New Graduate Students

We are thrilled that you will be joining the Berkeley Mathematics community this Fall! This page contains pertinent information that will help get you started as a graduate student at Berkeley.

Complete New Student Onboarding

You've accepted our offer; now help the Office of the Registrar prepare your student record by completing the "Scheduled Tasks" found on the "My Dashboard" tab of your CalCentral account. Scheduled tasks typically include completing the Statement of Legal Residence (SLR), immunizations form, and for international students, the Non-immigrant Information Form (NIF). In addition, you will be required to complete two mandatory Sexual Violence/Sexual Harassment Prevention trainings (online and in-person). You will receive more information on these requirements via CalCentral and from the department. Thus, it's important that you regularly check your CalCentral account for important campus notifications and tasks.

For International Students - Obtaining Documents for your Visa Application via the NIF

The Berkeley International Office (BIO) provides student advising to international students across campus and is responsible for issuing visa documents to all incoming international students. We highly encourage all international students to complete the NIF (Non-immigrant Information Form) as soon as possible in order to have plenty of time to gather the documents required to apply for a student visa. Your departmental offer letter (w/ signature) can serve as proof of financial support. If you need assistance locating your departmental offer letter please contact Christian Natividad at christiannatividad@berkeley.edu. We also recommend you visit BIO's website for new students as you will find a wealth of resources specific to international student arrival including information on visas, housing, money, enrollment, transportation, and health care.

On this page:
Important Dates & Planning your Arrival

Important Dates • Arrival • Housing Resources • Financial Matters • Medical Reminders • Student Groups

Orientation & Academics

Prelim Info • Math Orientation • Fall Enrollment

Employment as a GSI or GSR

GSI/GSR Overview • Requirements for 1st time GSIs • Language Requirements • Resources for GSIs

Campus Resources

Variety of useful Links

Graduate Program Contacts

Contact Info

Important Dates & Planning your Arrival

Important Dates:

Prelim Workshop - The prelim workshop will be held on Zoom from 3pm-4pm on August 5-August 9 and August 12-16.
Enrollment Opens for New Graduate Students - Friday, July 19, 2024
Welcome Dinner for New Cohort - Monday August 19th - Cal Alumni House (tentatively 5pm - 7:30pm)
Mathematics Graduate Student Orientation - Wednesday, August 21, 2024, 1015 Evans - Full-day program (RSVP hyperlinked)
Teaching Conference for first-time international GSIs (REQUIRED) - Thursday, August 22, 2024
Teaching Conference for all first-time GSIs (REQUIRED for domestic & international) - Friday, August 23, 2024
Fall 2024 Math Prelim ExamsMonday, August 26 & Tuesday, August 27. This exam will be held in person both days in Evans 740 and Evans 736, 9am -12pm.
Fall 2024 Graduate Division Graduate Student Orientation - August 19 & 20: Workshops are held virtually via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time each day. August 27: in-person workshops and a resource fair, held in Dwinelle Hall and Plaza from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Registration coming soon (please refer to hyperlink).
First Day of Fall Semester - Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Practice Prelim - The practice prelim will be held in Evans 740 from 9am-12pm on August 19-20.
First Day of Fall Instruction - Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Grad-stravaganza - Wednesday, September 4, 2024 from 4-6 p.m.

Planning your Arrival

This summer, we recommend that you arrive in the Bay Area as early as possible in order to get settled for your first year of graduate study. An arrival in early August would be ideal so that you can participate in the prelim prep workshop and complete HR onboarding for new GSIs in advance of your appointment start date (8/1/24). We understand that international students may only enter the country within 30 days of their I-20 or DS-2019 start date - again we recommend arriving as early as your schedule allows.

Our department orientation (8/21) is not required, but it is highly encouraged that you attend. Not only will you be able to meet your fellow classmates, but we'll also be reviewing campus and department resources, program requirements and expectations, and will host our own Sexual Violence Sexual Harrassment Training, which satisfies the university's in-person SVSH training requirement. We'll also end the day with the office draw!

Please note that for those of you serving as a GSI this fall, you are required to attend the Teaching Conference for New GSIs and first-time international GSIs are required to attend the Teaching in the U.S. Classroom Conference (tentative dates above).

In summary, while it is encouraged that you arrive in Berkeley as early as possible (early/mid-July), the latest you can arrive and still attend all of the required trainings and take the fall prelim is mid-August.

Housing Resources in Berkeley

University Campus Housing Website (for Ida Jackson, Manville, University Village)

CalRentals - University Listings for Off-Campus Housing and Summer Sublets

The Graduate Assembly's Housing Guide: Best Practices for Finding Housing

Berkeley International Office Housing Resources

SLMath Housing Links (Short-Term Housing)

Rent To Own Labs (this site is unaffiliated with UC Berkeley)

*If you need a housing reference from the department please feel free to use Christian Natividad at christiannatividad@berkeley.edu. Please notify him in advance so he knows someone may be contacting him for more information.

