Berkeley Journalism is committed to helping prospective students fund their graduate education sustainably.

 

Changing the face of journalism requires empowering a new generation of diverse, talented voices to tell stories that make an impact.

Through our Campaign for Berkeley Journalism, major donors have pledged significant support to help us reach our $54.4 million goal over the next five years. Their commitment brings us closer to enabling students to graduate debt-free while expanding opportunities for student awards, travel reporting grants, emergency funds, funding for unpaid internships, and more.

This generous support opens doors for current and future students, reducing financial barriers for those who are curious, brave, bold, and are passionately dedicated to pursuing and advancing a career in journalism.

 

Berkeley Journalism Admissions Merit & Need-Based Funding

All applicants who apply by the Round 1 deadline of December 16, 2024 will receive priority consideration for Berkeley Journalism departmental funding. All domestic, undocumented, and international students are considered.

Last year, more than 50 percent of students received some sort of departmental funding, although it varies from year to year and is not guaranteed. Funding packages may range from about $5,000 to fully-funded fellowships.

We encourage all interested candidates to apply regardless of financial means.

Merit-based Funding

As with the application, our review process is holistic. We consider merit in the context of academic opportunities, journalism experience, commitment to the field, relevant skills (both direct and transferable), alignment with our mission, overall journalistic abilities, and reference letters.

Need-based Funding

In order to be considered for need-based funding, students must complete the departmental grant section of the admission application. Additionally, domestic students must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for need-based funding. This is to determine need relative to the greater applicant pool.

Completing FAFSA does not obligate you to take out a loan. However, UC Berkeley’s Financial Aid and Scholarships Office uses FAFSA information to ascertain eligibility for federal and other financial awards.

Additional Berkeley Journalism Departmental Scholarships & Fellowship Opportunities

To be eligible for the scholarships and fellowships listed below, you must submit your completed application by the Round 1 deadline.

Major Fellowship Opportunities

By submitting your Master of Journalism application by the Round 1 deadline, you will automatically be considered for the following fellowships with the Dean's Fellowship requiring an additional application after the deadline. These highly competitive awards are based on merit or a combination of merit and need.

  • The Fiat Lux Fellowship (Established in 2024) - Awarded based on merit.
  • The Jubilee Fellowship (Established in 2024) - Awarded based on merit and need.
  • The Dean's Fellowship (Established in 2021) - Awarded to first-generation students based on merit and need.

Additional Scholarships/Fellowships

To be considered for the additional fellowships listed below, a separate application is required, same as required of the Dean's Fellowship. If you apply by the Round 1 deadline, you’ll receive an invitation in early January from the Berkeley Journalism admissions team to apply.

Reporting on China Fellowship

The Reporting on China Fellowship, established in 2022, is a scholarship of $14,000 annually for two years offered to an incoming Berkeley Journalism student with a demonstrated interest in becoming a journalist specializing in coverage of China. The goal is to ensure journalists covering China gain proficiency in understanding the region's culture, history and languages so they can cover the country in a nuanced way.

Litke Fellowship in International Reporting

The Litke Fellowship in International Reporting, established in 2022, is a $10,000 scholarship offered to an incoming Berkeley Journalism student with a demonstrated interest in becoming a journalist specializing in international reporting in broadcast or visual journalism.

The 11th Hour Food and Farming Journalism Scholarship

The 11th Hour Food and Farming Journalism Scholarship is funded by The 11th Hour Project, a program of The Schmidt Family Foundation. This one-year $10k scholarship is for an incoming Master of Journalism student with an interest in reporting on food systems including agricultural and nutritional policy; food security and hunger; the food industry, food science, technology and culture; rural and urban farming; agriculture and the environment; food and climate change; global trade and supply chains; labor issues in the food sector; consolidation of the food system; and public health as it relates to food and agriculture.

Greater UC Berkeley Campus Resources

UC Berkeley Graduate Division Fellowship and Grants

The Graduate Division offers a comprehensive guide to for funding opportunities. Click here for their guide to fellowships and grants.

