Frequently Asked Questions

ECEP is open to all members of the local community; you do not need to be a UC Berkeley student, faculty or staff member in order to apply. We serve infants and children up to the age of 58 months. 

Yes. All parents interested in our program are encouraged to apply, and no affiliation with UC Berkeley is required.  UC Berkeley students, faculty, and staff do receive priority. 

Applicants to ECEP are prioritized in the following order:

• Children of UC Berkeley student parents; children and grandchildren of UC Berkeley faculty and staff.
• Children of visiting scholars, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL), UC Office of the President, and other UC campus staff/faculty families.
• Children of families unaffiliated with the university.

ECEP provides care for children up to the age of eligibility for TK and/or Kindergarten (58 months).

No. There is not an application deadline. Applications are accepted year-round. However, early applications are advisable. The acceptance process begins in January for summer and fall spaces.

Yes. If there is space available, your child will be able to join ECEP after the beginning of the fall semester. However, fewer spaces are available later in the year because most students do begin in the summer or fall. Available spaces are first filled from the Wait List and Eligibility List, then from new applications.

Please visit the Enrollment page for details on the different types of applications and on how to apply. 

UC Berkeley student parents, staff, and faculty who meet income and need-eligibility requirements can qualify for a subsidy for free or reduced-fee childcare. Eligibility requirements are based on a sliding income scale set by the State of California. For staff and faculty grandparents to qualify for a subsidy, they need to be the legal guardian of the grandchild. Unaffiliated community members are not eligible for a subsidy.

Visit the Subsidized Childcare page to see if you qualify. Priority for ECEP subsidized childcare is determined as follows:

• Children who are deemed wards of the court (e.g., foster children)
• Children of qualifying student parents
• Children and grandchildren of qualifying faculty and staff

If a space is not available for your child, you will be placed on a wait list. Your application remains active until your child is age-eligible for TK and/or Kindergarten — unless you withdraw from the list, or if you do not respond to three contact attempts.

If you are offered a space and decline, you may ask to remain on the list for a space that may become available at a later date. When a space becomes available, it will be for a child of a particular age, and the applications for that age range will be reviewed. The date an application is received is very important. Our admissions coordinator will usually be able to give you a general idea regarding your child’s status on the wait list.

If you applied for subsidized services, see the FAQ about the Eligibility List.

Applicants for full tuition placement who are not accommodated will be placed on the Wait List.

If you are eligible for subsidized services, but are not accepted into the program due to space limitations, low priority number or late application, you will be placed on an Eligibility List. Status on the Eligibility List is based on income and, unlike a Wait List, status does not automatically improve over time. All applications are reviewed according to State Eligibility Guidelines as they are submitted and the Eligibility List is updated accordingly.

You will need to inform the Early Childhood Education Programs Office if there is a change in your income, family size, activity of either parent, or if you want your application withdrawn from the list.

The application fee is currently $50 for non-students. The fee is waived for all UC Berkeley students and for eligible staff and faculty qualifying for Subsidized Childcare.

Please visit the Enrollment page for details on applications and how to apply.

You are able to request a preference for a specific center. However, your application is for the Early Childhood Education Program as a whole and there is no guarantee that there will be space at any one center. ECEP will offer you a space at a particular center based on a combination of your preference, your child’s age, and available spaces.

No. You will be notified ahead of time when there will be a research study or survey in your child’s classroom, and you will have the opportunity to choose whether to participate.

ECEP has an excellent adult-child ratio. We staff classrooms not just according to Title V licensing requirements, but to best-practice standards. Adult-child ratios at the centers range from 1:3 in infant rooms, to 1:4 in toddler rooms, and 1:8 in preschool rooms.

Read more about our teaching staff qualifications.

Yes. Parents are welcome to volunteer in the classroom. For parents who want to be involved but cannot volunteer during the workday, there are other opportunities. Contact your center director for specific information.

According to a new California law, parents or guardians of students in any school or child-care facility, whether public or private, will no longer be allowed to submit a personal beliefs exemption to a currently-required vaccine. Read more about the new vaccine requirements.