4.2
University of California, Berkeley
California, United States of America | Estd in 1868 | Government University
QS Rank : 12
About University of California
The University of California or UC Berkeley is one of the top 100 universities in the USA and the world. The University of California, Berkeley (UCB) is a public university situated in Berkeley, USA which was established in 1868. The University of California's acceptance rate is 14%, indicating that UC Berkeley admissions are highly competitive.
The University of California's GPA requirement is approximately 3.4 out of 4.0 for UG and 3.0 for PG courses. However, it is highly recommended to attain a higher GPA as the UC, Berkeley admission team is very selective.
UC Berkeley's Latest Updates
All international prospective students must apply before the University of California's nearest deadline to be considered for UC Berkeley admission. Also, UC Berkeley applications for admission are available beginning in October of the year prior to the year in which one is seeking to enter UC Berkeley.
The application filing period is October 1 – November 30. All applications must be submitted by November 30. UC Berkeley does not offer applications for early admission or early decision.
The University of California’s tuition fee for Indian students ranges from approximately Rs 4,85,000 to Rs 38,98,000 annually. UC Berkeley comes within the pricey universities for some; however, there are a lot of scholarship opportunities.
Some of the University of California's popular courses for international students at Berkeley include Computer and Information Sciences, Engineering, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Business, Management and Marketing.
As per the UC Berkeley student enrollment reports for Fall 2023, there are total students enrolled in one of the degree programmes. Out of the total, 33,178 are undergraduates and 12,621 are graduates. UC Berkeley's student-to-faculty ratio is 19.4:1. Moreover, 71% of undergraduate classes are held with fewer than 30 students.
UC Berkeley entrance exams for PG courses include the GRE, GMAT, or MCAT which depends on the selected course of study. However, the SAT or ACT are optional for undergraduate international students to be eligible for UC Berkeley admission.
The University of California’s application fee is USD 95 for the University of California’s undergraduate courses. It is a little higher at USD 155 to apply for the University of California’s graduate courses. It is non-refundable and must be paid by every international applicant.
The University of California Notable Alumni
UC Berkeley is proud to have many alumni Nobel Prize winners across a variety of academic fields. A few of UC Berkeley's notable alumni include the following:
the University of California Notable Alumni:
Nobel prize Winner | Category |
David Julius | Awarded in 2021 (PhD 1984 in Medicine) |
Carolyn Bertozzi | Awarded in 2022 (PhD 1993 in Chemistry) |
Barry Barish | Awarded in 2017 (PhD 1962 in Physics) |
Thomas Sargent | Awarded in 2011 (BA 1964 in Economics) |
University of California Highlights
- Domestic: 28906
- International: 3573
University of California Courses
The University of California Berkeley courses are offered in over 350 degree programmes across its 184 academic departments. The UC Berkeley courses are also provided at different levels from UG to PG at its main 5 big schools mainly for Business, Data Science, Education, Engineering, Journalism and Law.
A few of UC Berkeley's online courses are offered to international students as well. Some of the UC Berkeley popular courses for Indian students are Computer and Information Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Business, Management, etc.
The UC Berkeley tuition fees for international students are estimated at a rate which is decided in the start of every academic year. Hence, every international student pays the decided tuition fees for UC Berkeley courses.
As per the academic year 2024 to 2025, the estimated tuition fees for international students are USD 16,608 for an undergraduate degree and USD 15,260 for a graduate degree.
For reference, UC Berkeley tuition fees in rupees are approximately Rs 13,83,563 for undergraduate students and Rs 12,71,265 for graduate students entering the institution in 2024 to 2024.
Accreditations
University of California Affiliated Colleges
University of California Fees
| Courses | Duration | International Student | Local Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D(81 courses) | 2 years-6 years | ₹10.58 L/yr | ₹10.58 L/yr |
| B.A.(69 courses) | 4 years | ₹10.90 L - ₹14.23 L/yr | ₹10.90 L - ₹14.23 L/yr |
| BS(27 courses) | 4 years | ₹10.90 L/yr | ₹10.90 L/yr |
| M.A.(11 courses) | 1 year-2 years | ₹10.58 L/yr | ₹10.58 L/yr |
| M.S(10 courses) | 1 year-2 years | ₹10.58 L/yr | ₹10.58 L/yr |
University of California Cost Of Living
The total UC Berkeley living expenses vary from one student to another. However, there are some fixed UC Berkeley costs of living which are estimated as follows in the table below:
UC Berkeley Cost of Living for UG International Students in 2024 to 2025:
Expense Lists | Estimated Costs in USD |
Housing and Utilities (Off-Campus) | 12,300 |
Food | 2,036 |
Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | 1,132 |
Miscellaneous and Personal | 2,584 |
Transportation | 742 |
UC Berkeley Cost of Living for PG International Students in 2024 to 2025:
Expense Lists | Estimated Costs in USD |
Housing and Utilities (Off-Campus) | 16,914 |
Food | 8,374 |
Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | 416 |
Miscellaneous and Personal | 2,604 |
Transportation | 3,074 |
Is it expensive to study at the University of California, Berkeley?
Yes, it is expensive to study at UC Berkeley. The UC Berkeley tuition fees for international students is a little higher than the national average tuition for international students pursuing a course of study in the USA. Aside from tuition, living expenditures include accommodation, food, transportation, and other personal expenses. Depending on an individual's lifestyle choices, annual living expenditures might range from USD 63,000 to USD 72,000.
University of California Admission and Application
Applicants looking for UC Berkeley admission are required to apply online by filling out a University of California application form available on the official website. A detailed procedure is mentioned in the steps below.
