The Graduate group in Microbiology commits to providing the necessary financial support for all students for five years at UC Berkeley. For the first year, the Graduate Group in Microbiology pays tuition, fees, and a stipend. The yearly stipend pays approximately $23,000 with opportunities for additional income.

The Graduate Group in Microbiology pays out-of-state tuition for the first year only, as out-of-state students are expected to become California residents after that time. International students who hold neither dual citizenship in the United States nor Permanent Resident status cannot become residents of California. Their tuition is covered; however, they are highly encouraged to advance to candidacy and graduate in a timely manner to minimize costs.

During the second and third years, students normally get support as Graduate Student Researchers (who carry out specific projects in faculty laboratories) or as Graduate Student Instructors. Faculty thesis research advisors or the host department of the graduate student provide financial support (stipend and fees) for the final two years of study.

Although the Graduate Group in Microbiology guarantees support for its graduate students, it also strongly encourages prospective graduate students to apply for all applicable fellowships to defray fees and stipends. Students who get awarded outside fellowships get a bonus raising their stipend above the minimum $23,000.

Students automatically compete for UC Berkeley sponsored fellowships (University Fellowship Competition) when submitting the university application, "Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships." The main sources of extramural support for graduate students in the Graduate group in Microbiology are the National Science Foundation's Graduate Fellowship Program and Graduate Minority Fellowship Program and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Predoctoral Fellowship Program in the Biological Sciences (all have November deadlines). For further information, write the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program at Oak Ridge Associated Universities, P.O. Box 3010, Oak Ridge TN 37831-3010, or telephone (423) 241-3010, or e-mail nsfgrfp@orau.gov. Write the Hughes Predoctoral Fellowships in the Biological Sciences, The Fellowship Office, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington DC 20418 or telephone (202) 334-2872 or e-mail infofell@nas.edu.

The UC Berkeley Graduate web page also lists information about fellowships in special topics and those for minority students. See www.grad.berkeley.edu .