UC Berkeley 2015

[fancyfeast]

Will be moving to California from the Midwest this summer!

How many of you have started looking for housing yet? I don't remember grad student housing really being advertised and I'd rather live in an apartment anyway.

For people familiar with the Berkeley area- how much do you pay for rent? Where are the best places to live?

[SublimePZ]

I moved from Chicago to Berkeley for undergrad, so I think I should be able to give you some tips. I'm not sure of the exact prices, but I do know that grad housing is really expensive for not that many amenities (see here: http://housing2.berkeley.edu/graduate).I do know that most grad students live in non-campus housing (apartments, co-ops, etc.)

 

I split a one-bedroom apartment with a friend for $1400 a month, utilities and internet not included. It was one block away from campus on north side with a washer/dryer in-house. When I first started renting there, it was above average, but by the time I graduated (May 2014) it was a little below average. I would say try to find something of comparable price, but beware that living directly in Berkeley is crazy expensive (especially closer to campus). If you're ok with taking buses and/or biking to Latimer or Stanley Hall, which is on the east side of campus at the top of a hill (I see your program is chem, so that's probably where you'll spend most of your time), then I would suggest living at the bottom of the hill somewhere off of Oxford or Shattuck.

 

Berkeley's living situation is split into three parts - North, West, and South side. West side is comprised of Shattuck and is essentially the downtown part of Berkeley, with a lot of restaurants/cafes/stores. South side is where the majority of the undergrads live - it has stores and retaurants (chipotle, subway, etc.) but is a bit more college-y. This includes the majority of undergrad housing in addition to the fraternities. It is usually much rowdier there, especially during parties (Friday/Saturday nights, etc.). North side is, in my opinion, the quietest area - there are a lot of non-students that live there in houses, with only one real street that has anything (Euclid St. - pizza, burritos, sandwiches, cafes, etc.). The co-ops are also mostly on north side (though a few on south side too), but I don't recommend living there for your first year (http://www.bsc.coop).

 

My suggestion? Try to find an apartment to split with someone on North Side near the LeRoy/LaLoma/LeConte/Ridge area. It's extremely close and quiet, and provided you have a car, parking is plentiful (compared to South side where there is usually no street parking available). It's unfortunately more expensive than south side, but worth it to me. Alternatively, finding an apartment further down College Avenue (away from campus) on South Side is a good option too - much cheaper than North Side, plus you get to a really nice area of Berkeley/Oakland.

Edited April 20, 2015 by SublimePZ

[fancyfeast]

I moved from Chicago to Berkeley for undergrad, so I think I should be able to give you some tips. I'm not sure of the exact prices, but I do know that grad housing is really expensive for not that many amenities (see here: http://housing2.berkeley.edu/graduate).I do know that most grad students live in non-campus housing (apartments, co-ops, etc.)

 

I split a one-bedroom apartment with a friend for $1400 a month, utilities and internet not included. It was one block away from campus on north side with a washer/dryer in-house. When I first started renting there, it was above average, but by the time I graduated (May 2014) it was a little below average. I would say try to find something of comparable price, but beware that living directly in Berkeley is crazy expensive (especially closer to campus). If you're ok with taking buses and/or biking to Latimer or Stanley Hall, which is on the east side of campus at the top of a hill (I see your program is chem, so that's probably where you'll spend most of your time), then I would suggest living at the bottom of the hill somewhere off of Oxford or Shattuck.

 

Berkeley's living situation is split into three parts - North, West, and South side. West side is comprised of Shattuck and is essentially the downtown part of Berkeley, with a lot of restaurants/cafes/stores. South side is where the majority of the undergrads live - it has stores and retaurants (chipotle, subway, etc.) but is a bit more college-y. This includes the majority of undergrad housing in addition to the fraternities. It is usually much rowdier there, especially during parties (Friday/Saturday nights, etc.). North side is, in my opinion, the quietest area - there are a lot of non-students that live there in houses, with only one real street that has anything (Euclid St. - pizza, burritos, sandwiches, cafes, etc.). The co-ops are also mostly on north side (though a few on south side too), but I don't recommend living there for your first year (http://www.bsc.coop).

