2023 Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program FAQ

Q1. Will you offer any scholarships?

A1. The Beahrs ELP has resources to offer a limited number of partial scholarships of various amounts each year. The scholarships can only be used toward the program fees, which includes lodging and accommodations, and cannot be used for travel or visa application fees. When you apply, there will be a portion of the application where you can indicate if you would like to be considered for scholarship. To have the best chances of receiving a scholarship, we recommend that you apply as soon as possible. The deadlines for each round of scholarship review are:

  • First Round of Scholarship Review: December 9, 2022
  • Second Round of Scholarship Review: January 13, 2023
  • Final Round of Scholarship Review: February 17, 2023

If you apply after February 17, your application will still be reviewed, but you may not be considered for any scholarship. For more information on the criteria used to assess scholarships, visit our Beahrs ELP Costs page.

Q2. Will the 2023 program be online or in-person?

A2. The 2023 Beahrs ELP will be hybrid, meaning it will be partially online and partially in-person. The online portion of the program will take place in early July 2023 (dates below in question 6), and the in-person portion will take place from July 20 to August 4, 2023, on UC Berkeley’s campus. Both portions of the program are required to complete the course.

We will continue to stay informed of the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, including federal, state, local, and UC Berkeley guidelines, in addition to the impacts on international travel. There is a chance that the in-person portion of the program may not be possible, but we do not anticipate this at this point; we will keep all applicants informed of any potential changes to the program throughout the coming months.

Q3. What will the cost of the program be?

A3. The total program fee will be USD$8,000. You will be provided with housing and most meals for the duration of the in-person portion, and will need to bring approximately USD$500 for incidentals, as well as arrange your own travel (both international and domestic) to and from Berkeley.

Q4. Will I be able to access the UC Berkeley libraries?

A4. If you would like to have full access to UC Berkeley’s libraries during the program, you will need to go through the process of acquiring a visiting scholar appointment through the Visiting Scholar & Postdoc Affairs office on campus. This will cost an additional $1,730, approximately*, which is not included in the program fee. Non-US citizens will also need to acquire a J-1 visa, which is required for the visiting scholar appointment.

If you are interested in this, you will need to submit your completed application by December 30, 2022, so that there will be enough time for your application to be reviewed and accepted in addition to going through the visiting scholar appointment process. This deadline is an attempt to ensure that you will have library access when the program begins; however, this includes a visa-related process and we cannot guarantee the timeliness nor the success of these applications. We will need you to inform us of your commitment to the visiting scholar appointment (and payment of all associated fees) by January 20, 2023.

Please note that if you do not do this, you will still have access to some of the libraries during the in-person portion of the program (but not the online database during the remote portion of the program). You will be able to use the computers and library databases in any libraries open to the public. You can find more information about the limits of library access here.

*Visa fees are dependent on your country of residence and are not included in the amount above. And if you are a US citizen and do not require a J-1 visa, then the overall cost should be closer to $1,000.

Q5. What if I cannot travel to Berkeley for the in-person portion?

A5. We understand that this may be an issue some applicants face, and which is out of their control. This is unfortunate, but if this is the case we would recommend you wait to attend until the 2024 Beahrs ELP, as hopefully restrictions relating to travel, visa, and COVID will be less of a concern by then. For more information, please read our cancellation policy and deadlines.

Q6. What is included in the online portion of the program? How much time will it take?

A6. The online sessions of the program will be both synchronous (live over Zoom) and asynchronous (pre-recorded).

The dates and times of the live online sessions of the 2023 Beahrs ELP are as follows:

  • Wednesday July 5 | 7:00 am to 9:00 am Pacific Time
  • Thursday July 6 | 7:00 am to 9:00 am Pacific Time
  • Wednesday July 12 | 7:00 am to 9:00 am Pacific Time
  • Thursday July 13 | 7:00 am to 9:00 am Pacific Time

To see what time sessions will begin for you, please enter your city/time zone here. Please note that the program will take place during Pacific Daylight Time, not Pacific Standard Time.

These four live sessions will be held over Zoom, and you are required to attend them to complete the program. We will also have some pre-recorded lectures that we will send to you, for you to watch at your convenience before you come to Berkeley.

More information on the contents of these online sessions will be communicated to applicants via email.

Q7. What is included in the in-person portion?

A7. The in-person portion will begin July 20, and end on August 4. This will include standard Beahrs ELP sessions, as well as field visits, a welcome reception, a certificate ceremony, and a special reception with the friends and supporters of the program and UC Berkeley leadership. As stated above in question 3, you will be provided with housing and most meals for the duration of the in-person portion of the program.

Q8. What are the vaccination and/or COVID testing requirements?

A8. We will have to comply with federal, state, local, and UC Berkeley restrictions, which may change between now and the program. We will keep this page updated as new information arises, and will also communicate important changes to applicants.

To stay in the dorms during the program, it is likely that you will need to be fully vaccinated. Our current assumption is that we will not be requiring proof of vaccination, but will instead ask all participant to confirm in writing that they are indeed fully vaccinated, as according with whichever vaccines are locally available. This policy may change moving forward as we become aware of new guidelines and requirements.

You can find UC Berkeley’s health guidelines here. As of October 2022, the relevant information for Beahrs ELP participants is as follows:*

  • If you plan to travel internationally, you may need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight. Check with airlines and destinations for guidelines and requirements.
  • If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test results on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

The State of California has issued the following recommendations:

  • All travelers arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries should follow CDC Travel Guidance.
  • All travelers who test positive or develop symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate and follow public health recommendations.
  • Fully vaccinated travelers:
    • Are less likely to get and spread COVID-19, and can travel safely within the United States and California.
    • Should follow CDC travel guidance, and are not required to test or quarantine before or after travel unless they have symptoms concerning for COVID-19 disease.

When in Berkeley you will not be able to get COVID tests on campus, as those are reserved for staff and students. However, there are many testing sites in the area, and we will attempt to recommend ones that should be available for your use.


*Please note that the relevant campus COVID policies may change as new information comes to light. Check back here for updates.

For more information regarding how UC Berkeley is handling COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.berkeley.edu. If you have questions regarding the Beahrs ELP that cannot be answered above, please direct them to beahrselp@berkeley.edu.

To apply today, visit https://beahrselp.berkeley.edu/apply/2023.