For New Ph.D. Students

Welcome to the UC Berkeley School of Information!

Congratulations on your admission to our Ph.D. in Information Science! We firmly believe this year’s incoming class will bring a tremendous diversity of experience and intellectual curiosity to the I School. In the coming weeks, we look forward to helping you connect with your potential new classmates and the wider I School community. And, we will be sharing an abundance of information to help you prepare for the fall!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the admissions team with questions at admissions@ischool.berkeley.edu. We are here to help with whatever you may need!

Important Dates and Action Items

• ASAP: Sign up for a Slack account and join the #phd24 channel. (See instructions below.)
• ASAP: International students: complete your NIF
• Ongoing: Attend newly admitted student events
• TBA: Experience Diversity (2-week long series of live-streamed and on-demand webinars hosted by Graduate Diversity)
• March 13–14: Ph.D. Welcome Event
• March 15–16: Diversity Days
• By April 15: Accept admission via the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
• After April 15:
  • Sign up for an I School account and email address. (See instructions below.)
  • After your I School account is active, update your student profile.
• By June 1: California residents: submit Statement of Legal Residence
• TBA: Orientation (required) (dates subject to change)
• August: Classes begin
• By October 1: Submit official transcripts and degree certificates (if applicable) to UC Berkeley Graduate Division or Admissions team.

Get Connected

Join Slack

Slack is an online communication and collaboration environment for the entire I School community — students, faculty, staff, visitors, and alumni.

Shortly after you are notified of your admission, you will receive an email inviting you to create an account in our Slack workspace. After setting up your account, join the #phd25 channel to connect with your fellow newly admitted students.

Social Media

Be sure to “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Medium, and subscribe to @BerkeleyISchool on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest I School news.

What’s Next

Accept The Offer

April 15 is the deadline to accept the offer of admission. Once you have received the formal offer of admission from the UC Berkeley Graduate Division, you can accept the offer of admission online.

International Students

To attend UC Berkeley as a F-1 or J-1 student, you must submit the online Non-Immigrant Information Form (NIF) to request the I-20 F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) documents for your visa. You can find this form under “Tasks” on My Dashboard in CalCentral after you accept your offer of admission. Learn more about this process here or contact the Berkeley International Office for more information.

Submit Statement of Legal Residence

June 1 is the deadline to submit your Statement of Legal Residence, in order for the Office of the Registrar to determine what fees are assessed with your tuition. You can find this form on your CalCentral under “Tasks” on My Dashboard. If you have any questions about completing your SLR, please refer to the Residency Office. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are also required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

After April 15

Sign up for an I School Account and Email Address

Shortly after the SIR deadline, students who have completed the Statement of Intent to Register will receive an email inviting you to sign up for an I School account. That email has a personalized link to the account request form.

Your I School account will allow you to access our I School Intranet, which contains a great deal of useful information, resources, and the MIMS Handbook. We will also create an I School email address and a web profile page for you, to help you get to know other new students.

Update your Profile

Browse the directory of other incoming Ph.D. students (we will add your profile when your account is created) and current Ph.D. students. Update your profile with a photo and more information about yourself. Incoming student profiles are private until you begin classes; update your privacy settings if you want information to remain private.

Ask A Student

Reach out to Ph.D. students and alumni who have offered to connect with you and share more about life at the I School. 

Academics

Fall Orientation

Orientation is mandatory for all new students. See the orientation page for more information.

Registration

Registration opens in July (your specific enrollment appointment day and time will be displayed in CalCentral). Students register for classes on the “My Academics” tab in CalCentral.

Classes Begin

Classes begin on Wednesday, August 28. Refer to the Berkeley Academic Calendar for details.

Ph.D. Course Schedule

Fall 2024 Information Course Schedule

Incoming Ph.D. students are required to register in Info 295: Doctoral Colloquium for their first four semesters.

Computer Needs

I School students are required to own a computer; no particular configuration or platform is required. Current students use MacOS, Windows, and Unix/Linux; most use laptops, but some use primarily desktops.

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact our admissions team at admissions@ischool.berkeley.edu.