Financial Matters

Students in the Math Department are funded through a combination of sources including Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) salaries, fellowship stipends, university fellowships (Berkeley, Chancellor's, Regents, Ning, etc.) or external fellowships (NSF, NDSEG, NPSC, etc.). In order to receive fellowship payments from the university, students must be officially registered and in good standing. To be considered registered, you must be enrolled in at least one class, have had at least the first installment of fees paid, and have no registration blocks. Please note that full-time enrollment (12 units or a DSP approved reduced course load) is required to remain in compliance with fellowship policy.

Here is an estimation of when you can expect to receive your first payments from the university (assuming you are a registered student at this time):

GSI or GSR Salary if HR onboarding completed by communicated deadlines: ~September 1, 2024 (for August work); if HR onboarding completed after the deadline: ~October 1, 2024 (for August & September work)
Department Relocation or recruitment stipends - last week of August 2024
University Fellowship Awards (Berkeley, Chancellor's, Ning, etc.) - last week of August 2024
External Fellowships - please refer to granting institution for pay dates

A delay in payment could be caused by not being considered a registered student, not having an up-to-date GLACIER record (for international students only), registration blocks, or department delays.

To receive your fellowship payments via direct deposit please make sure to sign up for EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). The EFT website can also be accessed in CalCentral.

To receive your GSI/GSR salary payment via direct deposit please sign up for EFT during your HR onboarding session with Berkeley Regional Services - ERSO. After your GSI/GSR appointment has been processed by ERSO, you can also sign up for direct deposit via UC Path. If you plan to receive paper checks instead of signing up for direct deposit, please make sure your "Local Address" is correct in CalCentral. Direct deposit is STRONGLY recommended to receive payments.

Also, please keep in mind that receiving financial assistance from the university may have tax implications that you are not very familiar with. University and department staff are not able to give tax advice so we encourage you to consult the IRS website for more information, and or a personal/family certified tax accountant for assistance.

International students can find more information on U.S. taxes via the Berkeley International Office website on tax reporting.

If you have any questions regarding financial matters please don't hesitate to contact us.

Stay Healthy! Medical Checklist and Immunization Information

Once enrolled for the fall term, your Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage will start on August 1, 2024 and run through December 31, 2024. Your spring 2024 coverage, once enrolled, starts January 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025. If you have alternate health insurance coverage and do not want to enroll in SHIP please submit your waiver to the University Health Services (UHS) by the deadline in mid-July - see link below for more information and to submit the waiver. Before arriving, please review the new student medical checklist below so that you come prepared for any medical emergencies that may arise. Also, please make sure to review the UC Immunization Requirement policy either via the link below or through your CalCentral account.

New Student Medical Checklist

UC Immunization Requirement

Information on Waiving SHIP - Deadline ~July 15, 2024

Connect with your New Berkeley Math Friends

The Noetherian Ring - Women and Gender Minorities in the Department of Mathematics at UC Berkeley

MGSA & MGSA Wiki

Unbounded Representation URep (website TBD)

Berkeley GEMS - Gender Equity in Mathematical Studies

More information on the Math Grad Life website

Orientation & Academics

Prelim Workshop & Prelim Exam

(This prelim section is for Math and Applied Math graduate students only. Logic students can find more information on program requirements and the Logic prelim exams here.)

Taking the prelim exam is the first requirement math graduate students will attempt in the program. All graduate students are required to pass the exam within their first three semesters of the program. It is held every semester (fall & spring) on the Monday and Tuesday mornings before instruction begins. This fall the exam will be held on Monday, August 26 and Tuesday, August 27.

The purpose of the prelim exam is to make sure that graduate students have sufficient working knowledge of foundational undergraduate material in the early stages of the PhD program, and to give early feedback on gaps in knowledge. Its intention is not to weed out students, but rather help strengthen one's understanding of core material. There is no penalty for having to retake the exam more than once so we recommend students take the exam in the fall.

The Prelim Exam also gives you the chance to meet with your cohort and study! It's good to get in the habit of studying and working together - math doesn't have to be lonely in graduate school! We encourage you to attend the Prelim Workshop, which will be run by current graduate students. A practice prelim exam will be held the week before the exam. Topics will alternate between algebra and analysis. You can find the complete schedule on the workshop website (updates forthcoming).

You can find more information on the prelim as well as resources to help you prepare and pass exams here.

Math Graduate Student Orientation (For all incoming Math, Applied Math, and Logic students)

The Mathematics Graduate Student Orientation is scheduled for Wednesday, August 21st, 2024. It will be an all day event, which will include a continental breakfast and lunch(RSVP form will be sent via email). More information including a full agenda will be sent closer to the date. You can see a general agenda here. New students aren't required to attend, but it's highly recommended that students make every effort to be present. Curious about what to expect for your time here? Check out the MGSA Wiki.

