Fees, Expenses & Student Aid
OD Student Fees
The fees summarized in the following tables are unofficial and subject to change. Official information on current fees is provided by The Office of the Registrar — see Registrar's Fee Schedule.
[Note: The required fees for Vision Science Graduate Students are listed at VS Graduate Fees.]
Registration Fees (per semester), 2012-2013
Fees are listed per semester and are meant to serve as unofficial guidelines. Please refer to Registrar's Fee Schedule for the most up-to-date information.
| Expense | CA Resident | Non-CA Resident | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Registration Fee | $486.00 | $486.00 | All students pay a University registration fee, which covers services such as laboratory costs, certain recreational facilities, counseling and placement services, and University Health Services. |
| Educational Fee | $5,610.00 | $5,610.00 | This fee is assessed uniformly across all campuses in partial support of the educational program for all students or for the general support of the University's operating budget. |
| Berkeley Campus Fees | $262.25 | $262.25 | The Campus Fee consists of an ASUC fee, Student Center fee, Ethnic Studies fee, Intramural Sports Facility fee, Life Safety fee, Recruitment and Retention Centers fee, and Campus Health Care fee. |
| Class Pass - Transit | $78.50 | $78.50 | These passes allow all students to use AC Transit and campus shuttle buses, including travel to San Francisco on AC Transit's TransBay lines. |
| Health Insurance Fee | $1,153.00 | $1,153.00 | All OD students are required to pay the Student Health Insurance Plan fee. The fee can be waived if students can prove comparable major medical coverage. For more information call 510-642-5700. |
| Non-Resident Tuition Fee | N/A | $6,122.50 | Non-residents of California must pay a non-resident Tuition Fee. If you have any doubts about your residence status, write to (1) Residence Deputy, Office of the Registrar, 39 Sproul Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-5404 (Tel: 510-642-1614) or (2) Legal Analyst - Residence Matters, 1111 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94607-5200. |
| Document Management Fee | $100 | $100 | 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. |
| Professional Degree Fee | $8,218.00 | $8,218.00 | The Regents of the University of California have levied an annual fee for professional students on all OD students. |
| Per Semester | $15,907.75 | $22,030.25 |
Estimated Expenses: Graduate Student Budget (2012-2013)
The following estimated expenses are meant to serve as unofficial guidelines. The Financial Aid Office updates these figures annually through student surveys and other research. Please refer to the Financial Aid Office Web Page for the most up-to-date information.
| Expense (9-month Budget = 2 semesters) | Estimated Costs |
|---|---|
| Rent /Utilities ($1,160 per month) | 10,440 |
| Food ($684 per month) | 6,156 |
| Personal ($161 per month) | 1,449 |
| Transportation ($312 per month) | 2,808 |
| Books | 1,040 |
| Health (if student uses SHIP)* | 2,306 |
| Estimated Loan Fees | 172 |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENSES | $24,371 |
See Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
Combined Estimated Fees & Expenses: Student Budget (2012-2013)
The following table summarizes estimated costs derived in part from the preceding two tables.
NOTE: The first section is for California residents, the second for non-residents.
| CA Residents: Total Budget (9 mos. = 2 semesters) | |
|---|---|
| Registration fees (2 semesters @ $15,907) | 31,814 |
| Graduate Student Budget (2 semesters) | 24,371 |
| TOTAL (CA Residents) | $56,185 |
| Non-CA Residents: Total Budget (9 mos. = 2 semesters) | |
| Registration fees (2 semesters @ $15,907) | 31,814 |
| Graduate Student Budget (2 semesters) | 24,371 |
| Non-CA Resident Tuition Fee (2 semesters) | 12,245 |
| TOTAL (Non-CA Residents) | $68,430 |
NOTE: Fees and tuition are set by the Regents of the University of California and are subject to change.
Summer Clinic
Berkeley Optometry students will also enroll in Summer Clinic in the summer months between their second and third years, and between their third and fourth years. Once students are registered for Summer Clinic, their information is sent to the Graduate Financial Aid Office and then a summer session Financial Aid award package is generated. Summer Clinic tuition and fees are greatly reduced from the standard academic year (Fall and Spring semesters); in 2012, the per unit charge for graduate level students was $510.00, plus a one-time campus fee of $136 — Berkeley Optometry students register for 10 units of Summer Clinic. Summer living expenses are also budgeted by the Graduate Financial Aid Office. Most summer session financial aid will be drawing from the Unsubsidized Federal Loan Program and/or the GradPLUS loan program.
More Information about Fees
Your expenses depend on many factors that you should consider before planning a budget. If financial help will be needed beyond the funds that you or your family are able to provide, the necessary applications for financial assistance should be submitted well in advance of enrollment at the:
Office of Financial Aid
211 Sproul Hall
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-1960
Tel: (510) 642-6442
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For complete current information regarding fees and other expenses, see the Gradute and Professional Student Financial Aid Office.
Please click on the following link to view a PDF copy of an important legal notice regarding student fee litigation: Luquetta Class Action Notice.
