How to Get Into UC Berkeley: Requirements and Strategies
/Discover the UC Berkeley acceptance rate and admissions requirements, plus strategies to get accepted
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Part 1: Introduction
If your child is a forward-thinking student with a passion to challenge the status quo and make their mark on the world, they might be interested in applying to the University of California, Berkeley. Consistently ranked one of the best public universities in the nation, UC Berkeley is the perfect place for students who want to build legacies of activism, innovation, and leadership.
UC Berkeley was founded in 1868, which makes it the oldest institution in the University of California system. Originally created to educate the best and brightest students in California, the 10 UC campuses have earned a world-renowned reputation for providing the highest levels of teaching, research, and public service. Today, the UC alumni network of over 2 million members work and live in every corner of the globe.
Often referred to as “Cal,” UC Berkeley has a unique history and personality. Ever since the Free Speech Movement arose on its campus in 1964, Berkeley has been recognized as a hotspot for student activism. But it’s also the birthplace of major scientific breakthroughs, such as the discovery of the flu virus and vitamin K. Whether for its political movements, scientific innovation, or many other contributions to society, UC Berkeley frequently lands in the national spotlight.
In the classroom, UC Berkeley offers its students intimate learning experiences, with just over half of its classes containing less than 20 members. Students are encouraged to explore and pursue their passions in classes taught by Nobel laureates, MacArthur fellows, and Turing award winners.
Getting into UC Berkeley means rubbing shoulders with the past, current, and future leaders of society. On any given day, students might have office hours with faculty who are discovering ground-breaking gene therapies or designing a new class of robots for daily use. After class, they might study on the Sophomore Lawn or at the Ludwig fountain before visiting the iconic Berkeley Art Museum or heading into downtown San Francisco to mentor foster youth. On and off-campus, UC Berkeley students live out their passion for education, research, and public service.
And after UC Berkeley? Graduates join the worldwide Berkeley alumni network, which spans into every industry. UC Berkeley alumni have won over 30 Nobel Peace Prizes, 20 Academy Awards, and 100 Olympic gold medals. They’ve held the highest positions in many government offices, including the U.S. Secretary of State. They’ve founded major tech empires such as Apple and Intel. Wherever new Berkeley graduates turn, they’ll find fellow alumni eager to offer mentorship and guidance.
With all the advantages of a Berkeley education, it’s no surprise that over 100,000 students apply to UC Berkeley every year—the admissions competition is intense. Continue reading to learn how to get your child into UC Berkeley. We’ll explore the UC Berkeley acceptance rate, the UC Berkeley admissions requirements, and the UC Berkeley application.
UC Berkeley ranking
Forbes: 5
Niche: 47
U.S. News & World Report: 20
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 6
(Suggested reading: The Best UC Schools: UC Rankings)
Where is UC Berkeley located?
UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, CA, overlooking the scenic San Francisco Bay. Students can hop on San Francisco’s easy-to-navigate public transportation system, the BART, and explore every corner of the city in a matter of minutes. They can easily visit historical sites like Alcatraz prison, take selfies at popular tourist attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge or Pier 39, or catch a glimpse into the future by exploring Silicon Valley.
UC Berkeley sits an hour south of Napa Valley, California’s most prominent wine country, and an hour west of Sacramento, the capital of California, giving students plenty of options for adventuring on the weekends. And if they choose to stay local, they can shop, dine, and play to their hearts’ content in the vibrant and progressive city of San Francisco.
UC Berkeley setting
The urban UC Berkeley campus serves as the heart of Berkeley—it’s the city’s unofficial “Central Park.” Many parts of its pristine 1,232-acre campus are open for the public to enjoy. UC Berkeley’s campus offers students and residents beautiful redwood forests to connect with nature, historic architecture to reminisce about the past, and a tranquil creek to engage in contemplation.
With the San Francisco Bay resting just two miles west of UC Berkeley’s campus, students are encouraged to bike down to the water and explore new aquatic hobbies. And for further outdoor adventures, Mt. Diablo—a mere ten miles east of campus—offers pleasant hiking trails and spectacular views.
