Frequently Asked Questions

Applications to use PPFP recruitment funds, up to $3,000 for each recruit, can be submitted to the AFDAH team on a rolling basis throughout the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years. Departments can submit applications for funding through this FORM.

Once fellows have established a general research plan, including an itemized budget, they will begin spending your research funds. The departments of each fellow will receive the research funds, to be distributed according to the general research budget the fellows create in collaboration with their mentors. Departments will report the expenses of the grant to the DEIBJ office staff at the end of the two-year grant period (end of FY25). Fellows will work with departments to process their research expenses. Each fellow has until the end of FY2025 to spend their research funds.

Once AFDAH new faculty fellows have been selected we will pair them with mentors from our mentor pool.

Please see the Sample Budget, which lists possible uses for AFDAH research funds. Some examples include book subventions, research travel, manuscript editing, and course development.

AFDAH new faculty fellows will work with a mentor for one calendar year, designing a research and professional development trajectory for their time within the program. Throughout the course of the two years, starting from their acceptance into the program, fellows will use their research funds to support what they most need in terms of research and career advancement, such as graduate student research assistance or book subventions (please see our sample budget for the research funds). Also, during the two-year fellowship, fellows will participate in workshops and discussions centered on building resources that address best mentorship practices for the arts and humanities, to be shared with departments in and outside of the division following the grant period. Fellows will be required to participate in the mentorship program and use their research funds in ways necessary for their work by the end of their two years.

AFDAH new faculty fellows will work with a mentor for one calendar year, designing a research and professional development trajectory for their time within the program.

During the two-year fellowship, fellows will participate in workshops and discussions centered on building resources that address best mentorship practices for the arts and humanities, to be shared with departments in and outside of the division following the grant period. Fellows, and their faculty peers, will continue to benefit from these resources following the grant period.

Candidates should apply soon after they have begun their work at UC Berkeley, ideally the beginning of their first semester as faculty members in their departments.

The fellowship is for two years. Fellows will have until the end of FY2024-25 to spend research funds and participate in the mentorship program.

Candidates can apply to be AFDAH fellows through the following application form. The deadline for applications for FY23-24 is December 4, 2023, with decisions by December 15, 2023.

To become an AFDAH fellow, candidates must have entered their positions at UC Berkeley after July 1st, 2023. Candidates must also pursue research in underrepresented areas of study, particularly in fields underrepresented throughout the arts and humanities division at Berkeley.

AFDAH fellows are newly hired faculty in the Arts and Humanities whose research focuses on subjects and fields of study that center primarily underrepresented groups and epistemologies. AFDAH fellows not only receive financial support from the division for their research and collaborations, but also participate in building a culture that better serves faculty who work in underrepresented fields. One way fellows become integral players in forming a more inclusive academic climate across the division is through their collaborative work with faculty mentors, appointed through the AFDAH mentorship program. By participating in the AFDAH program, fellows co-develop new strategies for inclusive mentorship and scholarly community building that will carry the Arts and Humanities at Berkeley into a more expansive and collaborative future.

As you move through your undergraduate years and into graduate school, you will have increasing contact with graduate students and faculty in your discipline. Knowing how to interact with them can be helpful as you begin to negotiate a larger sphere with future colleagues and mentors. Building strong relationships begins with your initial interactions with busy faculty members and graduate students. As you begin to apply to graduate school, please keep the following suggestions in mind:

• Try visiting with faculty members during office hours first, unless they are available by appointment only. Otherwise, an e-mail will allow faculty members to respond when they have time.
• Do not wait until the latter part of the fall term to speak with your professors about your graduate school goals. Get to know them early. Then ask them if they would be willing to write a strong letter of support for you.
• Give each recommender at least a month's notice before the recommendation deadline.
• Follow up with the recommender after you've learned your admission decisions. Faculty are always interested in learning whether, and to which programs, you were admitted.
• Please, have the courtesy to respond to telephone calls or e-mail messages. Once you are accepted into a particular program, there is usually a considerable effort coordinated to recruit you. Ignoring faculty is just plain rude and may send a message that you do not intend. Keep in mind that these individuals will be your colleagues one day.
• Have the courage to tell faculty or other program representatives directly that you will not be attending their program. Of course, it is not always easy to admit that you have decided to accept another school's offer. Keep in mind that it happens all the time, so be honest, and others will truly understand.
• Be sure to thank all faculty, graduate students, and staff who have assisted you. You would be surprised to learn how instrumental they have been, and how they may feel slighted because a simple "thank you" was not offered.

