New and Expecting Student Parents

New student parent with her daughter at her UC Berkeley graduation

As a new or expecting parent at Cal, you can feel reassured that previous generations of student parents have successfully navigated this experience, and have left a supportive legacy of resources, policies, services, and strategies for academic achievement that you can make use of, contribute to, and pass along to future student parents.

Title IX law requires that schools receiving federal funds do not discriminate against students on the basis of sex, which includes pregnancy and related conditions like childbirth, pregnancy termination, and recovery. This prohibition against discrimination comes in a number of forms – for example, students must not be forced to attend a different program or school than their peers, must be given the opportunity to make up missed work for pregnancy-related absences, must be treated the same as if they had a temporary disability, and may not be excluded from sports or extracurricular activities.

  1. Expect to find a supportive community at the Student Parent Center
  2. Expect to revamp your thinking about study strategies and course workload
  3. Expect to “learn to ask” for what you need, like accommodations from graduate student instructors (GSIs) and faculty… and expect to go to their office hours
  4. Expect to know more about financial aid than you ever imagined possible
  5. Expect to revise your time management strategies to include practically every academic and financial aid deadline Cal has to offer
  6. Expect to take stress reduction techniques to a whole new level
  7. Expect to graduate with “Parenting” as your double or triple major!

For all of our new Mama and Papa Bears, we would encourage each one of you to drop by or schedule an appointment with Student Parent Center staff. This way, we can ensure that we help you develop an individualized plan of support and connect you to various campus and community resources to help you build your village.

Changing Table Map for UC Berkeley

Childbirth Accommodation Funding for Women Doctoral Students

Women doctoral students in good academic standing who hold a fellowship, a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) position, or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) appointment, and who expect to give birth during the semester, can be excused from regular duties for a period of six weeks without loss of financial support. Funding will be provided to cover the student’s support or a replacement, as applicable. The student’s academic unit must submit the Petition for Childbirth Accommodation Funding for Women Doctoral Students (PDF) at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the leave.


Breastfeeding Support Program

The Breastfeeding Support Program serves faculty, staff, students, and their spouses/domestic partners, as well as employees at UCOP and LBNL who choose to continue breastfeeding after returning to work or school. 

The program includes:

  • lactation rooms on campus with Ameda hospital-grade breastpumps
  • personal hygienikit to use with hospital-grade pumps sold at cost
  • breastfeeding classes facilitated by a certified lactation consultant
Breast Feeding Support Program logo

Family and Childbearing Leaves for GSIs, Readers, and Tutors 

Academic Student Employees (ASEs) are eligible for certain types of leave. Policies are governed by the UAW contract. For more information, see the Leaves section of the current UAW contract