How to Apply
To apply to an Evening Certificate Program, please complete the
Enrollment Application and gather all necessary supporting documents. Only complete applications will be considered for admission into the program. After you have completed the application, please mail it to:
International Student Services
UC Berkeley Extension
1995 University Avenue, Suite 110
Berkeley, CA 94704-7000 USA
If you have any questions and you are in the U.S., please visit us at 1995 University Avenue in downtown Berkeley. You can also contact us by telephone: (510) 642-2564; fax: (510) 643-0216; e-mail:
diploma@unex.berkeley.edu.
A complete application to an Evening Certificate Program must include the following original documents:
1. Enrollment Application (You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF files. You may download it
here.)
2. $100 application fee
Please send this payment with your application.
3. Statement of Purpose and Background
Please write a brief (maximum 350 words) statement explaining your interest in the proposed field of study and your previous background and interest in the field. Be sure to:
- Include your full name and the name of the certificate program for which you are applying.
- Discuss your personal interest in the intended field of study.
- Discuss your academic and/or work experience in the field of study.
- Describe courses taken or work experience that meet any specific prerequisites for the program to which you are applying. You will find these prerequisites listed in the individual program descriptions for each program.
- Type your statement rather than write it by hand.
4. Financial Statement and Certification dated within 90 days of your application.
In order to receive your acceptance documents, you must demonstrate that you or your family have sufficient financial resources available to you while studying in the United States. The following chart shows the average annual course fees for all programs. Your exact fees may be greater or less than this average.
| Evening Certificate Program Estimated Expenses* |
| International Student Fee** |
Average Course Fees |
Estimated Living Expenses† |
Total |
| $4,400 |
$8,600 |
$18,000 |
$31,000 |
* Estimated minimum expenses show an average annual cost for all programs.
This estimate is used by the International Student Services office to issue
non-immigrant visa documents. Your exact overall expenses may be greater or
less than this estimate.
** The International Student Fee includes U.S. medical insurance, registration, administration, and certificate fees. For programs over one year in length, the student must pay additional insurance fees.
† Estimated living expenses include shared housing and use of public transportation for one year. If you rent an apartment or have a car your expenses may go up.
All fees are subject to change without notice.
You may provide financial certification in one of two ways: (1) complete the Financial Statement and Certification section of the
Enrollment Application, or (2) submit a letter from a bank (please include a translation if applicable). If you have a sponsor, please clearly indicate your relationship to the sponsor on the Enrollment Application.
Note: If family members will be accompanying you to the United States, you must add $600 per month for your spouse and/or $400 per month for each child to your estimated expenses (figures in U.S. dollars).
5. Translation of Financial Statement, if applicable
6. Résumé (c.v.)
7. Proof of English language proficiency
You must document that you have sufficient English proficiency. This documentation may take several forms:
a. Take one of the following English language tests and receive the minimum score or better. Your test score must be official and no more than two years old.
TOEFL*: 213 computer- or 550 paper-based or 79 iBT
TOEIC: 760
IELTS: 6.5
Cambridge Proficiency Exam: Pass
Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English: Pass
All students are encouraged to take one of the above-mentioned language tests.
b. Past academic performance: Applicants who have completed a degree at a university in an English-speaking country may submit their academic transcripts as proof of sufficient English fluency. Academic transcripts must indicate completion of the degree. All such materials must be in English.
c. Native English-speaking status: Applicants who are citizens of English-speaking nations need only include a copy of their valid passport.
8. Transcripts and Copy of Diploma
You must have completed at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Please submit your transcripts showing award of a bachelor’s or higher degree. Each transcript or mark sheet must contain a complete record of studies at the institution from which it is issued and the grades earned in each subject.
9. Translation of transcripts and/or diploma
If documents are written in a language other than English, complete and official English translations must be provided together with the original language records.
10. Copy of your passport identification page and expiration date
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the last date of your program of study in the U.S.
