International Students
|
The Vision Science group welcomes applicants from across the world. This page provides important information for international students planning to apply to the UC Berkeley Vision Science Program, as well as tools for admitted international students preparing for travel, residence, and work in the program.
|
|
Applications and Admissions Requirements
In addition to the general requirements, applicants whose country's official language is not English are required to receive a score of at least 570 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper test or 230 on the computer version.
|
Test Codes
|
|
GRE department code
|
0611
|
|
Institutional code for U.C. Berkeley
|
4833
|
|
TOEFL institution/department code
|
4833/99
|
All students who do not speak English as a native language and who wish to become Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) must demonstrate oral English Proficiency. You may do this by taking the Test of Spoken English (TSE) prior to enrolling at Berkeley or by passing the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) after you arrive on campus.
TOEFL and TSE scores that are more than 2 years old cannot be accepted.
Official Records and Transcripts
Graduates of recognized academic institutions outside the United States should have completed degree programs representing a minimum of 16 years of schooling with at least 12 years at the primary and secondary level.
Official records transcripts are always required for consideration. Submit official transcripts or academic records for all university-level studies you have completed abroad and at U.S. institutions. If your academic records do not include official evidence of the award of your degree, you 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). In general, records or transcripts must be issued by the school and include the school's stamp or embossed seal and the signature of the authorizing official. In some countries, copies certified by notaries or governmental officials are acceptable, but copies certified by translators or U.S. notaries are not acceptable.
In English translations, degree names and grades should be transliterated, not converted into English words or the U.S. grades of A-F. If you must obtain a translation while in the United States, versions prepared by members of the American Translators Association are acceptable.
If you have attended a university in the U.S., please ask the registrar there to send your department an official transcript. The Graduate Division may verify the authenticity of academic letters of recommendation with the school or recommender.
For additional details, please consult the Minimum Degree Requirements and Required Records of Academic Work section of the Graduate Division Admissions website.
Financial Planning
At this time the Vision Science Program does not offer funding for non-US citizens. As most PhD students are supported through a federal grant from the National Institute of Health, only US citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible for these funds. Consequently, you must be prepared to fully support your own education and related expenses.
Nonresident Tuition Reduction Program: After passing the Qualifying Exam, a student can then advance to candidacy for the PhD. At this time, you will be eligible for a 75% reduction in the nonresident tuition, for up to three years. international students are therefore encouraged to take the Qualifying Exam as early as possible in order to benefit from this reduced tuition program.
Additionally, you are required to provide proof of adequate funds to cover all fees and expenses for the entire graduate program as a condition for the issuing of a visa to enter the U.S. To assist in your budget planning, the Fees and Budgeting page provides more detail on fees, expenses, and sources of financial aid information.
Online Resources for International Graduate Students
This page provides only a brief synopsis of information available to assist international applicants and graduate students. We strongly encourage you to investigate the other sources of information shown below.
The Berkeley International Office offers a wide range of information for international students. Please review their website (BIO-web), or contact them with your questions (BIO-email).
Other sites that may be of use to you:
|
