The University of California system has some of the most highly selective public universities in the United States, and UC Berkeley is one of the selective campuses with a competitive acceptance rate.
The number of applications received at each of the UC schools keeps increasing every year. Those applying to UC Berkeley are high schoolers from California, transfer applicants, and a good number of international students.
Berkeley offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university also takes research seriously and provides a learning environment where dreams are nurtured into professions.
Use the information here to learn about UC Berkeley program acceptance rates for selective majors.
More information can be found in Stay Informed Group
A Brief History UC Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is a public research institution, the first land grant university in California, and a member of the Association of American Universities.
In 1866, the land including the current Berkeley campus was purchased by a California private college. Lacking sufficient funds to operate, it eventually merged with the state-run College of Agriculture, Mining and Mechanical Arts to form the University of California.
On March 23, 1868, California Governor Henry H. Haight signed the university’s charter. Professor John LeConte was named interim president until 1870 when the Board of Trustees elected Henry Durant as the founder of the California College.
The university opened in September 1869, using the former University of California buildings in Oakland as temporary housing during the construction of the new campus.
Today, UC Berkeley is a large campus with over 45,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The public research university is organized into 14 colleges and schools with two locations of UC Berkeley Extension in downtown Berkeley7 and downtown San Francisco.
Why choose UC Berkeley?
There are many reasons to choose UC Berkeley. What motivates students to study at UC Berkeley every year before they consider studying at UC Berkeley?
Well, being a Berkeley graduate student means being part of a dynamic group of people who are passionate, curious, and committed to their field of study. you can see it. At Berkeley, graduate scholarship students from the National Science Foundation and Ford-granted educational institutions are more diverse than any other institution, public or private.
So you’re in a better position to choose UC Berkeley as your study option
Also Read: University of California, UC Berkeley Student Portal Login: calcentral.berkeley.edu
UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate By Major
UC Berkeley is a highly-rated public university located in the San Francisco Bay Area in Berkeley, California. It is a large institution with 29,570 undergraduate students. Admission is competitive because of UC Berkeley’s acceptance rate of 16%. Popular majors include economics, computer science and cell biology. After 93% of students graduate, UC Berkeley alumni earn a starting salary of $48,700.
UC Berkeley Law School Acceptance Rate
UC Berkeley School of Law (also known as Bolt Hole Berkeley Law School or UC Berkeley School of Law) is one of 14 colleges and faculties at UC Berkeley. Berkeley Law School is consistently ranked as one of the best public law schools in the United States and one of the best law schools in the world. In 2018, 89% of graduates received full-time employment within ten months; the 2017 varsity pass rate was 90.9%.
As we all know, Berkeley Law School attaches great importance to a high undergraduate GPA, ranking 75th for 9 consecutive years. According to United News & World Report, 25% of law school applicants are accepted to them.
UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate By Major
Most Popular Majors at UC Berkeley
- Communications: 291 Graduates
- Social Sciences: 292 Graduates
- Cognitive Science: 306 Graduates
- Electrical Engineering: 336 Graduates
- Business: 344 Graduates
- Environmental Science: 385 Graduates
- Political Science and Government: 410 Graduates
- Cellular Biology: 577 Graduates
- Computer Science 606 Graduates
- Economics: 655 Graduates
Also Read: UCSD Acceptance Rate In 2024 Admission Requirements
UC Berkeley College of Letters and Sciences Acceptance Rate
In 2018, UC Berkeley was named the best public university in the nation by US News. In addition, Berkeley tied for first place with MIT, Stanford and Carnegie Mellon in the category of best computer science schools in the United States. Berkeley’s overall acceptance rate is 17%, but the UC Berkeley acceptance Rate by computer science Major is only 8.5%. Berkeley continues to compete at an exceptional level of state funding!
Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) is large and exciting. EECS faculty and staff have received prestigious awards such as the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the National Medal of Science, and four Turing Awards. Thirteen faculty members received the UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award, and 37 faculty members were elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
The department conducts extensive research in many areas, including artificial intelligence, biological systems and computational biology, operating systems and networks, human-computer interaction, scientific computing, and more.
Students apply to UC Berkeley through the UC application portal, and students interested in computer science either pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) through the College of Letters and Sciences or a Bachelor of Science (BS) through the College of Engineering. In the 2017-2018 academic year, of the 943 undergraduate computer science degrees awarded, approximately two-thirds were CS bachelor’s degrees and one-third were EECS bachelor’s degrees.
The two degrees are not fundamentally different in computer science course content; instead, the difference lies in additional non-computer science courses. We’ll dive into both programs below.
B.A. Computer Science from UC Berkeley
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science degree program can apply to the College of Letters and Sciences when applying for admission to UC Berkeley.
