For more on Berkeley Resources & Services, go here: http://grad.berkeley.edu/students/
Information on loans and scholarships available to MFE students, please visit the Haas Financial Aid website.
There are several housing options in Berkeley. Please follow the links below for further info:
UC Berkeley Housing Options for Graduate Students
University Village at Albany (Family Housing)
Ida L. Jackson Graduate Apartments
Manville Apartments
New Sequoia Apartments
Garden Village Apartments
CalRentals – Free off-campus housing listing service run by UC Berkeley. Requires CalNet ID
More info: https://housing.berkeley.edu/explore-housing-options/housing-by-user-type/graduate-students/
UC Berkeley has a rental listing service exclusively for the campus community called Cal Rentals. You can find off-campus rental listings, sublease listings, and roommate listings,:
https://och.berkeley.edu/. In addition, their resources page has links to lots of helpful practical information, such as graduate housing tips, descriptions of neighborhoods and house-hunting tips.
Other recommendations:
UCB Summer and Transition Housing Opportunities
Summer Housing
High Rise Properties
Metro510
Parker
Berkeley Central
Varsity Berkeley
1122U
Stonefire
Allston+Stadium
Higby
Rooming Houses
The Berk
Kluegel House
Academic Housing Rentals
Berkeley Student Cooperative
Property Management Companies
SG Real Estate
Happy Home Partners
Everest Properties
Kapi Residences
Additional Resources
Bears for Financial Success
Cort Furniture Rental
Graduate Assembly Housing Guide
Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board
Housing & Roommate Search Groups (no official University affiliations)
Graduate Student Housing Facebook Group
Housing – Open Facebook Group
Berkeley Housing, Sublets & Roommates Facebook Group
Berkeley Off-Campus Housing Anywhere Facebook Group
Berkeley International Office Search Tool
Public resources
Craigslist is a public site where rental listings are posted. Please note that since this is a public site, you should take general, common-sense precautions when negotiating with individuals on the site; the MFE office is not responsible for any problems with the site or any issues that arise from renting from someone through the site. The Berkeley Rent Board is a resource for renters in Berkeley, and can help clarify laws and regulations for renters.
Berkeley is a fantastic place to live with children! There are excellent school options, and lots of fun things to do with kids.
Here are some resources:
The Student Parent Center
This should be your first stop for student parents at UC Berkeley. It will connect you to support services on campus, the campus Early Childhood Education Program, and specific resources for graduate students with children.
Berkeley Parents Network
Information posted by other parents in the area, on everything from preschools/camps/elementary schools to sitters and childcare options to activities.
Support for Student Parents
Financial support for student parents. They offer information on grants, childbirth accommodation, child care reimbursement, etc.
In addition, these are non-UC Berkeley-affiliated resources listed below for your information and convenience, but that we are not responsible for any issues you may experience working with them:
Bananas
For childcare and also check out for referrals, workshops, and the like.
Education for child(ren):
Typically, children begin full-time school attendance in elementary school (which starts with kindergarten at age 5 and goes through the fifth grade), then move to middle school (6th-8th grades), and then to high school. Prior to elementary school, students will attend preschool part-time or full-time. Public school options are based on your address (which city, and in some cases, which part of a city, you live in). Local school districts are listed below (please note that it is not an exhaustive list, but includes most of the common options nearby).
Berkeley Unified School District
Albany Unified School District
You can check school ratings at http://www.greatschools.org/.
Fun things to do with families:
Lawrence Hall of Science (free entry for students!)
Chabot Space and Science Center
Bridges Rock Climbing Gym (in El Cerrito, not far from University Village)
Berkeley Ironworks
Codornices Park and the cement slide
The Farm at Tilden Park
The Steam Trains at Tilden Park
Indian Rock – great place to climb around, and fantastic place to watch fireworks!
Berkeley Kite Festival
Friday nights at the Oakland Museum of California
Adventure playground
Lake Anza in Tilden Park
Strawberry Canyon Pool
Lake Temescal
Crown Beach in Alameda
Farmers’ Markets