 

My suggestion? Try to find an apartment to split with someone on North Side near the LeRoy/LaLoma/LeConte/Ridge area. It's extremely close and quiet, and provided you have a car, parking is plentiful (compared to South side where there is usually no street parking available). It's unfortunately more expensive than south side, but worth it to me. Alternatively, finding an apartment further down College Avenue (away from campus) on South Side is a good option too - much cheaper than North Side, plus you get to a really nice area of Berkeley/Oakland.

 

Thanks for your reply! Super helpful!

 

So when you split that one bedroom with your friend, were you each paying $1400/month or $700/month? My stipend this year is $31,000, which, before taxes, equates to roughly $2500/month, so ideally I don't think I would want to spend more than $1000-1500 on housing (with $1500 being the absolute maximum). I heard that the North side is pretty nice for grad students, so I am leaning more towards finding a place there - I'm guessing that's possible on a grad student budget? I'm not bringing my car and will probably get a bike to get around/the public transportation system.

 

Is there any place you would absolutely avoid?

[SublimePZ]

Ah sorry, I should have made that more clear. I paid $700/month before utilities + internet. Most months the total was about $730.

 

It is certainly doable on a grad student budget (your proposed $2500/month), though keep in mind CA taxes are higher than the midwest - you'll likely have less than $2500/month.

 

When you get a bike definitely get a legit u-lock + industrial cord if you can, as bike thefts are pretty serious at Cal. The bus system also sucks on north side, as opposed to south/west side where the buses run very regularly.

 

Not sure how much you like partying/socializing/etc., but I personally would avoid Piedmont street South past the International House. The houses along that street (as you can see if you use Google Street View) are largely fraternity/sorority houses. Friday/Saturdays (especially on football game days) it becomes insanely crazy/rowdy. Not really my scene, but if you enjoy that, by all means look for an apartment there. I would also caution living too close to Telegraph Avenue. On the whole though, it's a really safe community (directly around campus, anyways) so there's nowhere I would absolutely avoid - just some places I would prefer not living near.

[duran0]

Welcome to Cal! I relocated from the east coast, and I really like it here - great weather, great food, lots of resources for my area of interest. The only thing I don't like about Berkeley is the housing market. It's really, really impacted. I'm not trying to scare you, but when I showed up in Berkeley last year in August I regularly went to open houses with 30+ people competing for one spot in an apartment. Took me nearly 3 weeks to find a place, though I was working with a lower budget (under $1000) than yours. Everything ended up working out in the end, but I'm currently living in the Piedmont St area and I echo SublimePZ's recommendation to avoid fraternity row if you can. It's really noisy, sometimes even on weekdays.

Edited April 20, 2015 by duran0

[fancyfeast]

Welcome to Cal! I relocated from the east coast, and I really like it here - great weather, great food, lots of resources for my area of interest. The only thing I don't like about Berkeley is the housing market. It's really, really impacted. I'm not trying to scare you, but when I showed up in Berkeley last year in August I regularly went to open houses with 30+ people competing for one spot in an apartment. Took me nearly 3 weeks to find a place, though I was working with a lower budget (under $1000) than yours. Everything ended up working out in the end, but I'm currently living in the Piedmont St area and I echo SublimePZ's recommendation to avoid fraternity row if you can. It's really noisy, sometimes even on weekdays.

Not scared by that at all - sounds about like what I had heard, which is why I'm trying to research as much as possible! I would love rent <$1000 but I'm not sure how feasible that is. The more money I have to spend on food the better really   haha. I like to cook quite a bit and I think food is generally more expensive in California as well.

[fancyfeast]

Ah sorry, I should have made that more clear. I paid $700/month before utilities + internet. Most months the total was about $730.

 

It is certainly doable on a grad student budget (your proposed $2500/month), though keep in mind CA taxes are higher than the midwest - you'll likely have less than $2500/month.

 

When you get a bike definitely get a legit u-lock + industrial cord if you can, as bike thefts are pretty serious at Cal. The bus system also sucks on north side, as opposed to south/west side where the buses run very regularly.