The city of Berkeley offers students a variety of dining and shopping options—from historic diners to trendy new restaurants and boutiques. With the UC Berkeley campus located immediately beside downtown Berkeley, students can easily engage in the community, both taking advantage of its cultural opportunities and giving back through community service.
UC Berkeley student population
Undergraduate students: 30,778 (Spring 2023)
Graduate students: 12,303 (Spring 2023)
UC Berkeley acceptance rate
Below is admissions data for the class of 2026:
Applications: 128,230
Acceptances: 14,568
Matriculants: 6,726
Acceptance rate: 13.3%
Berkeley’s transfer acceptance rate is 27%.
UC Berkeley tuition and scholarships
Berkeley’s 2023–2024 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) is $46,168 for California residents and $78,742 for non-residents.
Over 60 percent of Berkeley undergrads receive financial aid. Berkeley offers both need- and merit-based financial aid; the average need-based financial aid award is $23,837 and the average merit-based award is $4,484.
Who gets into UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley students are high-performing—in recent years, 98 percent of accepted students placed in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating classes. Furthermore, around 85 percent of UC Berkeley admits are typically California residents. To help you assess your child’s odds of getting into Berkeley, here’s information about students accepted to the class of 2026:
UC Berkeley average weighted GPA:
25th percentile: 4.17
75th percentile: 4.31
UC Berkeley average unweighted GPA: 3.93
UC Berkley has not yet released student demographics for the class of 2027, but we can still take a look at the 2022 enrollment data:
International students: 12.3%
First generation students: 26%
Students of Asian descent make up the largest racial demographic with 52.1% of the student population. The next-largest groups are white students (30.7%), Chicanx/Latinx students (21.1%), and Southwest Asian/North African students (5.5%).
Because UC Berkeley, along with the other UC schools, no longer requires or accepts standardized test scores, there is no SAT and ACT data for the most recent freshman class. Below are average test scores for the class of 2024:
UC Berkeley average ACT score:
25th percentile: 29
75th percentile: 35
UC Berkeley average SAT score:
25th percentile: 1330
75th percentile: 1530
The most popular majors at UC Berkeley are social sciences, engineering, biological and biomedical sciences, interdisciplinary studies, and natural resources and conservation.
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Part 2: UC Berkeley admissions requirements
As part of the UC system, UC Berkeley has unique admissions requirements you won’t find at most other public universities. To help your child increase their admissions odds, let’s take a closer look at how to get into UC Berkeley.
UC Berkeley’s “A-G” course requirements
The UC system has designed its own college preparatory course plan to ensure its applicants possess the ability and knowledge to be successful in the rigorous UC curriculum. Most California high schools put college-bound students on track to fulfill these “A-G” requirements automatically. However, if your child attends a high school outside California, you want to ensure they follow these requirements closely. Missing more than one or two of these classes may leave your child ineligible to attend UC Berkeley or any other UC school.
(A) History/social science: Two years required
One year of world history, cultures or geography
One year of U.S. history OR half a year of U.S. history and half a year of U.S. government
(B) English: Four years required
(C) Mathematics: Three years required, but four years recommended
One year of geometry
(D) Laboratory science: Two years required, but three years recommended
Must include two of the following: biology, chemistry, and physics
(E) Language other than English: Two years required, but three years recommended
(F) Visual and performing arts: One year required
(G) College preparatory electives: One year required
Can be additional A-F courses in excess of requirement
Other approved courses: psychology, speech or debate, computer science, economics, etc.
UC Berkeley requires applicants to complete these “A-G” classes with a 3.0 GPA or higher (3.4 or higher for out of state students). But completing the minimum class and GPA requirements won’t be enough to get your child into UC Berkeley. They will need to show off their abilities and prove they have what it takes to thrive in a rigorous academic environment.