How to Apply to the University of California
Visit the official website: berkeley.edu
Explore the undergraduate and graduate courses.
Choose a UC Berkeley course of your choice.
Check all UC Berkeley entry requirements.
Apply online by filling out the online application.
Fill out the application with relevant information.
Attach the required documents.
Pay the relevant application fee.
Submit the application form.
For the University of California's undergraduate courses, international students must follow the following:
Students must have passed high school and present all academic transcripts from their previous studies.
The UC Berkeley GPA requirement is at least 3.4 out of 4.0 to be eligible for UC Berkeley admission into UG courses
UC Berkeley is test-free, meaning they do not need standardised exams (SAT and ACT scores) in the review process. Subject exams are optional but can still be value-added as per the UC Berkeley entrance exam requirement policy
They must provide English language proficiency proof.
Letters of recommendation are generally not required. Students must not submit them as part of their application. However, some campuses/majors may request letters of recommendation as part of a supplemental application review.
The UC Berkeley is reviewed on a holistic review; hence, all factors along with academic backgrounds are considered.
For the University of California's graduate courses, international students must follow the following:
All students are expected to hold a bachelor’s degree or recognised equivalent from an accredited institution.
Usually, a satisfactory scholastic average, GPA of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale is required at the UG level to be considered for admission as per the UC Berkeley GPA requirements.
All students generally require enough undergraduate training and/or professional experience to do graduate work in the chosen field of PG studies.
All international students are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency.
Certain UC Berkeley courses at PG level require applicants to take a standardised test and provide official GRE scores, MCAT, or GMAT. One must consult the programme to which they are applying for the department’s requirements.
The application requires at least three letters of recommendation.
A statement of purpose and personal history statement, along with any other essays as per the PG course are required to be eligible.
Documents Required For UC Berkeley Admission
Academic Transcripts
Student’s Visa
Proof of English language proficiency.
Bachelors degree
GRE or GMAT scores
Essay
Copy of Passport
ACT or SAT scores
Proof of Financial Responsibility.
Proof of financial support.
UC Berkeley Application Deadlines
The UC Berkeley application deadline is November 1 for the next academic year. The application opens on October 1. There are no early admission or early decision UC Berkeley application deadlines for UC Berkeley admission.
UC Berkeley Application Fee
Every international student must pay a non-refundable application fee of USD 95 for UG courses and USD 155 for PG courses. This UC Berkeley application fee is non-refundable and can be paid along with the application fee.
University of California Scholarship
UC Berkeley scholarships are limited in number for international students. There are different ‘Research scholarship opportunities’ from private organisations from both within the US and for international students.
One can also research the specific department as per the selected UC Berkeley course of study at the official university website.
Graduate students can seek financial assistance from their departments, including Graduate Student Researcher and Graduate Student Instructorships, which are under the direct control of each department. For information about graduate fellowships or outside sources of financial assistance, please contact the Graduate Fellowships Office webpage at the UC Berkeley website.
University of California Eligibility
University of California’s English language requirements
All international candidates must complete the UC Berkeley English language requirements for their selected course if English is not their first language. To fulfil UC Berkeley eligibility criteria, applicants are required to take the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test. The required proficiency scores are:
UC Berkeley English Language Requirements for UG courses:
English Tests | Minimum Scores |
6.5 | |
TOEFL | 80 or better (Berkeley prefers 100) |
115 |
UC Berkeley English Language Requirements for PG courses:
English Tests | Minimum Scores |
IELTS | 7 on a 9-point scale |
90 or above |
University of California Campus Facilities
Boys Hostel
Various housing facilities are offered by UC Berkeley for the students. Students need to apply on the Housing Application portal of the university. Students will be offered housing facilities based on the acceptance of their application forms. All the students must fill in the application forms for housing before the deadline. All the rooms offered to students are well equipped with proper furniture and basic amenities.
Girls Hostel
Various housing facilities are offered by UC Berkeley for the students. Students need to apply on the Housing Application portal of the university. Students will be offered housing facilities based on the acceptance of their application forms. All the students must fill in the application forms for housing before the deadline. All the rooms offered to students are well equipped with proper furniture and basic amenities.
Library
UC Berkeley has a number of libraries for different subjects and areas. All the libraries hold a huge collection of books, databases, e journals, articles and digital collections. Students can also use the computer services in case of searching any informative resources. Other services of printing and scanning are also available inside the library.
Classrooms
Wifi
Laboratories
Sports
Swimming Pool
Parking Facility
Cafeteria
University of California has various cafes and restaurants including Café Zeb, Cafe Think, Common Grounds, Crossroads Dining Commons, The Faculty Club, Free Speech Movement Café, The Golden Bear Café, International House Café, Brown’s Café, The Terrace, Yali’s Café – Stanley Hall and Yali’s Cafe – Sutardja Dai Hall available for coffee, snacks or lunch.
Auditorium
Convenience Store
I.T Infrastructure
University of California International Office Details
As of 2022 of Fall, around 1,277 freshmen and 4,045 graduate international students have been admitted to UC Berkeley. For more information, one can refer to the following UC Berkeley contact details:
Email: webadmin@berkeley.edu
UG Admissions: 510-642-3175
PG Email: gradadm@berkeley.edu
Is it hard to get into the University of California?
Yes, it is very challenging to get into the University of California as UC Berkeley acceptance rate is 14%, which means that only few out of every 100 candidates are accepted into the university. Students with a strong application, a high GPA, involvement in extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and a well-written personal statement have a higher chance of getting accepted to UCLA.
University of California Gallery
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