The Pipeline to the PhD Bootcamp helps prospective doctoral students, especially those from underrepresented groups, better understand Ph.D. programs and find the right program for their interests and goals. The bootcamp is divided into five sessions, which you can watch below. As you consider applying to a Ph.D. program, we hope you find these topics and discussions useful. You can watch all sessions from beginning to end. If you’re interested in a graduate program at Berkeley, learn more about the steps to apply. Session 1 - First Things First: Demystifying the Ph.D. Learn about how doctoral programs differ from other professional and graduate programs, and if a Ph.D. program might be right for you. We’ll demystify the funding process, discuss how admissions committees review applicants, and provide tips on how to identify and contact faculty in your program of interest. Session 2a (STEM Students) - Ph.D. Options for My Discipline, Starting with the End in Mind: Developing a Competitive ApplicationLearn about what types of graduate programs are possible for students in your discipline and undergraduate major. Meet faculty, experts, current graduate students, and alumni in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields and hear their recommendations for successfully navigating the STEM application process and succeeding in graduate school. Session 2b (Social Sciences and Humanities Students) - Ph.D. Options for My Discipline, Starting with the End in Mind: Developing a Competitive ApplicationLearn about what types of graduate programs are possible for students in your discipline, and undergraduate major. Meet faculty, experts, current graduate students, and alumni in the humanities and social sciences and hear their recommendations for successfully navigating the application process and succeeding in graduate school. Session 3 - How to Find Your Researcher IdentityHear from current graduate students about how to develop your identity as a researcher, what tools and support you need to thrive in a research setting, and who to reach out to for support in identifying and pursuing your research focus. Session 4 - Productivity 101: Making Use of the Summer and Organizing for the Journey AheadThe key to a successful graduate school application often involves making effective use of limited time. In this session hear how to organize your time to put together a competitive application, along with some hacks, tips, and tools to prepare your application. Session 5 - Closer to Achieving the DreamIn this final session, learn how to grow and strengthen your recommender relationship, organize and track admissions deadlines, write a strong diversity statement, manage rejection, and choose the right institution. Our ProgramsBrowse our program list and find your match! With more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of UC Berkeley’s interdisciplinary scholarship, there’s a program that’s right for you. Explore Programs