Letters of recommendation are another important component of your application materials. They provide a professional opinion of your intellectual abilities and preparation for graduate school, and are usually written by a professor who not only addresses your specific strengths, but compares you to the many students with whom the professor has worked during his or her career. In other words, the admission committee wants to know how you "stack up" against all the students the recommender has ever had! In general, most programs/universities require three letters of support.

• Build relationships with potential letter-writers throughout your undergraduate years. If you are even remotely thinking about graduate school, you should get to know professors so that you will be able to ask them, rather than graduate students or lecturers, for recommendation letters. For some disciplines, a letter from an employer may be weighed similarly to a professor (for example, business or education), but this is quite rare in the arts and humanities unless it is directly related to graduate studies. A tenured professor is best.
• Line up your letter writers as early as the year before you apply, but no later than the beginning of the fall term that you will be applying.
• Determine how many letters are required for each program, and plan to ask for one more since it is common for a recommender to fail to send a letter.
• Ask the letter writer if he or she would feel comfortable writing you a strong letter of recommendation. If no, thank him or her and move on to another individual. It is important that the letter be very positive.
• Make an appointment to discuss your graduate school goals, once the person has agreed to write a letter. At that time, provide the recommender with the recommendation form, a draft of your statement of purpose, and an addressed, stamped envelope. You can also provide a curriculum vitae or résumé. You should update the recommender with your latest academic goals and personal activities. Be sure to review the deadline together. Give him or her a minimum of one month to complete the letter.
• Send a "gentle reminder" via e-mail a few days before the due date, if you are not sure a recommender has sent the letter.

Identifying the best programs for you to apply to is a formidable task. You should start as soon as you begin to think about graduate school. By learning about graduate programs, you will have a sense of the nature of individual programs (for example, small or large, reputation, specialties, graduation rates). Similarly, if you are familiar with the requirements of a program, you can also align your current coursework to strengthen your preparation for graduate school. Please consider the following activities:

• Use your own department, professors, and graduate students as resources. Often, departments will maintain bulletin boards where graduate programs are advertised. You might also ask undergraduate advisors what schools that students have often applied to. Ask your professors about the schools and programs that they attended and would recommend. Graduate students can provide information about the schools they considered, advice about applying, and what it feels like to be a graduate student.
• Look online at schools and departments. Determine if the program offers an M.A., Ph.D., or both. What are the requirements for admission? How many full-time faculty make up the department? Note each faculty member's research interests. Review the courses offered to determine if there are many that would interest you. How many graduate students are there in the program? Study their research interests and the topics of completed theses and dissertations. Review the degree requirements. In general, learn as much as you can about the preparation, application process, and the program from the website to determine how well your interests align with the program's offerings.
• At your home campus, visit the career center. Often there are counselors who can provide guidance about identifying graduate schools and programs. Usually, career centers also house graduate school guides where you can learn about school and departmental rankings.
• Ask questions about the programs/schools you are considering. How many students are admitted each year? How many apply? Is it common for all students to receive fellowships? What must you do to be considered for a fellowship? Ask about the placement record of recent graduates. What preparation makes a student competitive? What is the average number of years it takes students to complete their degrees? How is the department committed to diversity? Can you contact a graduate student in the department?
• Consider your research interests within the graduate discipline of your choice. Your interests should closely align with the those of the departments/schools that you are considering. For example, if you are interested in Caribbean literature, the program should offer graduate courses on the topic and there should be a minimum of one faculty member with this research interest. Identify how many professors are full-time in your department of interest. Also, what are other departments or affiliated departments in which you could take classes?
• Make a list of five to ten schools to which you will apply. Think big and apply to top schools also. Keep in mind that if you only apply to two to three programs, you reduce your chances of being admitted to any program. Graduate students have often said they wish they had applied to more programs. Select ones that are reach schools, and schools to which you would likely be admitted. Review the publication What's Next?(link is external)(PDF file)(link is external)(link is external) to identify additional University of California schools to consider, and visit the website at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/(link is external)(link is external)(link is external).
• Visit schools on your list, if possible. Campus visits assist you in getting a feel for the program and school you are considering. Talk to graduate students and attend a few graduate seminars while you are there. Also, be sure to talk to the graduate faculty advisor about applying to the program and your research or program interests.
• Review national rankings. Each year certain publishers, such as U.S. News & World Report, offer national rankings of colleges and universities in the United States. Most of the rankings apply to undergraduate programs, but some also apply to graduate programs. Keep in mind that rankings are only one piece of information to consider, however.

