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To request program information, please complete our online request form. To begin the online application process, please see How To Apply.

Brittney Johnson, a first year television student, shares her experience about traveling to her alma-mater, Howard University. Brittney and Dean Neil Henry speak to prospective students about what it's like to attend the J-School.

Admissions Information

The deadline for Fall 2009 admission is December 1, 2008.

PLEASE NOTE: We ask that ALL applicants apply via the online format. For complete information on the application process and requirements please review How to Apply.

In order to apply for admission to the Graduate School of Journalism, you must complete the application described below. Late, incomplete applications or those that deviate significantly from the guidelines will not be considered.

1) Complete the online Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships, 2009-2010. This application will be available Monday, September 8, 2008. This application must be completed first; also please note your "Doc ID" as it is necessary for the next steps.

2) Submit the online Applicant Summary Sheet, clicking the submit button only once. Upon submission, a brief summary record will be presented. Print out two copies- one to be sent with your supplemental material and the other for your own records. The Applicant Summary Sheet will be available on Monday, September 15, 2008.

You must also print out the completed GPA calculator form to submit with your supplemental materials (found in the Applicant Summary Sheet instructions).

3) Mail in all of the supplemental materials in a single large envelope addressed to:

Office of Admissions
Graduate School of Journalism-UC Berkeley
121 North Gate Hall, #5860
Berkeley, CA. 94720-5860

During each admission cycle, we aim to complete the review process for all applicants by late-February. We hope to contact all applicants by email and mail by mid-March. The Master of Journalism is a two-year full-time program, and students are admitted to begin in the fall semester only. From a pool of 400-500 applicants, 50-65 new students enter the program each fall.

To receive program information and learn more about the Graduate School of Journalism, please complete our request form.

Interviews

Selected applicants will be interviewed between December and February. Personal interviews are required to complete the review process, and will be conducted by a staff or faculty member or alumnus on campus, near your home or by phone. Please do not call us. We will contact you to make these arrangements via email. Please make sure your address, phone number, and email are current in your application.
NOTE: Not all applicants are invited to interview.  

International Applicants

(those who hold or intend to apply for a non-immigrant visa)

In addition to the criteria set by the Graduate School of Journalism, the University of California, Berkeley has a second set of requirements for international applicants. Please see: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/admis_require.shtml.

We encourage international applicants to apply to the Graduate School of Journalism. Admission is competitive; we admit only 6-10 international applicants each fall and are looking for candidates who have some demonstrated professional journalism experience.

Regrettably, financial support for international students is limited. International candidates are not eligible for federal student loans but will be considered for need-based departmental grants. We recommend applying for scholarships and grants from outside organizations or looking into loan programs specifically designed for international students. UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism does not offer teaching assistantships and opportunities for employment are severely limited. Students holding student visas (F-1) should not expect to be employed in nonacademic positions during the first two semesters and spouses and children on dependents' visas (F-2) are not permitted to accept employment.

Should you need assistance in visa matters or other issues surrounding your status as an international applicant, please contact the University's Services for International Students Officer at: 2299 Piedmont Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94720. The telephone number is 510- 642-2818; e-mail. Visit the SISS website for more information.

The international application and requirements are similar to that of the domestic counterparts. Any changes or differences are noted below:

International applicants:

1. Must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), including the TWE component. You must take the entirely of the exam unless you have studies for one year or more at a college or university in the United States. For those who must take the exam, the last test date accepted by the Graduate School of Journalism is October for the paper exam, December for the computer-based exam.

a. About the TOEFL: The general TOEFL tests knowledge of English thorough multiple choice questions and the TWE portion requires test takers to write essays in English. We ask for the TWE because we need an English example of your approaches to structure, syntax and grammar. The TOEFL is scored to delineate the ability of each test taker to generate, organize, and support ideas. You may sign up for the TOEFL through an agent in your own country or through TOEFL, CN6145, Princeton, NJ, 08541.

b. The minimum score requirement is 600 for the paper version, 250 on the computer-based test (CBT), or 68 on the internet-based test (IBT). Most students admitted to the program score in the high 600s, above 260 for the CBT, or above 100 for the IBT.

2. Must pay a different application fee. The application fee for international applicants (F-1, J-1 visa holders) is $80 USD. The check or money order should be make payable to "UC Regents."

3. Are expected to show proof of ability to support themselves (and family, if applicable) for two years as a student. The estimated student budget (including Tustin and living expenses) for international students is approximately $43,922 a year. Married students should bring an additional $7,000 if accompanied by a spouse and $4,000 for each accompanying child. (Budget is subject to change).

4. Must have a completed degree program representing a minimum of 16 years of schooling with at least 12 years at the primary and secondary level. Students must submit official transcripts or academic records for all university-level studies they have completed abroad and at U.S. institutions. If their academic records do not include official evidence of the award of their degree, they must also submit additional documents that verify its award. Academic records should be issued in their original languages accompanied by English translations (usually prepared by your university or an official translator). If you must obtain a translation while in the United States, versions prepared by members of the American Translators Association are acceptable.

International Visiting Scholars' Program

The International Visiting Scholars' Program at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism provides a one-year, non-degree opportunity for experiences reporters and editors seeking advanced professional training and academic study.

