Folks,

Something to be aware of if you are applying to Berkeley: there are some material fee increases (around 15%) already approved for the following semesters, so take this into consideration when budgeting...

I am doing my LLM here in Berkeley right now and we were taken by surprise by a tuition fee increase in the middle of the program. Budget cuts, they say...

Cheers and good luck!

How can they increase the tuition in the middle of your program?

I mean they can raise the fee quote for 2010 but not for the existing students - you chose Berkeley based on the original fee - that's cheat!

well, I agree, but that's what happened... they said the spring semester fees were mere estimates and, therefore, they had the right to rise them....

Schools in California got crazy these days - also heard that MBA tuition increased to $60,000 for 2010 semester...

Berkeley is not playing fair.

Besides increasing the fee they have the Summer LLM to get even more money. It is crazy.

Paying 45,000 a year its just insane... for an LLM...oh dear...

I admire you guys.. lol

I have to agree with grugrani,

Berkeley's financial situation is bleak and the most accessible way of making money is to take it from the students. That won't change in the next couple of years.

So if you apply to Berkeley, definitely be prepared for

a) a very late release of the actual tuition fee for 2010/2011. The fees for the academic year won't be set until sometime in June/July, i.e. at a time when you have already committed to Berkeley (or not). Until then, you will only receive estimates but no definite numbers. The website currently states 45k for 09/10, expect this to be closer to 50k for 10/11.

b) possible mid-year fee increases. This doesn't seem to be too uncommon here.

I hate to say this (because Berkeley is a great school and I have a great time here), but if you depend on a predictable budget and cannot easily cough up an additional 1 or 2k in case Berkeley decides to raise its fees again, seriously reconsider applying to Berkeley.

what about UCLA - same story?

Seems that schools in east coast are more discreet in this respect.

The same thing... all the UC system will suffer fee increases...