Standardized tests such as the GRE are application requirements determined by each department. That is why a prospective applicant should be familiar with the requirements on departmental websites. Also, from year to year a department may change its requirements. If there is one requirement that students dread, it is taking the GRE. For this reason, it is a good idea to get it over with as soon as possible, if it is required. You may also be required to take a subject test: for example, the English subject test. Consider the following suggestions regarding the GRE:

• If required, many departments consider the GRE the least important component of the total application. However, that said, there is still a bottom-line score that is expected. Review the information on the departmental website or speak with the graduate student affairs officer about expected competitive GRE scores.
• Keep in mind that certain parts of the general GRE scores are considered more important than others, depending on the discipline. For example, many humanities disciplines are primarily concerned with your verbal score and care little about your quantitative and analytic scores. In contrast, if one was an economics applicant, the quantitative and analytic scores would be very significant, while the verbal score would be less important. Be sure to ask the graduate student affairs officer in your department which component(s) is weighed more heavily in the admission process.
• Visit the GRE website(link is external)(link is external) to learn about upcoming test dates, test sites, etc. In other words, become knowledgeable about the GRE rather than avoiding it.
• Sign up for the GRE early. Get it out of the way by August before the fall you will be applying. If you sign up early, you will also have access to practice materials offered by ETS. Do not wait until November or December to take the exam, if you can help it, because you will have too many other tasks to accomplish related to completing your application.
• If you receive a decent score on the GRE, move on and concentrate on the parts of your application that are more important, such as your Statement of Purpose or your writing sample. Too much stress is placed on GRE scores by students, rather than focusing in the other components of the application.
• Test scores are often downloaded electronically to UC Berkeley from tests taken in December, but you should not count on test scores reaching your designated department in time to be considered for admission if you take the GRE in late December or January. You should plan to take your tests earlier when possible.
• For applicants who have taken the GRE more than one time, you should be aware of how this situation may affect you. Usually, your highest score is acknowledged in each of the three components, but often all of your scores are also identified. Don't worry too much about this. Admission committee members appear to take these situations in stride and understand the situations under which students are placed in test conditions.

For graduate study, universities support students through fellowships, teaching appointments, research assistant positions, or a combination of these sources. The monies available are often dependent on the size of departments' and schools' endowments and resources that may be available through the Graduate Division. Each school or department has its own methods of distributing fellowship funds. Keep in mind that little funding is usually available for terminal master's degree students.

• Inquire about fellowships that are available. Ask about the number that is generally received by students in your department. Does it usually include tuition, fees, and/or stipend? Does tuition include out-of-state tuition and what is the level of the stipend? Is there summer funding available?
• Complete any fellowship requirements for each school you are applying. You may have to fill out specific forms or applications to be considered for a fellowship. Some state schools may also require that students complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA requires graduate students to complete financial information for themselves only, not their parents.
• Apply for national, portable fellowships. Early on, identify national fellowships for which you may qualify (in addition to university monies), such as the Mellon Foundation, Jacob Javits, and Ford Foundation, among others. Be aggressive in applying for national fellowships. Apply for small fellowship amounts, as well as big. Do not depend only upon the university to which you are applying for funding. Graduate school is a long, expensive venture and you will need as much financial assistance as possible to see you through.
• Do not count on large loans to see you through graduate school. Financial aid in the form of loans can add up quickly in graduate school. Do not plan to attend graduate school on loans alone. If you do, your loan total will be very high at the end of the typical six or seven years it takes to complete a doctoral degree in the arts and humanities.
• Keep in mind that information on forms is requested for a particular reason. Each field exists because a decision about financial assistance requires the information requested. Sometimes monies from specific sources are earmarked for students from particular backgrounds that are specified by the donor or the source.
• Graduate Division Fellowships(link is external) (External link)

The Statement of Purpose (SOP) is crucial to your application. Some in the arts & humanities consider the SOP the most important component of your admission application.

