Permaculture Design Course

We understand that it can be challenging for those traveling from outside the Bay Area to find affordable accommodation during their stay. Thus, we are offering an optional residential component for those seeking accommodation during the course. Accommodation for 15 days will cost $1,000 per person. Candidates may be required to share accommodation with another candidate of the same gender, with access to shared bathroom and kitchen facilities.

• Students will be provided with lunch only.

• All meals will be prepared according to Islamic dietary laws. Ingredients will be organic and locally sourced when possible. Vegetarian options are available upon request; please mention this request at the time of registration.

Yes, course participants will have free access to ample parking space on campus for the duration of the course.

No, all are welcome.

Please email permaculture@zaytuna.edu for any further questions about the program.

Participants must be 18 or older. Given the rigorous nature of the course, in order to promote a positive learning environment for all, we encourage you to attend only if you are interested in the subject matter and fully committed to the program. If anyone less than 18 and above 14 is interested in applying, they should provide parental consent. 

Each unit will be shared between two candidates of the same gender and will include a bathroom and kitchen. These furnished units come with basic furniture.

Additionally, during class hours, there will be provision for halal/vegetarian options for lunch, as well as coffee and snacks available throughout the day.

This course does not have any prerequisites. Anyone over the age of 18 may attend.

Anyone interested in building sustainable ecological systems, fostering sustainable intentional communities, and living as a conscientious steward is an ideal candidate for this course. There are no specific prerequisites for enrollment other than possessing the ability to engage with college-level reading, writing, and comprehension.

• The upper campus, where the course instruction will take place, is located at the top of Berkley Hills. Given the high elevation of the location, walking anywhere is typically not convenient. However, there is a bus stop near the campus, which will take you to the UC Berkeley Campus, Downtown Berkeley, and the Zaytuna lower campus.

• All information can be accessed directly at the SF Bay Transit website. The bus you will need to take is the AC Transit bus #65. The schedule is subject to change, but the tentative times and schedule updates can be found at the aforementioned website under Euclid Ave/Grizzly Peak.

• You can find information on transit fares here.

• Information on Clipper Cards can be found here.

No candidate will be eligible for a refund once the program begins. However, if a candidate withdraws one week prior to the course, they will receive a partial refund of 50 percent if they have paid in full.

If the candidate has received a scholarship, they will not be eligible for any refund.

If a candidate withdraws from the course more than a week before its commencement and has paid the full tuition fees, they will receive a full refund.

We accept applications from around the world; however, we do not help with obtaining travel visas. It is the responsibility of each candidate, particularly foreign nationals, to secure their own travel visas. Since the medium of instruction is English, proficiency in the language is essential.

While the majority of instruction takes place in a classroom setting, each course instructs candidates in the Berkeley method of composting. Additionally, this year, candidates will engage in hands-on experiments and participate in two days of field visits to Permaculture Design Projects in the Bay Area. Candidates also have an option to sign up for the volunteer roster, providing them with hands-on experience working in the College’s permaculture garden under the supervision of the permaculture garden staff.