UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate and Admissions 2024/2025

The University of California, Berkeley is a public research institution and one of the top universities in the United States. UC Berkeley offers 104 bachelor’s degrees, numerous graduate and professional programs across its schools and colleges.

The public research institution is one of the most applied-to universities in the United States. It is also ranked as one of the best research universities with numerous research publications. Getting admitted into the University of California, Berkeley is quite difficult due to the high number of applicants and low acceptance rate.

Prospective students of UC Berkeley must meet the admission requirements, and also familiarize themselves with the UC Berkeley acceptance rate, its admission process, and other requirements.

UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate 2024

Known as the percentage of applicants a college accepts in an admission year. UC Berkeley’s acceptance rate is 11.4% for the undergraduate class of 2026. The institution accepts a considerable number of domestic and international students thereby making the admission process more competitive.

Typically, international students experience lower college acceptance rates than domestic applicants. Furthermore, the acceptance rate for UC Berkeley varies between colleges.

To boost your chances of getting accepted into UC Berkeley, you need to understand how the institution accepts in-state and out-of-state as well as international students.

UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate for International Applicants

According to the UC Berkeley admissions website, international students have an acceptance rate of 5.52%. This can be attributed to the fact that fewer international students apply to the University of California, Berkeley than domestic students.

UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate for out-of-state Students

The University of California, Berkeley’s acceptance rate for out-of-state students is 8.61%, while that of California residents is 14.52%.

UC Berkeley Transfer Acceptance Rate

The University of California, Berkeley’s transfer acceptance rate is 27%. In the fall os 2022, the school received 19,371 transfer applications and admitted 5,200 students for the class of 2026.

Across all schools in the UC system, it’s normal for the transfer admit rate to be higher than that of freshman admissions. While transferring from a community college might seem hard, it’s a smart way to save money.

What GPA is required for UC Berkeley?

UC Berkeley has a specific way to calculate the grade point average (GPA) it requires for admission. You must obtain a minimum undergraduate GPA of 4.17 – 4.31 for California residents and non-residents respectively. In reality, admitted UC Berkeley students had an average weighted GPA of 4.25 and an unweighted GPA of 4.00.

Meanwhile, applicants transferring from a community college to UCB need a minimum GPA of 3.81 on a 4.0 scale to be considered competitive. Also, UC Berkeley does not have a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program for transfer students.

Before UC schools started ignoring standardized test scores, applicants used to complement their below-average GPA with their SAT/ACT scores, the only way to do that now is by taking challenging courses such as AP/IB classes to get additional points.

Is SAT required for the University of California, Berkeley?

The University of California, Berkeley requires that you either take the SAT or ACT.

What is the average SAT score for UC Berkeley?

The average SAT score composite at UC Berkeley is 1405. The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1290, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1510.

In other words, a 1290 places you below average, while a 1510 will move you up to above average. There’s no absolute SAT requirement at UC Berkeley, but they really want to see at least a 1290 to have a chance at being considered.

Here’s the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Breakdown of UC Berkley Acceptance Rate

In the Fall of 2022, the University of California received 128,225 applications, out of which 14,603 was admitted representing a 11.4% acceptance rate.

Also, the acceptance rate for international students was 5.52% with 38.9% of freshmen identifying as Asian, while a further 18.8% identified as Hispanic or Latino. These numbers are not related to the acceptance rate for UC Berkeley, but they do show that UC Berkeley is a diverse campus.

UC Berkeley Admission Process 2024

The University of California, Berkeley admission process varies depending on the level of education, programs offered, and nationality. However, candidates with a minimum of 3.0 GPA can apply to study at the University of California, Berkeley.

Also, note that the UC Berkeley GPA requirements tend to be higher for out-of-state students. The UC Berkeley GPA requirements for non-residents state that these students must earn at least a 3.4 with no grades below a C. Despite the lack of UC Berkeley SAT requirements, out-of-state applicants also report higher test scores than their in-state counterparts.

UC Berkeley Admission Timeline

The admission process starts in the fall season right before the year you want to join. Generally, August 1 and November 30 are the months when the registrations for admission begin and ends.

**Exact decision dates are given to current applicants in confirmation emails and on the student application portal (coming soon).

Documents Required for the University of California, Berkeley

To study at UC Berkeley, you must first and foremost meet the admission requirements. Thereafter, apply to the school before the application deadline. In addition to the general admission requirements, you must also meet the specific subject requirements.

Although the admission application process may vary for local and international students, some of the requirements may apply to both. Below are some of the general UC Berkeley admission requirements:

• Common Application.
• Transcript of High School records or GED.
• Essay.
• Application fee
• SAT or ACT scores
• Statement of Purpose.
• English proficiency test scores.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Professional CV for a graduate program.

UC Berkeley Application Fee

The University of Berkeley has an application fee of $70 for each UC campus ($80 for international and non-immigrant applicants). You can make your payment either by credit card or by mail, just be sure to follow the instructions in the application.

Popular Majors at UC Berkeley

The most popular majors among UC Berkeley students are:

• Environmental earth science
• Conservation & resources studies
• American studies
• Art
• Interdisciplinary studies
• Philosophy
• Sociology

UC Berkeley Tuition & Fees

To study at the University of Berkeley you will need to spend a huge sum of money. The cost varies depending on the level of study, major or program, number of credit hours taken, and the school or college you wish to study. Some additional fees include incidental fees, educational supplies, accommodation costs, etc.

Undergraduate 

• Residents – $ 9,327.50
• Non Residents – $ 24,204.50
• International Students – $50,001

Graduate 

• Residents – $ 10,552.00
• Non Residents – $ 18,103.00
• International Students – $36,162

University of California, Berkeley Scholarships

There are a number of financial aid available to students studying at UC, Berkeley. These financial supports may be awarded based on need, academic merit, background, specific talents, or professional interest.

Conclusion

The acceptance rate is an important factor to consider when seeking admission to the University of California, Berkeley. Also, understanding UC Berkeley’s acceptance rate and admission requirements are important as it helps you to plan on how to pursue your program and make the right decisions.