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Berkeley , CA
The University of California, Berkeley is a renowned public research university located in Berkeley, California. Founded in 1868 as the flagship campus of the University of California system, UC Berkeley is widely regarded as one of the top institutions in the world. With its commitment to academic excellence and groundbreaking research, the university has earned a stellar reputation across various disciplines.
UC Berkeley is home to a diverse and vibrant community of students, faculty, and staff. The campus spans over 1,200 acres and offers a wide array of academic programs across 14 schools and colleges, including arts and sciences, engineering, business, social sciences, and more. The university's academic curriculum is rigorous and intellectually stimulating, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and innovation.
Beyond academics, UC Berkeley offers a rich and stimulating campus life. With over 1,000 student organizations, there is something for everyone, whether it's joining a club related to a specific interest, participating in community service, or engaging in political activism. The campus is also known for its vibrant arts scene, featuring world-class museums, galleries, and theaters. Additionally, the university's athletic teams, known as the California Golden Bears, compete in the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference.
Overall, the University of California, Berkeley is an esteemed institution known for its rigorous academics, groundbreaking research, and vibrant campus community. With its strong commitment to leadership, social responsibility, and diversity, UC Berkeley has consistently produced leaders in various fields and continues to be an influential force in higher education.
Located in Berkeley, CA, University of California, Berkeley is a public university. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 11%. The freshman retention rate at University of California, Berkeley is 96.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 93%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is November 30. The transfer application deadline is November 30.
Here are some latest information on important things to consider about University of California, Berkeley.
Quick Facts
33,469
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
18:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
93%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most essential data you need to know about admission policy and requirements at University of California, Berkeley.
In 2025, the school accepted 13,714 new students.
Test Scores
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.9. This implies that you'll probably need a GPA above the average to secure admission.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by November 30. If you are applying for a transfer, the application deadline is November 30.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is defined as the percentage of first-year students who return for their sophomore year at a college or university. That information can tell you if the majority of freshmen liked their first year enough to come back.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for University of California, Berkeley was 96.8%, which is an outstanding retention rate only the most prestigious institutions have.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 93%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Picking a school that is the right match for you is not a simple task. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
The overall number of students enrolled at University of California, Berkeley in 2025 was 46,403.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 13.5% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 33,469, 3255 of which were foreign students. The number of transfer students at this school was 2,691.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 18,364 male and 22,426 female full-time students in 2025, which is indicative of the value gender equality has at this school. There were 4,972 full-time graduate male and 5,168 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at University of California, Berkeley.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 11,721, while the number of African American students was 679. 7,308 undergraduates at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 2,241 identified with more than one race. The school also had 33 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 44 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 1,243 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into consideration when applying to any college or university is the financial component. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for University of California, Berkeley.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition cost for this university.
According to the reports from public county and municipal institutions, tuition fees were $13,602 for area residents. For students who don't live in the state in which the university is located, the tuition was $51,204 in 2025. For the students coming from abroad, tuition at this school was $51,204, as well. Full-time students in 2025 had to pay additional fees in the amount of $4,119.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $51,204 | $4,119 | $55,323 |
| In-State | $13,602 | $4,119 | $17,721 |
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to consider the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. Most students have to give about $1,442 for books and supplies during their time at University of California, Berkeley.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at schools?
At University of California, Berkeley, the 2025 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $24,558.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 13,602 |
| Room and Board | $ 24,558 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,442 |
| Total Expense | $ 39,602 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all types of financial help for students. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at University of California, Berkeley, here are some recent data you should consider.
According to the most recent data, 2,683 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $34,883 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
14,024 students were given some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at University of California, Berkeley isn't available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 14,495. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution reached $68,222,368, and state $156,736,406. The students of University of California, Berkeley received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $234,752,407, and external in the amount of $7,422,414.
$8,894
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 533 students overall (including freshmen) at University of California, Berkeley in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 157 full-time freshmen. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $68,222,368 while the state aid is $1,643,929. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $17,572,285. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $11,700,660 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
18:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.
In 2025, this ratio at University of California, Berkeley was 18:1. That means that there were 18 times more students than teachers at this school. According to the most recent information, there are 3,133 teachers at this school. This number included 1,720 male and 1,413 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Check out some info about social life at University of California, Berkeley.
Student Organizations
Participating in different student organizations can make your educational experience more interesting and fulfilling.
Students interested in music can join the University of California, Berkeley band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. You have a talent for media and communication? University of California, Berkeley publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
FAQ
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University of California, Berkeley is located in Berkeley, CA.
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University of California, Berkeley doesn't offer need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for University of California, Berkeley is 11%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for University of California, Berkeley is 96.8%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.