 

Not sure how much you like partying/socializing/etc., but I personally would avoid Piedmont street South past the International House. The houses along that street (as you can see if you use Google Street View) are largely fraternity/sorority houses. Friday/Saturdays (especially on football game days) it becomes insanely crazy/rowdy. Not really my scene, but if you enjoy that, by all means look for an apartment there. I would also caution living too close to Telegraph Avenue. On the whole though, it's a really safe community (directly around campus, anyways) so there's nowhere I would absolutely avoid - just some places I would prefer not living near.

Does anyone ever live in El Cerritto? It looks commutable by BART but idk how nice it is to live there.

[duran0]

Does anyone ever live in El Cerritto? It looks commutable by BART but idk how nice it is to live there.

 

El Cerrito is nice, but very suburban. If you're looking for a more active area (e.g. walkable to bars and nightlife), then it probably isn't your best bet. That said, I know a number of grad students who live there and really like it! You can take the BART to campus, or there are buses (free for Cal students) if you're looking to save money on transportation.

 

Not scared by that at all - sounds about like what I had heard, which is why I'm trying to research as much as possible! I would love rent <$1000 but I'm not sure how feasible that is. The more money I have to spend on food the better really   haha. I like to cook quite a bit and I think food is generally more expensive in California as well.

 

Less than $1,000 is doable, but you may have to make some concessions (cleanliness, space, distance, etc). Also, the earlier you can move to the Bay Area, the better. I really regret waiting until August to move out here, as it made everything way way more difficult.

[SublimePZ]

Agreed. The areas that surround Berkeley (including Albany, Emeryville, Oakland, El Cerrito, etc.) are generally cheaper than Berkeley proper but definitely has less stuff to do. Additionally, everything is more spread out in those areas, so not having a car is super inconvenient.

 

<$1000 per month is really only doable if you're willing to live with someone else and sacrifice space/distance. You're right though that food is more expensive in CA, but the trade-off is that it's usually fresher too.

[nananiemand]

Hi all! Also starting in the Fall, so excited!

 

Moving up from San Diego, but not until mid-August (I'll be working abroad for the summer). I realize this is probably going to be a nightmare - does anyone have suggestions for how to coordinate finding a place in August? I was thinking I may leave my things/car in San Diego, stay in a hostel (or some equivalent, maybe rent a couch) for the time it takes me to pin down housing, then fly back home and drive up again. Has anyone else coordinated this?

 

Otherwise, does anyone else have experience with university grad housing..? According to the website it's not much cheaper than living off-campus, and with the 12 month commitment I'll have to sublet next summer when I am again at my field site...

[SublimePZ]

Unfortunately, finding a place in August is pretty tough. Most apartments have people sign leases starting in June (ish) so maybe you can try to find a roommate beforehand that can coordinate finding an apartment sooner? Not sure if you have any friends/family in that area or have connected to your cohort at all, but you could ask around and see if anyone wants to help you out in that regards.

 

Don't do graduate housing. Very expensive for not a lot of space/stuff. Subletting is also a pain.

[nananiemand]

Unfortunately, finding a place in August is pretty tough. Most apartments have people sign leases starting in June (ish) so maybe you can try to find a roommate beforehand that can coordinate finding an apartment sooner? Not sure if you have any friends/family in that area or have connected to your cohort at all, but you could ask around and see if anyone wants to help you out in that regards.

 

Don't do graduate housing. Very expensive for not a lot of space/stuff. Subletting is also a pain.

 

Right, no grad housing. Thank you. It would be so much simpler but it also looks like it would devour my stipend. Also I've been told its nearby frat housing - no no no...

 

Unfortunately I don't have any friends in the area (other than Daly city, which... well maybe a couch and take the BART... nah probably not going to work...). I also likely won't have the first/last/security money when I get there in August. Working abroad in the summer tends to kill my savings (in fact, my savings is basically just my living money for being abroad - no real savings hah).

 

I guess I'll plan on a living room rental until I get my stipend.