Certain professional-degree students and others may be eligible for refunds of overcharged fees. Please click on the following link to view a PDF copy of an important legal notice regarding student fee litigation: Kashmiri Class Action Notice.
Equipment Expenses
During their first year of enrollment it is necessary for optometry students to purchase certain hand-held equipment for use starting with the second year of school. This equipment, which may be used after graduation in the practice of optometry, costs from $3,000 - $4,000 depending on brand name and quality of equipment selected by students.
In Absentia
In 2010, the Regents and the Office of the President forwarded to the campuses for immediate implementation a new registration status for UC academic (PhD) and professional graduate students who undertake research or coursework related to their degree programs outside of California.
Called "In Absentia" registration, the status will provide an 85% reduction in the Educational and Registration fees for graduate students who will be out-of-state for an entire semester. (Full Health Insurance, and Campus and Professional Degree fees will still apply).
Berkeley Optometry students qualify for In Absentia if they have two out-of-California rotations. Exceptions were made for Optometry to allow for In Absentia status to be granted to Optometry students who have two out-of-California rotations, even if they are not consecutively spaced. NOTE: For students, who have "split semesters" for In Absentia (e.g., out Fall 2 and out Spring 2), In Absentia status can only be granted during the Spring semester, so that the University is assured that the out-of-California terms were indeed met. Finally, to be considered for In Absentia, summer rotations do not count toward gaining In Absentia status because summer registration is under the Office of Summer Sessions and operates differently from the University's registration systems and policies. In the Academic Year 2012-2013, almost half of the Optometry Class of 2013 qualified for In Absentia status.
Off-Campus Expenses
During the fourth year, students are required to participate in Berkeley Optometry Externships (Off-Campus Clinics). These rotations take the fourth-year clinician away from the Bay Area for 16-20 weeks and require students to manage their own costs for travel, accommodations, food, and other living expenses.
Student Activity Expenses
During all four years of study, students should budget approximately $250.00 a year to pay dues to OD student organizations, such as UCOSA and to cover related Class activity fees.
Financial Aid
Financial aid includes departmental awards, loans, work-study, scholarships, and fellowships (for graduate students). The deadline for actually applying for graduate scholarships and all other financial aid and for submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is March 2. The FAFSA school code for UC Berkeely is 001312.
Federal scholarships provided by the Comprehensive Health Manpower Training Act are available to students in optometry who, without such financial aid, could not pursue the study of optometry. In addition, there are loans available for optometry students through the same congressional act.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 510-642-6442
From the US Department of Education Website
Disclaimer: The following information is provided only as a courtesy. Berkeley Optometry and the UC Regents are not responsible for changes in US government financial aid policy. Students should refer to the websites cited below for the latest information.
Who can receive financial aid?
For most federal student aid programs, you must show that you have financial need. Your financial need is based on what you report on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you're not yet ready to file the FAFSA, you can submit a FAFSA4caster to receive an early estimate of eligibility: www.fafsa.ed.gov
You also must meet certain other requirements. You must:
- Be a U.S. citizen (or U.S. national) or eligible noncitizen (see below)
- Have a valid Social Security Number (unless you're from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
Register with Selective Service:
Selective Service Registration*
In order to be eligible for federal student aid you must register with the Selective Service if:
- You are a male born on or after January 1, 1960, and
- You are at least 18 years old, and
- You are not currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
- Notes: Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Palau are exempt from registering (go to www.sss.gov for more information)
* For male students at the School of Optometry, Selective Service Registration is also required to attend external rotations at certain locations, such as Veteran's Administration Hospitals.)
- Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate or pass an exam approved by the U.S. Department of Education
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at a college that participates in the federal student aid programs
- Not have a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid (such as grants, loans, or work-study)
- Once you are attending college, other requirements will apply. For more information, contact the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend
Who is an eligible non-citizen?
You are an eligible noncitizen if you are a U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551 or I-551C (Permanent Resident Card). You may also be an eligible noncitizen if you have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showing:
- "Refugee"
- "Asylum Granted"
- "Cuban-Haitian Entrant (Status Pending)"
- "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
- "Paroled" (must be paroled for at least one year), or
- Victim of human trafficking (T-Visa)
If you are a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau, you are eligible only for certain federal student aid programs. For more information, check with the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend.
You are not eligible for federal student aid if you have:
- A "Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence" (I-171 or I-464)
- An F-1 or F-2 student visa
- A J-1 or J-2 exchange-visitor visa, or
- A G series visa
What if I'm not a US citizen or an eligible non-citizen?
There are still some sources of aid for you. Try the following places:
- The college you plan to attend; maybe they have scholarships for international students
- Your country's government, or its embassy in the United States
- Internet scholarship searches such as the one at studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/scholarship
- Your state government, if you live in the United States
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More Admissions Information:
If you have additional questions after reading all the material under the
Admissions Topics, please contact us by filling out the following very brief form:
Admissions Contact Form
Admissions and Student Affairs Office (ASAO)
School of Optometry
Berkeley, CA 94720-2020
Tel: (510) 642-9537
Fax: (510) 643-7111