When evaluating students’ academic history, UC Berkeley will pay special consideration to three important factors:
The number of college prep, honors, dual enrollment, and AP or IB classes completed
The overall pattern of grades (Is there an upward or downward trend? Are grades steady or inconsistent?)
The classes planned for 12th grade—a reminder that senior year definitely matters!
If your child excels in their “A-G” classes and passes the bar on these three additional measures, they’ll increase their chances of getting into UC Berkeley.
UC Berkeley extracurricular requirements
With so many high-achieving students applying to UC Berkeley, your child’s choice of extracurricular activities presents an opportunity for them to stand out. There’s no one “right” activity that can guarantee they’ll get accepted to UC Berkeley. Instead, the best chance they have is to pursue one or two of their interests in a variety of activities that demonstrate their best qualities.
For example, if your child loves coding, they should explore that passion in several ways. They could start a computer science club at school and learn one or more of the different computer programming languages. They could attend a summer coding boot camp to advance their skills. They could volunteer at after-school programs to teach younger students how to code. And they might start their own business building or improving websites for local small businesses.
Taken together, this collection of activities show leadership, a passion for learning, entrepreneurship, initiative, and a desire to serve others—as well as a developed interest in computer science. Encourage your child to do what they love, find ways to expand their knowledge or skills, and use their talents to better their community. This approach is sure to make a strong impression on the UC Berkeley admissions committee.
(Suggested reading: How to Write an Impressive UC Activities List)
UC Berkeley application requirements
After a high school career spent pursuing academic rigor and extracurricular depth, your child might be ready to apply to UC Berkeley. Here are the UC Berkeley application requirements to guide their process:
A high school transcript is needed to input grades into the online application but is not submitted with the application.
Optional: AP or IB exam scores
Optional: Two letters of recommendation. A small number of applicants may be asked to submit recommendations if the application evaluators need additional information to make a decision. Students who don’t receive a specific request for recommendation letters should not submit them.
If your child is applying to the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (MET) Program, they will be asked to submit an additional supplemental essay and may be invited to interview.
If your child is applying to the Global Management Program through the Haas School of Business, they will be asked to submit an additional supplemental essay and may be invited to interview.
As noted above, the UC system has recently made significant changes to its standardized testing requirements and no longer accepts SAT or ACT scores as part of its admissions process, relying instead on a holistic review process.
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Part 3: 2023–2024 UC Berkeley personal insight questions
As part of the University of California application, students submit four short essays, called the UC personal insight questions (or PIQs). There are eight questions applicants can choose to answer—each one with a specific focus. For example, one of the PIQ prompts asks about students’ creativity, another asks about leadership, and another asks about obstacles overcome. Applicants must evaluate which prompts they can respond to with the strongest, most impactful essays.
It’s important to be aware that if your child applies to more than one UC school, they are not able to submit different PIQs to different campuses. So your child won’t want to write specifically about their desire to attend UC Berkeley if they’re also applying to UCLA and UCSD. Instead, they can discuss a bit more generally their desire to be a part of the UC system and support the mission of education, research, and service.
Even so, your child can still tailor their PIQs to align with the values and character of UC Berkeley. They can demonstrate their activism, initiative, leadership, persistence, service to others, and their unique potential to be a thriving Berkeley student. The goal of these PIQs is for your child to show the admissions committee who they are as a student, a learner, and a community member.
To help your child evaluate which PIQ to answer and how to put their best foot forward with their responses, we’ve developed the following detailed guide: How to Write Great UC Essays. We break down each prompt, share important aspects to consider, and offer an example essay for each question. If your child is preparing to submit their UC application, this resource will greatly improve their essay-writing process and the final quality of their PIQs.
Final thoughts
As one of the most prestigious and well-known public universities in the nation, UC Berkeley offers its students a world-class education and membership into an impressive network of alumni. It’s no surprise that so many high-achieving students set their sights on Berkeley every year. And while getting accepted to such a competitive institution is a reach for every applicant, now you know our tactical strategies for how to get into UC Berkeley—just what you need to help your child improve their odds of making their Berkeley dreams come true.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.