Fall Enrollment

Fall enrollment for new graduate students opens on Friday, July 19th, 9:15am - 4:45 pm. Registering on-time, and before August 1st, ensures that you will have timely access to health insurance coverage and access to campus resources.

Course enrollment at Berkeley occurs in two phases (1 & 2) and is assigned based on one's standing (Grad, UG Freshman, Sophomore, etc.). For fall, new graduate students are able to sign up for classes in one phase in late July. All math graduate students must be enrolled full-time with a minimum 12-unit course load each semester. Students needing accommodations such as a reduced course load must be registered with the Disabled Students' Program.

In addition to being required to enroll in 12 units each semester, as a program requirement, all first years must enroll in at least four courses total across the fall and spring terms. At least two of these must be graduate courses in Mathematics. MPS 375 and 303 do not count towards the satisfaction of this requirement. MPS 375 is a pedagogy course that all first-time GSIs are required to take. For reference of the course offerings to expect, you can view our course offerings on the Schedule of Classes [use the lefthand bar to filter by term and course level (e.g. grad or undergrad)] or on our website here. To view courses offered in other departments visit the Berkeley Guide. I recommend using the top ribbon to search by subject rather than by keyword.

Before finalizing your course schedule, please discuss your plans with your assigned first-year faculty adviser. You will be assigned a faculty adviser in early summer. If you have any general questions about enrollment and your options please feel free to contact us.

Employment as a GSI or GSR

The two primary forms of employment for graduate students in the Math Department are Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) and Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) appointments. GSRs are appointed directly by the supervising faculty member. The majority of first-year students work as GSIs for the department.

In late spring/early summer an application will be sent out to all students who will be working as GSIs this fall so that we can collect your teaching preferences. We will do our best to match you to your preferences, but please keep in mind that you may not be assigned your first choice. The majority of first-year students are assigned to our larger, lower-division courses as assignments are made based on seniority and prior GSI experience. When submitting your preferences please make sure that your own course schedule does not conflict with the course you may be assigned to as a GSI. Some instructors require attendance at lecture and you will always need to be available to proctor in-class midterms and final exams. The instructor teaching the course is your supervisor so please make sure to have your travel plans for winter and summer break approved by them in advance of making any travel arrangements. You may be needed several days after the final exam is given to complete final grading and administrative duties so it's important that you work with your supervising faculty member to identify when it will be okay for you to depart from campus for breaks.

Fall GSI appointments officially start on August 1st and end on December 31st. Thus, students are paid for the entire month of August and December even though GSI work typically doesn't begin until the start of the semester and usually ends before December 31st. In order for students to be paid the correct amount it is important that they complete HR onboarding (official employment verification) with Berkeley Regional Services / ERSO by the stated deadlines. Students who do not complete onboarding by the stated deadline may not be paid their GSI salary until October 1st. More information on onboarding sessions will be sent later this summer.

Requirements for first-time GSIs:

Attend the daylong Teaching Conference sponsored by the GSI Teaching & Resource Center. This conference is held each semester on the Friday before classes begin. Pre-registration is required. All first-time international GSIs must also complete the Teaching Conference for International GSIs, which takes place in the fall semester the Thursday before classes begin. Pre-registration is also required for Thursday's offering.
Successfully complete the online course GSI Professional Standards and Ethics in Teaching before interacting with students (in person or online) as an instructor.
Enroll in and complete the 300-level pedagogy course for first-time GSIs, MPS 375. All GSIs teaching for the first time on campus must take a 300-level pedagogy course, regardless of prior teaching experience or previous courses taken at other universities. If you have a course conflict with MPS 375, students may take a pedagogy course offered by another department as long as you have approval from the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies, Sug Woo Shin, and the alternate department.
All first-time GSIs must attend an hour-long Academic Student Employee (ASE) orientation session. Advanced registration is NOT required.

Language Proficiency Requirements for International Students

International students must satisfy an English language proficiency requirement in order to serve as a GSI. If English is your first language, if you attended a US institution for your undergraduate degree, or if you scored at least 26 on the speaking portion of the TOEFL IBT, then you are eligible to teach. However, you must still report your status through the Language Proficiency Questionnaire. The deadline to complete the questionnaire for incoming students is June 1, 2024.

All other students must pass an English language proficiency exam, and in some cases take a class before being eligible to teach. We will write further about the steps needed to satisfy this language requirement in advance, but please be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure that this requirement is satisfied, and that your offer of a GSI appointment is contingent upon satisfying this requirement.

Resources for GSIs:

GSI Teaching and Resource Center

GSI, GSR, Reader and Tutor Guide

If you have any questions regarding GSI or GSR matters please don't hesitate to contact us.