Costs & Funding

Berkeley Journalism is committed to helping you fund your graduate education sustainably.

All students admitted to the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism will be considered for merit-based funding. We encourage all interested candidates to apply regardless of financial means as Berkeley Journalism is dedicated to raising funds to increase the number of grants and fellowship available to our students. There is a separate need-based funding portion in the Master of Journalism application so we can better understand how to support our students.

Investing In Your Education

Understanding Ways to Fund Your Education Sustainably

 

Berkeley Journalism

Berkeley Journalism Scholarships

All students admitted to the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism will be considered for merit-based funding. In order to be considered for need-based funding, students complete the departmental grant section of the admission application.

While around 40 percent of students receive some sort of departmental funding, it varies from year to year and is not guaranteed. Funding packages may range from about $5,000 to $20,000 per year.

Berkeley Journalism's Reporting on China Fellowship

The Reporting in China Fellowship 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.

A separate application is required after submitting your Master of Journalism application.

Qualifications

• Submitted a Berkeley Journalism application by the application deadline (All students who have applied by the Round 1 deadline (of 12/15/22 8:59 pm PT) will be invited to apply for this fellowship separately by the Berkeley Journalism admissions team.)
• Demonstrated interest in China
• Demonstrated interest in journalism

Greater Good Science Center & Berkeley Journalism 

The fellow will work closely with the GGSC’s staff and faculty, including the editors of its award-winning online magazine, Greater Good. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the GGSC team will orient the fellow to relevant research, connect them with leading researchers in this field, and include them in the GGSC’s interdisciplinary cohort of student fellows. The fellow will supplement what they learn from the research with their own reporting and write a series of articles through the summer of 2024. The articles will be published on Greater Good, though we will look for opportunities to place them with other publications as well.

The fellowship will cover tuition, fees and other education & living expenses and be distributed each semester, $2,500 for fall and $2,500 for spring. The recipient must be a full-time student and remain in good academic standing to retain fellowship, i.e. no incomplete grades or grades below a 3.0. Please note that three work examples, a resume, and a recommendation are required for an application to be considered complete.

A separate application is required and enrolled students can apply in Fall 2023.

Any questions can be directed to the GGSC’s executive director, Jason Marsh, at jhmarsh@berkeley.edu.

At Berkeley

Berkeley Graduate Division: Fellowship and Grants

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

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS)

Students interested in pursuing studies in a foreign language as part of their graduate work at Berkeley may apply for a FLAS fellowship. Visit the FLAS page for information and requirements for this extremely competitive university fellowship.  If you are interested in being nominated for this FLAS fellowship, you must submit your application by Round 1, indicate your interest in the Master of Journalism application as well as submit the required essay.

Federal Aid - Loans 

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

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

Departmental funding deadlines:
Priority: March 2, 2023 (for maximum aid)
Final: June 30, 2023
*Note: FAFSA must be filed for each academic year.

Outside Funding Opportunities 

Many outside organizations offer scholarships for graduate study. Below is a list to use as a starting reference for researching funding opportunities. Click here for more information on outside funding opportunities.

Additional Resources for International Students

• 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.
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: This scholarship fully funds students from Sub-Saharan Africa. The Journalism School can recommend strong applicants for consideration of the Mastercard Fellowship. This does not guarantee receiving the Mastercard Foundation Scholarships program. Of the applicants nominated, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will conduct a separate review process to select typically 1-2 candidates who applied to Journalism School (you must also be admitted to Master of Journalism program to be selected). Getting admitted into the Journalism School program is a separate process, and doesn't imply automatic funding.

ESTABLISHING CALIFORNIA RESIDENCY

Many out-of-state students begin establishing California residency during their first years at the School in order to be eligible for in-state tuition in their second years. 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 years. International students do not qualify.

WORKING ON CAMPUS

Students may seek GSR (Graduate Student Researcher), GSI (Graduate Student Instructor), Reader, and Tutor positions. All registered students are eligible for these instructional assistantships.

Positions are available campus-wide, and students are welcome to pursue openings in any department. Contact each department separately for specific deadlines, procedures, and requirements. The positions may include partial fee remissions with modest salaries. The partial fee remission is approximately $7,500 per semester. The semester salary is approximately $2,700. These positions are highly competitive, so students are advised to start their searches early. Academic Student Employee (ASE) job opportunities can be found on Berkeley People & Culture website.

Please find more information on this below.

Graduate Student Academic Appointments

Open GSI / GSR Positions

Appointments Handbook

The School also offers hourly positions working in our production studios, as well as for writing, photography and videography projects for our communications and events teams.