Information for Undergraduate Students

See the Program | Undergraduates section of our web site.

Admissions Examinations

Only one exam is required of each applicant: either the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

GRE

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) provides the Admissions Committee with a standardized measure of an applicant's ability to do graduate-level work. We will accept GRE scores awarded within the last 5 years; however, we prefer current scores.

The last possible date to take the GRE for Fall admission is November 30th. Reservations for the GRE should be made at least one month in advance through:

The Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Rosedale Road
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
Phone: (609) 921-9000 or 1-800-GRE-CALL.
http://www.gre.org

TOEFL

International students must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), including the TWE component, in lieu of the GRE by the October test date (for the paper exam) or by December (for the computer-based exam) unless they have studied for one year or more at a college or university where the primary language of instruction is English. While the general TOEFL tests your knowledge of English through multiple-choice questions, the TWE requires you to write essays in English. The TWE will test structure, syntax and grammar. You will also be judged on your ability to generate ideas, and to organize those ideas and support them with evidence. You may sign up for the TOEFL through an agent in your own country, or through: TOEFL, CN6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154.

We recommend that you verify test dates and register early to take the exam. We will accept TOEFL scores awarded within the last two years; that is, for Fall 2009 admissions, exam must have been taken after June 2004.

We consider the following scores to be competitive: for the TOEFL, the mid-600s for the written exam, 260 or higher for the computer-based exam; for paper-based TWE, a score in the top tenth of your primary language comparison group.

Application Instructions

Please see How to Apply for further instructions.

Before completing an application, you must decide which applicant category you match. We recognize three categories (with varying procedures): 1) New Applicant or 2) Re-applicant - Only for people who applied for admission in the last two years. If you applied in earlier years, you are considered a new applicant; 3) UC Berkeley graduate student status - If you are now, or have ever been registered as a graduate student in any department of UC Berkeley.

Admissions Timetable

1) New Applicants

Please see the "How to Apply" checklist for complete instructions for New Applicants.

2) Re-applicants

Re-applicants are those who applied for admission within the last two years (i.e. for Fall 2009, we will consider application materials submitted in Fall 2007 and Fall 2008), you may reactive part of your old application.

By the December deadline, please submit the application fee along with everything required for new applicants EXCEPT the following:

3) Current or Previously Registered UC Berkeley Graduate Student

Current or previously registered UC Berkeley Graduate Students must submit all materials required for new applicants There are some additional requirements depending on the student's status

Concurrent Degree Programs

Special procedures must be followed for applications to the concurrent degree program in Asian Studies and Law. Please contact the department directly for this information.

Thank you for your interest in our program!

If you would like more detailed information about the University's admissions process or wish to submit an online Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships, 2009-2010, please visit Graduate Division.

Please be sure to review the "How to Apply" checklist to verify submission of a complete application.

Readmission to the Journalism School

If you were previously enrolled as a graduate student at the Journalism School and wish to complete your degree, please contact us at applysoj@journalism.berkeley.edu to find out how.

Students who have withdrawn from the University and want to register for a subsequent semester must apply for readmission. Readmission applies to all students who have ever been registered as graduate students in any program at Berkeley. Any student who has registered at Berkeley as a graduate student, no matter how long ago, must apply for readmission, not admission, when he or she returns.

The student applying for readmission must be aware that they may be responsible for full semester fees upon return to the University. This applies to students who need to complete additional coursework to finish their degree. Currently fees for in-state students are $4,789.25 per semester. Fees for non-resident students are $12,283.25 per semester*. Upon approval of your readmission, students will need to register with the University Registrar’s Office for the approved semester. An exception to this rule would be if the student received “Incomplete” grades on their transcripts. If this is the case, they may be allowed to return to the program without paying full semester fees for the readmitted semester.

* fees subject to change

Steps for Readmission:

1) The student must contact a permanent faculty member directly to obtain a Master’s Project adviser. The student will need to write a proposal to the faculty member and gain approval for readmissions and a Master’s Project. The student and faculty member will need to send an email to the Admissions and Academic Affairs Coordinator before beginning the readmission application process that states that faculty approval has been granted.

2) Approval of a student’s application for readmission does not automatically reinstate the degree candidacy of a student whose candidacy has been lapsed or terminated. The “Application for Readmission- Graduate Students” should be completed and submitted to the department and the student must pay the readmission fee, currently $60. Applications are available at the Registrar’s website: http://registrar.berkeley.edu/GeneralInfo/elecforms.html.

3) Send your approval email, Petition for Readmission plus $60 fee, Residency Paperwork and updated resume to the Admissions and Academic Affairs Coordinator at applysoj@journalism.berkeley.edu. The deadlines for readmission for Fall are: June 08 and for Spring are November 08.

4) Upon review of your paperwork, The Head Graduate Adviser will write a letter to the Graduate Division Associate Dean and request that the candidacy of the student be reinstated and we proceed with readmission. The letter will include a specific plan for completion of degree requirements. Readmission is not automatic, it is up to the Graduate Degrees Office and Graduate School of Journalism to approve readmission.

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