GiGS
By engaging key staff and graduate student mentors with motivated undergraduates, we hope undergraduates leave the mentoring program with a better understanding of what the process entails and are inspired to pursue academic careers and create change in the future.
Recordings and Resources
UC Berkeley Diversity Professionals
Various colleges within the University have diversity directors — professionals committed to cultivating a campus environment that will value and actively seek to promote diversity. We’ve created a helpful list of diversity professionals by department. They work to increase the number of underrepresented scholars who will enroll and graduate from UC Berkeley graduate programs.
We strongly encourage GiGSters to set up informational interviews with a diversity professional in their field of interest this spring. Informational interviews are a great networking tool for career exploration and job hunting. They are meetings featuring a conversation about a particular field or industry between you and someone who may be in a position to help you get a job in the future, shed light on their career trajectory, or give you a better understanding of an occupation, industry, or field of study. If you’d like to set one up but aren’t sure where to start ask your mentor or the GiGS team for some guidance. Whether it’s crafting an e-mail, deciding who to contact, or generating some questions for your interview. We’re here to help!
GiGS Mentees
GiGS is open to all students and is dedicated to assisting first-generation, low-income, transfer, and other students historically underrepresented in higher education. Mentees are UC Berkeley students graduating after December 2026 who work with graduate student mentors throughout the academic year to learn about the research landscape, graduate school, becoming a competitive graduate school applicant, and develop goals for post-graduation plans.
Benefits
Create application materials
Receive assistance from mentors on writing personal statements, resumes/CVs, and other graduate school, research, and internship application materials.
Form a plan
Create a timeline for post-graduate plans, and get help selecting a research program, graduate program or create an alternative plan. GiGS staff will also provide students with a “Life After Undergrad” workshop.
Workshops and resources
GiGS will provide workshops throughout the year on applying to competitive summer research opportunities, writing a personal statement, GRE preparation, funding opportunities and much more.
Eligibility
Be a UC Berkeley undergraduate
Must be a student who will not graduate before Fall 2026 and commit to the GiGS program for the full academic year (Fall and Spring). GiGS classes take place Fridays from 1-3PM for both semesters.
There is no GPA requirement or other academic requirements to join as a mentee.
Submit an application and add yourself to the waitlist
For consideration, mentees must submit an online application and add themselves to the course waitlist. Please note that space is limited and not all mentees will be selected, although it is our intention to enroll as many students as possible. After selection, mentees will sign a contract stating they will fulfill the requirements.
APPLICATION
Online Mentee Application
Add yourself to the waitlist
Please note: Selected students must attend the first class on Friday, August 29 at 1PM
Application Deadline: Sunday, August 3, 2025 at 11:59PM
Notifications: Friday, August 15, 2025
Mentee Requirements
Meet with your mentor
Required to meet with a mentor for a minimum of three times per semester, and are also welcome to meet with the GiGS team.
Attend workshops and ceremonies
Mentees are required to attend our weekly seminar and specific events:
- GiGS Kick-Off: Friday, September 19, 2025 1 – 3PM
- CA Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education (UC Merced): Saturday, October 18, 2025, all day
- GiGS End of Semester Events (take place during class times)
GiGS Mentors
As a GiGS mentor, you may be working with 1-2 Berkeley undergraduate students who are unfamiliar with the path to graduate study. Mentors meet with mentees at least 3 times per semester, maintain responsive email correspondence with mentees, and may be called upon to participate in a classroom panel discussion. Graduate student mentors provide a holistic mentoring experience to encompass more than simply academic advice.
Benefits
Leadership & training
Receive leadership development training to acquire equity-focused mentoring skills.
Advising skills
Mentors will help increase the diversity of students applying for graduate school by mentoring undergraduate students representing a range of ethnicities, socioeconomic classes, family college backgrounds, and academic disciplines. As a mentor, you will hone advising and mentoring skills as you provide socio-emotional and academic advice and assistance to mentees.
Stipend
Mentors will receive a $1,000 stipend for the year ($500 per semester). This year, mentors who host their mentees as undergraduate researchers will receive an additional $100/semester.
Eligibility
Mentors must be registered UC Berkeley graduate students in good academic standing and not on filing fee for the duration of the 2025-2026 academic year.
Requirements
Submit an application and contract
Submit an online application. Upon acceptance into the program, mentors will be required to sign a contract detailing their commitment to the program and their respective mentor duties. Please note that mentors are selected based on undergraduate student needs, including specific research interests and/or intended fields. Thus, we cannot guarantee that your application will be selected.
APPLICATION
Application Deadline: Friday, August 8, 2025 at 5 PM PT
Selection notifications will be sent out by late August.
Mandatory training & events
Must attend Orientation/Training events in Fall and Spring semesters as scheduled:
Mentor Orientation: Friday, September 12, 2025 3:10-5 PM PT
Program Kick-off Event: Friday, September 19, 2025 1-3 PM PT
End of Year Celebration: date/time TBA
*Spring Semester dates: TBA
Mentee meetings
Required to meet with mentees at least three times per semester, and dedicate at least 10 additional hours per semester to engagement with your mentee (email, phone, etc). Mentor-mentee meetings can be used to discuss undergraduate preparation, program selection, revise graduate school or research program application materials, attend events or talks together, or give advice and answer questions regarding post-graduation possibilities.
A large part of your commitment as a GiGS mentor is to provide a nurturing environment for your students to feel comfortable asking you any questions/assistance regarding graduate school or post-graduation plans and share your genuine experience to and in graduate school to the extent you are comfortable.
Questions
Please email [email protected] with any questions about the GiGS mentorship program.
Contact us
Getting into Graduate School
327 Sproul Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
Email: [email protected]