UC Berkeley Scholarships for International Students

Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley is a public research university ranked among the world’s top universities. In addition, it is California’s first land-grant university. Over 350 degree programs across disciplines are offered in its fourteen colleges and schools.

UC Berkeley is known for its high-quality education, especially in anthropology, chemistry, biology, engineering, and more. Because of this, the university has produced notable alumni and faculty that have garnered awards, such as Nobel Prizes, Turing Award, and MacArthur Genius Grants, Pulitzer Prizes, to name a few. In addition, UC Berkeley alumni are widely recognized for their entrepreneurship ventures and have founded notable companies, including Apple and eBay.

Students and faculty members get comfort, knowledge, and a series of diverting experiences from the university’s state-of-the-art facilities. UC Berkeley’s library is among the leading top research university libraries in North America, holding over 10 million book volumes. Furthermore, its museums showcase the cultural, biological, and physical diversity of world regions and cultures.

Students at UC Berkeley benefits from the university’s high-quality education and the rich experiences it offers. The student body consists of over 35,000 students from around the globe, creating a diverse and inclusive community. Every year, they get to enjoy and be a part of UC Berkeley’s traditions and celebrations.

Today, we will be discussing the scholarships at UC Berkeley.

UC Berkeley Scholarships for International Students

International undergraduate and graduate students may apply to UC Berkeley’s financial aid programs, which include need and merit-based scholarships, grants, loans, awards, and work-study opportunities. They must demonstrate outstanding academic credentials to qualify and must present their financial needs as well.

1. NAE Grand Challenges Scholars Program

UC Berkeley offers this scholarship to undergraduate students – US residents and international – studying engineering programs. It is a research-based scholarship program that can be renewed throughout the students’ undergraduate years. Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in research and extracurricular activities, internships, and the chance to study abroad. The financial package of the Grand Challenges Scholars Program varies and will depend on the students’ financial needs. As a result of the program, scholars will have portfolios that can help them academically and professionally.

2. Neri&Hu Travel Fellowship/Scholarship

  • Scholarship Page
  • Eligible Degree: Bachelor’s and Master’s
  • Scholarship Amount: Living stipend

The Neri&Hu Travel Fellowship/Scholarship at UC Berkeley is offered to US residents and international undergraduate and graduate students of the Department of Architecture. This program was founded in 2004 by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu to provide students with opportunities to assist and contribute to design services. The funding is in a form of fellowship and internship, which means that students will be given housing and a stipend as compensation. In addition, the financial aid package includes coverage of travel expenses as students will be taking the internship in Shanghai, China.

3. Graduate Fellowships

  • Scholarship Page
  • Eligible Degree: Master’s and PhD
  • Scholarship Amount: Tuition fees and living stipend

UC Berkeley offers scholarships in the form of fellowships to graduate students across all departments and programs as part of their professional development. With fellowships, students are given opportunities to work with other graduate students and experts in their field, creating connections that will last a lifetime. Fellowships come with financial aid, which includes tuition fees coverage, travel expenses, conferences, and stipends.

For example, the Chowdhury Fellowship program is offered to two graduate students at UC Berkeley. The fellowship takes place in Bangladesh and fellows are expected to train and do their research concerning the country’s culture and history. They will be given $7500 as part of the financial aid package. Visit the Chowdhury Center Funding page for more information.

4. Research and Teaching Assistantships

  • Scholarship Page
  • Eligible Degree: Master’s and PhD
  • Scholarship Amount: Tuition fees and a living stipend

Research and teaching assistantships are available to graduate students of UC Berkeley. As RAs and TAs, students are expected to assist faculty members in their daily administrative and research-related tasks or activities. Teaching and research assistantships are available in all departments and the financial aid package varies. However, most financial aid package consists of stipends, health insurance coverage, tuition fees, and other student fees coverage for the students’ dedication. While doing assistantships, students are expected to do their academic training. They will have an opportunity to develop academically and professionally.

For example, students of the Civil and Environmental Engineering programs are offered several programs, including instructorships and research assistantships. These funding opportunities are merit-based and need-based and are available for both US residents and international students. Students are evaluated based on their academic standing, performance, engagement in extracurricular and co-curricular activities, and their financial needs.

At UC Berkeley, teaching assistants are called Graduate Student Instructors, and research assistants are called Graduate Student Researchers. Both receive fee remission and stipends as compensation. These will provide opportunities for growth and performance improvement for students. Graduate Student Instructors work under a faculty member as a teaching apprentice. They will be performing tasks, such as teaching undergraduate courses, tutoring, grading papers, and more.

A half-time (20 hours per week) GSI appointment typically entails all responsibilities given by the faculty in charge. Meanwhile, Graduate Student Researchers perform research-related tasks related to the degree program under the supervision of a faculty member. They are not expected to do teaching, administrative, or general tasks. As GSIs and GSRs, students are not allowed to work for more than 50% in their semesters. For more information, visit the Civil and Environmental Engineering Finances page.

There are other funding opportunities and scholarships available at UC Berkeley for undergraduate and graduate students. These financial aid programs aim to reduce the financial pressure that students may face along the way. International students are eligible for the programs as long as they meet the criteria of the university. About 65% of UC Berkeley’s undergraduate students receive financial aid.

To see which financial aid program your department offers, visit the Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships page. You can also check the page for more information on how to apply for the UC Berkeley scholarship & financial aid programs.

 

I hope that this article was helpful. If you are interested, visit the USA Scholarships Page!