Virtual Event for Newly Admitted Grad Students
Did you get admitted to a graduate program at UC Berkeley? Consider attending a Belong at Berkeley webinar to help envision what choosing Berkeley might mean for you.
How to participate
Over 15 Belong at Berkeley webinars will be hosted February 23 – 27, 2026. In order to participate, you should be a newly admitted student. Interested attendees will need to register for each webinar session.
If you are unable to attend live webinars, recordings will be provided to those that register.
What is it?
Belong at Berkeley is a series of live-streamed and on-demand webinars that will orient you to the Berkeley experience. Though designed with newly admitted graduate students who are underrepresented in higher education in mind, Belong at Berkeley webinars are open to all admitted graduate students, including masters and professional.
You’ll have the opportunity to:
- Ask questions and get the information you need to make your decision
- Be in community with current students from historically underrepresented backgrounds and learn about their graduate student experiences
- Learn about housing options and navigating the best resources
- Gain insights about financial aid and funding opportunities
- Discover essential and unique campus services and resources
- Get excited about creating your community, and public service opportunities
- Get a taste for the phenomenal scholarship of our faculty members
2026 Belong at Berkeley Schedule
| Date (All dates and times are subject to change.) | Time | Topic | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, February 23, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Belong at Berkeley Kick-Off and Welcome | Featuring keynote speaker, Lisa García Bedolla, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate Division, join us as we kick off our webinar series designed for you: our new admits. We will give an overview of what to expect throughout the week, introduce the Office for Graduate Diversity and campus resources. |
| Monday, February 23, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Choosing a Graduate Program with Confidence | Hear from current UC Berkeley graduate students about how they navigated the decision-making process. They will share their experiences and insights on the key factors they weighed when choosing their graduate program, along with what they learned along the way, offering advice to help you make your graduate program decision with confidence. |
| Monday, February 23, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Engaging with Faculty to Thrive in Graduate School | Gain insights from UC Berkeley faculty across various disciplines as they demystify the journey through graduate school at Berkeley and share advice on fostering strong faculty-student relationships. |
| Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Navigating Off-Campus Housing in the Bay Area | Unsure where to start looking for housing as a graduate student? This workshop will provide insight into the types of housing available to Berkeley students and information on how to navigate the off-campus housing market, including a breakdown of the neighborhoods surrounding campus and tips on how to find the space that works best for you! |
| Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Supporting Graduate Students with Disabilities | Join the Disabled Students’ Program and Disability Cultural Community Center to demystify the student experience of and campus resources available for graduate students with disabilities. |
| Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Funding 101: PhD Edition | The Fellowships office will provide an overview of funding offers, understanding important components and what they generally mean, and additional funding opportunities, along with guidance on which offices to turn to for support as you consider your options. Current PhD students will also share their firsthand experiences navigating the graduate funding landscape. |
| Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Community & Resources for Native Graduate Students | This session will offer an introduction to the American Indian Graduate Program, which supports Native and Indigenous graduate students, and will feature relevant campus resources, student organizations, programs, and funding information, such as the Native American Opportunity Plan (NAOP), along with insights from current students. |
| Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Campus Housing for Graduate Students | Join this session with UC Berkeley Housing to learn how graduate housing eligibility works, the benefits and amenities offered by campus housing, the application timeline and next steps. |
| Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Funding 101: Master’s/Professional Edition | The Fellowships office will provide an overview of funding opportunities for Master’s and Professional students, including guidance on which offices to turn to for support as you consider your options. Current Master’s/Professional students will also share their firsthand experiences navigating the graduate funding landscape. |
| Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | First-Generation Resources and Support @ UC Berkeley | Hear directly from current graduate students navigating academia as first-generation and/or low-income (FGLI) graduate students. Learn about the mission of the FGLI Grads Group at Berkeley to build community and support along with campus resources and networking opportunities, such as the Inclusive Excellence Hub! |
| Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Graduate Student Wellness | This session will provide a brief overview of Berkeley SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan) and highlight services and support available to graduate students via University Health Services. Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) will also share resources and tips for maintaining holistic wellness throughout the graduate experience. |
| Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Settling in as an International Student | Join us alongside the Berkeley International Office to gain real insights about what to expect before and upon arrival on campus. Learn helpful tips and resources for getting settled into the community as an international student at UC Berkeley. |
| Friday, February 27, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Undocumented @ UC Berkeley* (Not recorded) | This session will provide an introduction to resources available to undocumented graduate students that aim to demystify the graduate student experience. Join us and hear from current undocumented graduate students at Berkeley! |
| Friday, February 27, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Building Impact & Community Beyond Campus | The Public Service Center will highlight UC Berkeley’s commitment to community-engaged learning and public service, plus how to create and leverage opportunities for growth beyond the Berkeley campus. |
| Friday, February 27, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Diversity in STEM @ UC Berkeley | Join us for a student panel facilitated by the STEM*FYI Program on resources, support, and community-building opportunities for students in STEM fields at UC Berkeley. |
| Friday, February 27, 2026 | 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Celebrating Diversity: Graduate Student Journeys @ UC Berkeley | Explore what it means to be a graduate student “underrepresented” in the academy across disciplines through this student panel. Viewers will leave with advice for maintaining your authentic spark and building community. |
Questions
If you are curious about other resources available to Berkeley students, our resources page is a good start.
If you have any questions about Belong at Berkeley, accessing these events, or if you require disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate, please reach out to us at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than 7-10 days in advance. We will attempt to meet all accommodation requests regardless of timing.
Hoping to connect sooner?
Consider setting up an appointment with one of our Diversity and Community Fellows! Our Fellows are current graduate students whose unifying mission is to support the development of an inclusive graduate learning community by enhancing the cultural, academic, and professional experiences of historically underrepresented students. By meeting with them, you will have the opportunity to receive general information about the Berkeley experience directly from the student!