graduate Assistant’s Office during the fall semester and must be submitted by February 1 for consideration for appointments in the summer and the following academic year. Assignments for summer (which are few in number), fall, and spring are announced in mid-April (unless otherwise noted). A new application is required for each hiring cycle. Students are not appointed to teach in their first year; and any graduate student with more than two outstanding “Incompletes” is not eligible for an appointment. Fellowship recipients who receive a stipend of $16,000 or more are limited to 25% time employment for the year or 50% time for one semester during the year of their fellowship. (See exception (*) regarding employment while on DNTF or DCF.) GSI appointments are normally 50% time per semester and come with a partial fee remission. GSI's must remember to pay at least 20% of their registration fees and enroll in 12 units by the end of the 3rd week of the semester to keep their eligibility for the fee remission. All new GSIs must successfully complete the online short course, GSI Professional Standards and Ethics, and they are expected to attend a campus orientation. In addition, all new GSIs are required to enroll in a 300-level pedagogy course.

Appointments to teach R1B, History 101or 103 are normally assigned to more advanced students; GSIs appointed to teach History 103 must be advanced to doctoral candidacy.

GSIs must see our Payroll Analyst to complete payroll paperwork before beginning their appointment.

English proficiency examination Students who do not speak English as a native language and do not hold a Bachelor's degree from an institution in the United States must demonstrate oral English proficiency to be appointed as a GSI. In those countries where the TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) is administered, English language proficiency is determined by the speaking section score of the TOEFL iBT. In those countries where the TOEFL iBT is not available, students can demonstrate their proficiency by taking and passing the Test of Spoken English (TSE) before enrolling in Berkeley or the SPEAK test offered on the Berkeley campus. University policy calls for completion of the oral English proficiency screening requirement before the GSI appointment can be made.

Find out how you can satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirement by taking an eligibility quiz at http://gsi.berkeley.edu/lpp/lppeval/index.html

READERSHIPS Academic requirements: Readers must have at least an overall 3.1 gpa, at least a 3.5 gpa in graduate history courses, and no more than two incompletes. Readers grade examinations and papers in large undergraduate lecture courses. They also hold office hours to discuss students' work and attend the lectures for the course. Readers are appointed in history for courses that enroll a minimum of 30 students by the end of the first week. Readers are eligible for a partial fee remission if their appointment is at a minimum of 25% (i.e., they are responsible for 35 students or more), and they have paid at least 20% of their fees and have enrolled in 12 units. Fellowship recipients who receive a stipend of $16,000 or more are limited to 25% time employment for the year or 50% time for one semester during the year of their fellowship. (See exception (*) regarding employment while on DNTF or DCF.) Interested students complete a department readership application. Readers must see our Payroll Analyst to complete payroll paperwork before beginning their appointment.

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS (GSRships). Academic requirements: GSRs must have at least an overall 3.1 gpa, at least a 3.5 gpa in graduate history courses, and no more than two incompletes. A Graduate Student Research Assistant does research under the direction of a faculty member. The Graduate Division requires that all GSRs be registered. Interested students should contact the faculty member for whom they wish to do research to find out if a research assistant is needed. There is no formal application and there are few positions. Fellowship recipients who receive a stipend of $16,000 or more are limited to 25% time employment for the year or 50% time for one semester during the year of their fellowship. (See exception (*) regarding employment while on DNTF or DCF.) GSRs with a minimum 25% time appointment for the semester are eligible for a partial fee remission, but they must pay at least 20% of their fees and enroll in 12 units by the end of the 3rd week of the semester to keep their eligibility. Note that most appointments in History are below 25%. GSRs must see our Payroll Analyst to complete payroll paperwork before beginning their appointment.

OTHER
FINANCIAL AID OFFICE (FAO) Complete information concerning financial aid programs is contained in the publication Financial Aid Handbook, which may be obtained, along with an application, from the Financial Aid Office in 201 Sproul Hall (510/642-0485). Graduate students may apply for university grants in aid, educational fee grants, National Direct Student Loans, work study program, and other aid programs. Applications must be returned to the Financial Aid Office by March 2nd (double check the date!) Applicants for financial aid must report to the Financial Aid Office any sources of income (e.g. fellowships, employment) that had not already been reported on the FAFSA. Failure to report income in a timely way may result in an unexpected reduction in your financial aid offer. The majority of aid dispensed by the Financial Aid Office financial aid is in the form of loans, though occasionally small grants and work-study is a possibility.

GRADUATE STUDENT PARENTS If you have children, you are eligible for various forms of aid from the Graduate Division – above and beyond any Department fellowship – to help support your family. One of the most important is a “Parent Grant” which provides up to $8,000 of additional stipend per academic year for child support. There is also subsidized Family Student Housing and Day Care. For more information and deadlines see, http://grad.berkeley.edu/financial/student_family.shtml  Other Graduate Division resources, including Childbirth Accommodation Funding, and guides to local resources may be found at, http://grad.berkeley.edu/life/families.shtml
 

TAX CREDIT INFORMATION  If you are a US resident for tax purposes, you may be eligible to claim a tax credit on your federal tax return if you paid qualified educational expenses to the University of California. The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 provides educational tax incentives for eligible taxpayers. These benefits, called the American Opportunity (Hope) Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, allow taxpayers to reduce their federal income tax based upon qualified tuition and fees paid, assuming the taxpayer meets all eligibility requirements. The determination as to whether you qualify for tax credits should be made in consultation with your personal tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service. The University of California cannot give you tax advice or make a determination as to whether you qualify for tax credits. The 1098-T form is used by eligible educational institutions to report information about their US resident students to the IRS as required by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. UC Berkeley reports certain enrollment and identifying information regarding US resident students for which UC Berkeley has received payments of "qualified education expenses" for the corresponding tax year. Included in the 1098-T form are qualified charges that were billed and financial assistance received for the corresponding tax year. Loans are excluded and not reported on the 1098-T form. Educational institutions are not required to provide 1098-T forms to students who are non-resident aliens for tax purposes. As a result, you may not receive a 1098-T form from UC Berkeley if you are a non-resident alien student. The University of California contracted with Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) to provide Tax Credit Reporting Services (TCRS). In addition to mailing 1098-T forms on behalf of UC Berkeley, TCRS hosts the TCRS web site and provides toll-free customer support at (877) 467-3821. If you are a US resident for tax purposes and you have qualified education expenses and/or gift aid for the corresponding tax year, you will receive a 1098-T form from TCRS at your permanent address by January 31. Please help us ensure you receive your 1098-T by keeping your permanent address updated with UC Berkeley.