UC Berkeley International Student Tuition and Fees: A Comprehensive Guide

For international students aspiring to study at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, understanding the tuition and fee structure is crucial for financial planning. This article provides a detailed overview of the costs associated with attending UC Berkeley as an international student, encompassing tuition, mandatory fees, living expenses, and potential financial aid options.

Understanding the Basics

The fee schedule at UC Berkeley offers an estimate of the expected tuition and fees on a semester basis. It is important to note that these figures represent currently approved or proposed amounts and may not be final. Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California as deemed necessary or appropriate. Moreover, tuition and fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded if instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year.

Tuition Costs

University of California, Berkeley's tuition is $17,721 for in-state students and $55,323 for out-of-state students. Compared with the national average cost of in-state tuition of $12,422, University of California, Berkeley is more expensive. For students coming from out of state, the tuition is more expensive than the national average cost of out-of-state tuition of $29,767. As a non-resident undergraduate student, UC tuition includes $36,747 in nonresident supplemental tuition.

Mandatory Fees

In addition to tuition, international students at UC Berkeley are required to pay several mandatory fees, which contribute to various campus services and resources. These fees are subject to change and may include:

Campus Fee: Supports a variety of campus services and programs.
Tuition Fees: Covers the cost of instruction.
Student Services Fee: Supports services and programs that directly benefit students, such as student government, student public transportation, and building improvements.
Berkeley International Office (BIO) Fee: A $56 per semester fee is assessed to international students for services rendered to them by the Berkeley International Office (BIO). Note: This fee will not be assessed during the 2024-25 academic year.
Transit Fee: Beginning Fall 2025, the Transit Fee incorporates the Class Pass and the newly approved BayPass fee. Combined, the Transit Fee grants students unlimited rides on 24 different transportation agencies (BART, MUNI, AC Transit, SF Ferry), works across 9 Bay Area counties, and costs $229 a semester; $114.50 in Summer. This mandatory Transit Fee is assessed to all students. (Students in some special programs are exempt from this fee and are ineligible for the benefits of the Transit Fee).
Instructional Resilience and Enhancement Fee (IREF): Starting in Fall 2022, the Instructional Resilience and Enhancement Fee (IREF) will be a CMSF assessed to ALL students enrolled in any class during a term. For more information about this fee, please see the FAQs for the Instructional Resilience and Enhancement Fee.
Document Management Fee: This fee is a consolidation of eleven existing transaction fees into a single, one-time fee covering a variety of documents and services for the lifetime of the degree. Services not covered by the document management fee will still be subject to transaction fees.
New Student Programming Fees: The New Student Programming Fee covers expenses related to Golden Bear Advising, Golden Bear Prep, Golden Bear Orientation, and Getting Your Bearings. You will be assessed a fee of $475 on your first semester CalCentral bill ($320 for UCEAP students).
UC Student Association (UCSA) Systemwide Fee: It is an annual fee of $7 per undergraduate student (assessed $3.50 per Fall/Spring term), which students may opt out of.
UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) Systemwide Fee: It’s an annual fee of $7 per graduate student (assessed $3.50 per Fall/Spring term), for which students may opt-out.

Program-Specific Fees

In addition to the general tuition and fees, some graduate and professional programs may have additional costs. For example:

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Graduate: Professional - School of Public Health: Master or Doctor of Public Health (M.P.H. New M.P.H. New Dr.P.H.)
Graduate: Professional - Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program: Joint Medical Degree Program (M.S. in Health & Sciences and M.D.)
Graduate: Professional - College of Chemistry: Product Development (M.S.)
Graduate: Professional - School of Education: Educational Leadership (M.A. Teacher Education (M.A. Leaders for Equity and Democracy - L.E.A.D. (E.D.D.

Students in a number of professional degree programs will pay additional tuition and fees based on their school or department, or degree program.

Living Expenses

Beyond tuition and fees, international students need to budget for living expenses, which can vary significantly depending on lifestyle and accommodation choices. The Cost of Attendance is your student budget. Your budget is the estimated average and reasonable cost of completing an academic year at UC Berkeley. At University of California, Berkeley, the total cost is $48,862 for in-state students and $83,062 for out-of-state students. These figures include both tuition and fees, also referred to as the sticker price.

Key components of living expenses include:

Housing: Most visiting students live in apartments surrounding UC Berkeley. The Rental Market Trends page provides information about the typical market cost of apartments in Berkeley and UC Berkeley Housing provides other rental resources in the areas surrounding UC Berkeley.
Food: Additional Food: For apartments, divide amounts by 9 to develop a monthly food budget.
Books and Supplies: Budgeting and a spending plan are key to managing costs like school supplies, off-campus transportation, and additional living expenses.
Personal Expenses: Personal expenses are expected indirect costs not billed to your student account. Your financial aid refund and/or work-study earnings, if you receive them, will help cover these expenses.

Berkeley Summer International Program (BISP) Fees

For students participating in the Berkeley Summer International Program (BISP), the costs are structured differently. The total cost of BISP will depend on the number of course units taken and personal living expenses. The F-1 student visa requires enrollment of at least 12 units, though students may be required by their university, program-specific agreement or learning agreement to take more than the 12-unit minimum.

A breakdown of BISP fees includes:

Program Application Fee: $100
International Services Fee: $125
Registration Fee: $374
Tuition: $850 per unit
Course Materials and Services Fee (if applicable): An additional course materials and services fee (CSMF) is assessed for certain classes.

BISP fees also include:

Courses
Visa support
Housing advice and support
Orientation to Berkeley
Social and cultural integration activities
International student services
Cal services (i.e. medical insurance
Personal academic advising
Tutoring and student learning center resources

In total, the average BISP student can expect to spend between $22,949 - $25,499.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Our university and BISP do not have scholarships for visiting international students. We understand that the fees and expenses may be more than what you are used to at your home university. Tuition is very common in the United States, and living expenses can be quite high in popular urban areas such as the San Francisco Bay Area. Many of our students are able to obtain scholarships and loans from their home country’s government, university, local organizations, or financial institutions. We encourage you to search for these opportunities or talk to an International Coordinator or Advisor at your university for ideas. Many of our students also provide their own private funds to offset some or all of the expenses and value the opportunity to come to Berkeley so much that they work and save up to make this dream possible. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you to come spend a semester, or maybe two, with us at Berkeley.

Additional Fees and Considerations

Late Fees: All students not officially registered by Friday of the third week of instruction in fall and spring terms are charged a late registration fee of $150. Students who drop classes after the Friday of the second week of instruction are charged a late drop fee of $10 per course.
Health Insurance: All registered undergraduate and graduate students, including registered international students, are automatically enrolled in Berkeley's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and assessed a health insurance fee on their registration bill.
Sponsored Students: If you are a sponsored student whose fees are paid by a government agency, a foundation, or another outside organization, you must ensure that the payment is properly credited.
Reduced Tuition for Part-Time Study: UC Policy requires that students be enrolled full-time. Under certain circumstances, students may be allowed by their college to enroll in a reduced course load.

Important Notes

Figures for systemwide tuition and fees represent currently approved amounts and may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California.
Some or all instruction for all or part of the Academic Year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year.

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