11. International student fee
Your international student fee of $4,400 includes the certificate fee and U.S. medical insurance, and registration and processing fees. This fee is due 30 days before your first term of study begins. Please submit a money order or bank draft in U.S. dollars made payable to UC Regents. The draft must be drawn on an account held at an American bank or a U.S. branch of an international bank. You may also charge your fee to a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express).
Once you have completed your
Enrollment Application and gathered the necessary supporting documents, please send it to:
International Student Services
UC Berkeley Extension
1995 University Avenue, Suite 110
Berkeley, CA 94704-7000, USA
Fax: (510) 643-0216
E-mail: diploma@unex.berkeley.edu
If you have questions and you are in the United States, please visit us at 1995 University Avenue in downtown Berkeley. You can also reach us by telephone at (510) 642-2564.
|
Top |
After You Are Accepted
F-1 Student Visa
Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. must obtain an F-1 student visa in order to attend one of the Evening Certificate Programs. Non-U.S. citizens entering the country with a visitor visa (B1/B2) or under the visa waiver program are not permitted to engage in full-time study. Our Evening Certificate Programs are full-time programs.
In order to apply for an F-1 student visa, you will need documentation from the International Student Services office verifying that you have been admitted into a full-time course of study. You will need to take your acceptance documents, passport, and your most current financial statement to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and apply for an F-1 student visa. If your family will be accompanying you to the U.S. you will need to apply for an F-2 dependent visa for each family member.
Course Fee Payments
Your course fees are due at the beginning of each term. Course fees will vary depending on the required and elective courses you take.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received in writing via mail, fax, or e-mail more than two weeks prior to the start of the program will receive a full refund (minus the non-refundable $100 application fee and $100 certificate fee). You will receive complete details about the enrollment application fee in your acceptance materials. Individual course fees for each term are refundable less a cancellation fee per course and are subject to the UC Berkeley Extension cancellation policy located at www.unex.berkeley.edu/info/refund.php.
Course Availability
Acceptance into a program does not guarantee enrollment in any particular course in any particulat term. Each program description includes the minimum time required to complete the program. It may take you longer that stated due to the fact that courses may not be offered every term, may be canceled, or may fill before you enroll.
Letter Grades
Each course must be taken for a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F). Incomplete courses cannot count toward a full course of study. International students may not receive a W(withdraw) or an NC (not for credit) grade.
Post-Completion Optional Practical Training
If you successfully complete your program and study continuously at least 12 months, you may be eligible for one year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT is designed to provide F-1 international students with opportunities for gaining work experience in their fields of study.
Student Advising
Once you have been accepted to a program, you are assigned an academic adviser who helps you plan your study schedule. Your academic adviser also helps you adjust your schedule if one of your courses is canceled or fills before you enroll. In the event your desired course is unavailable, you will need to enroll in an alternate course to maintain your full-time status.
As an international student, you must also consult with the International Student Services office about changes in your course load, immigration status, and any visa issues or regulations that may affect your study.
When to Arrive in Berkeley
You should plan to arrive in Berkeley no later than the orientation date shown in the Evening Certificate Program calendar. This date is approximately one week before most classes start. During the period before classes begin, you meet with your academic advisor and, if you have not already done so, prepare your Study List and enroll in courses.
Also during this period, you attend an orientation for international students and can locate housing. If you have not enrolled in courses before coming to Berkeley, this early arrival increases your chances of enrolling in the courses that you want to take during your first term, and also gives you time to find suitable housing.
Times and Locations of Classes
Classes are typically held in the evenings and on weekends. Your classes may meet at more than one location in the Bay Area. Locations include the UC Berkeley campus, UC Berkeley Extension San Francisco Downtown Center and South of Market Center, and Extension's center in Redwood City.
If you have classes in Redwood City, you may need an automobile and may need to drive up to an hour to get to class.
Top | Evening Certificate Main Page | UC Berkeley Extension Home
