Welcome to Berkeley!
We are a community of international graduate students and alumni at UC Berkeley. Founded in 2003, International Graduate Student Ministry is a Registered Student Organization at UC Berkeley. We meet regularly to discuss the bigger questions of life through the lens of Christianity, and we are committed to building an authentic community together and providing a home away from home experience for international graduate students.
WELCOME TO BERKELEY!
Congratulations on being admitted to UC Berkeley! I am excited to share with you the unique journey of being a graduate student at Cal. Like many of you, I came to the U.S. as an international student and had the privilege to pursue college and graduate degrees here. I know you may have questions on your mind, ranging from course selections, advisors, research directions, to life in the Bay Area. Fortunately, IGSM is the place where you can find a warm and embracing community where you can meet people from all nations to discuss those topics.
As you navigate through our website, I encourage you to join us for various exciting events this semester. As graduate students, we can venture through the ups and downs of life together. When I first moved to Berkeley from UCLA for my Ph.D. program, I didn't have many friends in the Bay Area, but with the help of friends and mentors from IGSM, I was able to adapt to the new challenges here. In 2017, I moved in with friends I met from IGSM, where we had a lot of fond memories together for three years.
Please take this time to explore the abundant resources available to you in IGSM. Being a part of IGSM is the best decision I have made. I hope that this can be your story, too, as you consider the next steps in your graduate studies! Feel free to reach out to us, and congratulations again on joining the Cal family!
Sincerely,
Jerry Tai
Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
BS (UCLA), PhD in EECS (UC Berkeley)
Are you searching for ways to meet fellow students and form friendships even while classes this semester are online? Sign up for our newsletter and meet other students and alumni at Berkeley!
Join us for a unique, close-up look at what the Berkeley campus and its nearby neighborhoods offer. Explore places that bear distinct nicknames such as "Asian Ghetto" and "Gourmet Ghetto." Find out how far (or close) the nearest hiking trail is, and the best cafes to stop by for that late afternoon pickup! We offer a tour of the campus and its neighboring areas-- come check it out!