Reduced Fee Enrollment Program

UCNet Article on Tuition Discounts & Reduced Fees for University Classes

UC Policy on Reduced Fee Enrollment for University Employees

PPSM-51 - Reduced Fee Enrollment

Read the full policy here

Eligibility

A regular status employee who meets the admission requirements of the University is eligible for two-thirds reduction of both the University Registration Fee and the Educational Fee when enrolled in regular session courses of up to nine units or three courses per quarter or semester, whichever provides the greater benefit to the employee.  Full fees will be assessed when an eligible employee's enrollment exceeds both nine units and three courses.

Covered University Programs

Most Berkeley campus undergraduate, graduate, and MBA programs. Some self-funded and professional programs may not be covered; applicants are advised to check with the program.

The policy does not apply to the following programs: 

  • UC Berkeley Extension
  • Boalt School of Law
  • summer session classes
  • Part-Time Master of Engineering (M-Eng.)
  • Evening Weekend MBA (EWMBA)
  • Executive MBA (EMBA)
  • Master of Financial Engineering (MFE)
  • Master of Information & Data Science (MIDS)
  • Master of Information & Cyber Security (MICS)
  • Online On-Campus Master of Public Health (OOMPH)
  • Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
  • Master of Real Estate Development + Design (MRED+D)
  • Master of Bioprocess Engineering (M.BPE.)
  • Master of Design (M.Des.)
  • Master of Molecular Science and Software Engineering (MSSE)
  • Flexible Master of Social Welfare (Flex MSW)
  • Master of Development Engineering (M.Dev.Eng.)
  • Master of Analytics (M.Analytx.)
  • Master of Nutritional Science and Dietetics (M.NSD.)
  • Master of Computational Social Science (MaCSS)
  • Master of Biotechnology (M.Biotech)
  • Master of Advanced Study in Engineering (MAS-E)

Class/Unit Maximum/Registration Deadline

Reduced fee enrollment covers no more than 9 (nine) units, or 3 (three) classes, whichever is greater. The program applies only to regular session courses. Pre-candidacy studies, summer session, or enrollment without units are not covered.

Your application should be submitted and received by People & Culture no later than the first 5 weeks of the new semester. Retroactive applications will not be processed.

Reduction Amount

Each semester you are eligible, you receive a a two-thirds (2/3) reduction of the Education Fee and University Registration Fee.

Questions and Answers

Is there a limit to the number of semesters employees can take advantage of this program?

No. You may receive a reduction for each semester that you are eligible for.

Is release time covered by this program?

No. Release time, if necessary, must be negotiated between you and your supervisor.

What do I need to do to participate in this program?

  • If you are not already enrolled as a student, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission or Graduate Division Admission for University application procedures.
  • After receiving confirmation of your admission, fill out the Reduced Fee Enrollment Form (PDF).
  • Email (reducedfee@berkeley.edu), fax (2-2888), or mail the application to People & Culture, 2850 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 no later than the first 5 weeks of the new semester. Retroactive applications will not be processed.
  • People & Culture will verify your eligibility and forward the authorization to Student Accounting for the fee reduction.

Note: Once you are accepted into the program, you are responsible for submitting an application for each eligible semester in which you are enrolled.

Are there other ways to take classes on the Berkeley campus?

Sponsored Tuition enables eligible staff to take UC Berkeley Extension classes! People & Culture, in cooperation with UC Berkeley Extension, is proud to announce that we have enhanced the University Extension Sponsored Tuition program. Sponsored Tuition is a career development initiative spearheaded through a partnership between People & Culture and UC Berkeley Extension which provides tuition assistance for eligible employees. UC Berkeley People & Culture will cover the course fees for employees to take UC Berkeley Extension courses. Course choices include all UNEX courses, except intensive/international programs such as boot camps and concurrent enrollment courses. Read more on our Sponsored Tuition page.

Learn More

Combining Staff Reduced Fee Program and GSI/GSR Appointments

Requirements for Combining Reduced Fee Enrollment and GSI/GSR Fee Remission

  • Enrollment Limits: To keep the staff reduced fee enrollment benefit (which provides a two-thirds reduction in University Tuition and Student Services fees), a student's total semester enrollment must not exceed 9 units OR 3 regular session university courses, whichever provides the greater benefit

  • GSI/GSR Eligibility: To serve as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and receive a fee remission, a student must normally enroll in at least 12 units

  • Meeting Both Rules Simultaneously: Per UC policy PPSM-51, full fees are only assessed if an eligible employee's enrollment exceeds both 9 units and 3 courses. Therefore, a staff member can maintain eligibility for both programs by enrolling in up to 3 classes that equal a total of 12 or more units. For example, a student can enroll in 3 courses totaling 12 units (which can include 299 research units), satisfying the 12-unit GSR requirement without breaking the staff reduced fee rule, since they do not exceed 3 courses. However, enrolling in 4 or more classes that total over 9 units would violate the policy.

Examples of what is permitted:

  • 3 courses totaling 9 units

  • 3 courses totaling 9.5 units

  • 3 courses totaling 12 units

  • 4 courses totaling 9 units

  • 5 courses totaling 9 units

Examples of what is not permitted:

  • 4 courses totaling 9.5 units

  • 4 courses totaling 10 units

  • ASE/GSR Contract Restrictions on Employment: Since the ASE/GSR collective bargaining agreement requires that PhD and MFA students are offered a 50% Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) position, staff will not be able to serve as GSIs while employed 50% in their staff role (see Student Employment Caps below). PhD/MFA students are eligible to work 25% GSR appointments and master’s students may hold 25% GSI or GSR appointments.

  • Student Employment Caps: Per University of California Office of the President (UCOP) requirements, a graduate student has a strict limit of 75% maximum campus employment across all titles. To retain full staff benefits while accepting a GSI/GSR appointment, an employee must typically keep their staff job at 50% FTE and limit their GSR/ASE appointment to 25% FTE

  • Fee Remission Costs: Because the Academic Student Employee (ASE) and GSR contracts outline fee remissions that cover fees beyond basic tuition and student services fees for ASEs and GSRs working 25% or more, the hiring department or PI will still pay for other associated fees, meaning the final charge to the department will be more than just the exact 2/3 reduced staff fee amount.

  • Exceptions: The reduced fee enrollment program does not apply to University Extension, Summer Session courses, or self-supported degree programs. Furthermore, students who file for this employee reduced fee program are explicitly ineligible to concurrently receive a tuition/fee reduction for part-time student status.

Last Updated July 2026