Points to Consider

• The audience is department faculty who make admission decisions about each student who applies. Faculty desire to admit bright, intellectually promising students who are a good fit for the department.
• Begin writing your SOP many months before the deadline. In doing so, you can start over or put it down for days. In other words, give yourself time to be very thoughtful about what you write.
• Your SOP must stand out among others. For some departments, your application is one of hundreds.
• At UC Berkeley, the SOP should focus on your academic record and future. Unless personal issues are directly and significantly related to your academics, they should not be included in the SOP. Rather, that information possibly belongs in your Personal Statement, in Form C.
• Keep in mind that the SOP is one of few opportunities to qualitatively express who you are and your academic goals. Take advantage of this opportunity and put a considerable effort into it. A too-brief and general SOP is all too telling!
• Explain any irregularity in your academic record: for example, low grades in a course or semester.
• Convey your personality and intellectual abilities in your SOP through careful and creative writing. Keep in mind that in most humanities disciplines, scholars communicate their ideas through writing, rather than objects or calculations. Thus, humanities faculty tend to be wordsmiths and talented writers. They desire their graduate students also to show promise in their writing.
• Steer clear of the passive voice. Be sure that your thoughts flow smoothly from one paragraph to another.
• For Berkeley, do not exceed two single-spaced pages for the SOP.
• Line up one or two people to critically read your SOP before it is finalized.

Writing the Statement of Purpose

The SOP has been described as an intellectual résumé and is one of the most, if not the most, important components of your application in the majority of the arts & humanities programs. In addition to the nuts and bolts of the information provided in the SOP, faculty members look for intellectual vitality and promise in the SOP that indicate one's preparedness for the highest level graduate work.

Basically, in the SOP, faculty want to learn the highlights of your academic preparation for their program, your research or creative future interests, and why Berkeley is a good fit for you. However, do not only cover these points. Related personal stories, intellectual musings, or significant events bring you and your background to life. Following are three items that you specifically cover in your SOP.

• Academic preparation
  • Indicate what classes have best prepared you for graduate study and your specific interests.
  • Are there specific courses/mentors that have greatly influenced or shaped your academic pursuit?
  • What research experience or creative output have you accomplished in your field of interest?
  • What is your current command of language(s) as required by the program?
  • Address experiences that have significantly enriched, informed, or influenced your graduate study choices (for example, study abroad, international language study, unique work opportunities).
• Research or creative endeavors
  • Address significant research papers/projects or creative endeavors that are strong examples of in-depth study or effort. This is an opportunity to talk about independent projects, senior theses, or musical compositions that you are particularly proud of.
  • Depending on your discipline, you will need to discuss your research interests or creative direction in graduate school. Even if you are not sure in what direction you are specifically interested, you must address something concrete here. For example, why do you desire to pursue Iberian literature or a master's degree that focuses on painting? You can also discuss the professors in your proposed department whose research interests parallel your own interests. It is not name dropping if you are thoughtful about referencing these individuals.
• Why UC Berkeley?
  • Why did you choose to apply to Berkeley? With whom would you like to work and why? What is significant about the department, program, or group? Ultimately, why would Berkeley be such a good match for you and your future career goals? In other words, sell us on why Berkeley is a good match for you.

On or off-cycle recruitment can qualify. If recruitment is during an open-search, the funds can be used only for strategies consistent with those for all potential candidates.

The AFDAH staff have a comprehensive list of all former PPFP fellows that they will share at any time by request.

The PPFP official website posts the list of new fellows every July 1st. Departments can also work with the AFDAH staff to assess the lists of new fellows to determine whether there are fellows of interest.

Departments applying for PPFP recruitment funds will receive funds in the form of reimbursements. They will report their expenses to the DEIBJ office and will be reimbursed by the end of the fiscal year of their recruitment. Departments must save all documentation and receipts, and report the final expense number to the DEIBJ office staff.

Off-cycle recruitment is the recruitment of any former PPFP fellow who now holds an academic position at another university, and who has never been hired at a University of California university.

With open FTE searches, any search committee who considers a current or former PPFP fellow during their search will be eligible for up to $3,000 for the recruitment of that candidate. Recruitment for PPFP candidates should take place during the regular recruitment cycle for the open FTE, and should follow the same criteria and practices that departments use for all potential candidates for that search. Committee or department chairs can apply to the AFDAH team for support using this FORM.

Whether for on or off-cycle recruitment, funds should be spent by the end of the academic year they were awarded (for example, funds awarded in FY 24 should be spent by the end of FY 24).

Please see the PPFP hiring incentives here. Also, upcoming, see the recording of our PPFP info session, with details specific to recruitment and hiring at UC Berkeley, here.

The AFDAH PPFP Concierge program is designed to help departments consider PPFP fellows during their open-searches over the next few years. The program shares information on new PPFP fellows, announced every July 1st, and former PPFP fellows who may be of interest to departments. Departments conducting open searches can work with the AFDAH staff to identify and recruit potential PPFP fellows of interest, keeping within the standards of open-search recruitment, or recruit former PPFP fellows who have never been hired at the University of California.