 

Anyway! Cheers to all! So excited to be starting in the Fall  

[fancyfeast]

Unfortunately, finding a place in August is pretty tough. Most apartments have people sign leases starting in June (ish) so maybe you can try to find a roommate beforehand that can coordinate finding an apartment sooner? Not sure if you have any friends/family in that area or have connected to your cohort at all, but you could ask around and see if anyone wants to help you out in that regards.

Don't do graduate housing. Very expensive for not a lot of space/stuff. Subletting is also a pain.

I was looking at grad housing - it looks like it's like $1000 per month for a studio... To be honest it seems on par with what I found on craigslist. In fact other studios that close to campus seem up be much more expensive. Maybe I'm searching wrong, but I haven't found much housing less than $1000.

[duran0]

I was looking at grad housing - it looks like it's like $1000 per month for a studio... To be honest it seems on par with what I found on craigslist. In fact other studios that close to campus seem up be much more expensive. Maybe I'm searching wrong, but I haven't found much housing less than $1000.

You're not wrong. Manville (the studio apts) are about as cheap as it gets for studio apartments that close together campus, barring the very, very rare in law unit. But they are SMALL and don't have a fully equipped kitchen. If you're not planning on being home often, and really don't like living with other people, it's not a bad deal. BUT it's also right on Shattuck, so you get annoying nighttime street cleaners and general street noise. My friend lives there, and he's had to put planks over his windows because of the street lamps that shine directly into his apt.

Jackson House has 2-6 bedroom apartments. It's just down the street from me, and surrounded by fraternities, which can be loud and annoying, particularly during football season. But I have some friends who live there that seem to like it for the proximity to campus. There's more space than Manville, but you're not allowed to sublet the rooms, which can be frustrating/pricey if you intend to be away next summer, as the leases run for 12 months.

Another big bonus about the grad school housing is that the deposit is really low. I have a friend who committed to Jackson House for that reason only. It's absurd, but some landlords ask you for THREE times monthly rent upfront, which is really hard to afford.

[nananiemand]

Yeah, there's next to no chance (barring that I take out a -massive- personal loan) that I'll be able to afford the deposit for an apartment in Berkeley. However, I really cannot commit to a 12 month lease - I likely wont see summer in the US for years! I've decided to try applying for co-ops in the area, and hopefully I'll be able to make it through any wait period by living in a hostel nearby campus. Kind of a bummer that UCB doesn't have better graduate accommodations...

[fancyfeast]

Soooo I just got how the stipend is going to work from month to month.... For the first 5 months is $1800 before taxes... Which, if I just calculated how much will be taken out of that correctly, I'll be left with $1500? Honestly not sure how to survive on that O_O

[SublimePZ]

Only $1500? That seems pretty low. Why are you subtracting $300? I'm assuming for taxes? If you don't mind, it might be helpful to post full details of your financial agreement.

[fancyfeast]

Only $1500? That seems pretty low. Why are you subtracting $300? I'm assuming for taxes? If you don't mind, it might be helpful to post full details of your financial agreement.

Yeah for taxes using this tax table from Berkeley that I might have not understood correctly - I've never had to pay taxes myself haha.

So the total stipend for the year is $31,000. For the first 5 months I'm paid as a GSI and get a little over $1800. Next 5 months I'm paid as a GSR by my PI and get $2,900 per month. And then for 2 months in the summer I'll be making bank at $3,300 per month. I'm jus bothered by the $1800 for the first five months since it further limits where I can live haha. This is all before taxes and I know in the summer on top of income tax I lose 7.5% to a "pre-retirement tax" and 1.45% Medicare reduction. I don't know if I'll be charged for like health fees etc by the university or if they'll be waived.

[SublimePZ]

That's fine, it should be something you figure out soon though. As far as filing taxes go, look here: 

 

I know you don't pay taxes on all of your stipend, just a portion of it - you get some personal and other deductions, but I cannot recall how much those deductions are.

 

I see. I remember talking to one of my GSIs who described a very similar situation of funding, so while the specific numbers might not be the same, the general feel is. Not very fun either way though. That first year might be a bit tight on your wallet, but you should be able to stretch it out if you have a little money saved up and/or are able to find a cheaper place to live (roommate!) with a good budget.

Edited May 16, 2015 by SublimePZ