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship

The application for the FLAS Fellowship is part of the graduate application under the Languages section.

Students interested in pursuing studies in a foreign language as part of their graduate work at Berkeley may apply for a FLAS Academic Year Fellowship. Visit the FLAS page for information on eligibility and requirements for this competitive university fellowship. This is one of the most comprehensive funding packages.

The deadline to apply is February 10, 2025.

Academic Student Employment

Berkeley offers some of the most competitive compensation and benefits packages among public institutions. We encourage you to explore and apply for options that align with your needs, eligibility, and field of study.

A range of Academic Student Employment (ASE) opportunities is available to current students, many of which include tuition fee remission and a salary for work completed during the semester. Graduate students may apply for the following roles:

  • Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)
  • Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)
  • Reader
  • Tutor

Once admitted to the program, you may apply for these positions, typically beginning in the spring. Availability is based on departmental needs across campus, and positions are posted on the Berkeley People & Culture website. Compensation packages, including tuition fee remission eligibility, vary by department, role, and time commitment.

For more details, please see below:

Additional Funding Resources for International Students

The Berkeley International Office (BIO)

The Berkeley International Office is the one-stop resource for international students. The BIO counselors can answer many questions about the international students’ experience, logistics and resources.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a scholarship that fully funds students who are citizens of any African country. In order to be eligible, you must submit your application for the Master of Journalism by the Round 1 application deadline. Eligible applicants will be invited to apply by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program team to submit a separate application. Of the applicants nominated, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will conduct a separate review process to award (you must also be admitted to Berkeley Journalism to be selected). Gaining admission to Berkeley Journalism is a separate process, and doesn't imply automatic funding.
For questions about eligibility or about the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, please contact their team directly at mcfs.programinfo@berkeley.edu.

External Funding Opportunities

Many organizations offer scholarships for graduate study. Here are some funding opportunities to explore outside of UC Berkeley and the Journalism School. This is a resource guide compiled by Berkeley Journalism to support you in looking for external scholarships. Please make sure to check with the awarding entity to determine application criteria, deadlines, award amounts and more.

Federal Aid - Loans

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Updates to the FAFSA application and impacts for this year:

  • The FAFSA Simplification Act will streamline the process for federal aid applicants, reducing the number of questions on the FAFSA form and providing direct data exchange with the IRS.
  • The California Dream Act Application (CADAA) process will be updated with some of the changes from the new FAFSA that expand eligibility.
  • While financial aid applications will overall become easier for students, a new need-analysis formula will influence student aid.

The FAFSA form will open by December 1, 2024. The CADAA form is also expected to be available in December.

UC Berkeley’s institution code for the FAFSA is 001312.

Please learn more here.

 

 

Tuition & Cost Breakdown

For up-to-date tuition and fees, visit the UC Berkeley Registrar website.

Scroll down on the Registrar’s website to find the Journalism School fee table under the list of professional schools. All fees are listed per semester.

Please note: the displayed tuition and fees reflect those of the current academic year and will be finalized for Fall 2025 closer to the start of the academic year, typically by early summer.

We also encourage you to review the Graduate Student Budget as outlined on the The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office website.

Miscellaneous Costs

There are also anticipated additional miscellaneous costs per semester, some of which are estimated as follows:

  • Transportation for Reporting Classes: $200 - $2,000
  • Documentary Production (for documentary students only): $2,000 - $10,000
  • Equipment Costs: Variable
  • Estimated Loan Fees: $244
  • Course Material Fees (varies by course): $40 - $200

Upon arrival, students should also plan to have a recent, quality Apple laptop, estimated at $1,800 - $3,600.

 

Establishing California Residency

Many out-of-state students begin establishing California residency during their first year at the School in order to be eligible for in-state tuition in their second year. The Legal Residence Office website explains the steps you need to take to establish residency.

Only U.S. citizens are permitted to establish residency for in-state tuition in their second year. International students do not qualify.