Admissions
Getting in, fall 2026
Berkeley admits about 1 in 9 applicants (11%). That puts it in the "Ultra selective" tier, more selective than 98% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$80 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 9.0%, women at 13%.
Yield
46% of admitted students enroll, one of the highest nationally.
Wait list: 9,102 offered a place, 6,479 accepted, 0 admitted (0.0% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Doesn't offer early decision or early action
Where you stand
How Berkeley reads a record
and GPA are both very important; tests are considered. Scores aren't read. Most high schools no longer rank; this college doesn't lean on it. Applicants are ; engineering applicants get an extra look at math and science grades. Recommends 4 years of math and 3 of science (3 and 2 required). See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Not considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Considered | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Considered | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Important | ||||
| Work experience | Important | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program considered; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
24% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 11% of first-year applicants
23,401 applied · 5,658 admitted · 3,055 enrolled
Transfers may start in the fall and spring.
At least 60 transferable semester units in credit completed to apply as a transfer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.4
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Recommended for some
- College transcripts
- Recommended
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Recommended for some
- Standardized test scores
- Required of some
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Not required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Decisions are sent by a set date.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 1 week if admitted later.
- $300 housing deposit, refundable.
- Admitted students may postpone enrollment for a gap year. Longest postponement: 1 year.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 3 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 3) | 2 | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 | 3 |
| Social studies | 0 | 0 |
| History | 2 | 2 |
| Academic electives | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 15 | 18 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. University of California-Berkeley doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.90
From the 1% of first-years who reported a GPA.
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
This college publishes an average but not a breakdown.
Source:University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
Not considered
Scores aren't considered, even if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Sources:University of California-Berkeley (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set, 2024-25;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Berkeley College of Engineering, most recent release;University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of California-Berkeley Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)