When they start taking computer science courses at the introductory level (CS 61A, CS 61B, and CS 70), they must maintain a 3.3 GPA in these courses in order to “declare” their major as computer science. Until 2015, this base GPA requirement was 3.0, but as the majors became more popular, the minimum GPA was raised to 3.3, meaning students must maintain a B+ or higher grade point average in all three classes.
The course also has additional requirements in Reading and Composition, Quantitative Reasoning and Foreign Language. There are countless possible breadth programs to meet all undergraduate requirements.
Through the breadth of these provisions, the College ensures a comprehensive interdisciplinary education for its liberal arts students. However, junior and senior computer science courses are shared with electrical engineering and computer science students.
Also Rea: What are the Easiest College Majors that pay well?
Average UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate in 2024
We talk about a school’s acceptance rate to give you an idea of how easy it is to get into that college. UC Berkeley accepts 22.49% of transfer applicants, and competition is fierce.
To have an opportunity when transferring to UC Berkeley, your current GPA must be at least 3.89, and ideally, your GPA will be around 4.05. Additionally, you must provide standardized test scores.
The table below shows a breakdown of the SAT and ACT for UC Berkeley students.
25th Percentile | 75th Percentile | Average | |
| SAT Math | 650 | 790 | 720 |
| SAT Reading | 620 | 750 | 685 |
| 2018 Total SAT Score | 1270 | 1540 | 1405 |
| 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile | Average | |
| ACT Math | 29 | – | 29 |
| ACT Reading | 31 | 35 | 33 |
| 2018 Total ACT Score | 60 | 35 | 47 |
The SAT score at UC Berkeley is 1405 on average. To be a competitive candidate at UC Berkeley, SAT scores must be close to the average; for the ACT, your goal should be to earn the equivalent.
What are the necessary transfer requirements for UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley requires a complete set of documents for consideration. The table below summarizes the most important data.
| Admission Item | Required? |
| High School Transcript | Not Required |
| College Transcript | Required of All |
| An essay or Personal Statement | Required of All |
| Interview | Not Required |
| Standardized Test Scores | Not Required |
| Statement of Good Standing from Prior Institution | Not Required |
UC Berkeley also requires the completion of a minimum of credits in order to apply as a transfer student.
UC Berkeley also requires at least 60 credits.
International Students at the University of California Berkeley acceptance rate by major
UC Berkeley international applicants are all applicants who require a visa to live and study in the United States. Other applicants, such as U.S. citizens, refugees, asylum seekers, or permanent residents living or studying outside the U.S., are considered “domestic applicants.” International admissions opportunities are open to freshmen and transfer applicants.
International Students Admission Profile
- Admitted Students: 1,552
- The acceptance rate for International Students: 9.14%
- SAT Score Requirements: 1450-1530 (middle 50%)
- Admission Entry from 74 Countries.
- GPA Score requirements: 3.90-4.00 (middle 50%, unweighted)
- ACT Score Requirements: 32-35 (middle 50%)
How to Apply for Admission:
Interested freshman applicants, please review and follow the steps below to apply for UCB 2022 admission. All applicants must ensure they track their admissions progress online. All applicants will be notified by email if their applications have been received, allowing you to log in to the Student Portal.
Application Portal: @ https://admissions.berkeley.edu/
The Application Steps are as follows:
- Check Your Application’s Progress Online
- Make Sure your Correct Information is On File
- Update Your Application
- Complete Any Required Forms
- Monitor Your Email for your admission status.
In-state cost by household income:
| Household income | Average cost after aid |
| Less than $30,000 | $8,602 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $9,940 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $13,672 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $20,233 |
| More than $110,001 | $31,232 |
University of California Berkeley Graduation Rate
First-time full-time: Completed within
- 6 Years: 92%
- 8 Years: 93%
Other full-time: Completed within
- 6 Years: 92%
- 8 Years: 93%
Other part-time: Completed within
- 6 Years: 70%
- 8 Years: 72%
University of California Berkeley Acceptance Rate By Major
- Natural Resources and Conservation: 6%
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies Majors: 7%
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences Majors: 10%
- Engineering majors: 11%
- Social Sciences Majors: 20%
- Statistics Major
- Data Science Major
- Economics Major
- Mathematics major
- Psychology majors
- Business Administration and Management Majors
- English Major
- Computer Science Major
- Political Science and Government Majors
Majors with the Highest Transfer Acceptance Rate at UC Berkeley
| MAJOR | MID-RANGE GPA | ADMIT RATE | |
| 1. | Development Studies | 3.72 – 3.93 | 41% |
| 2. | Environmental Economics Policy | 3.42 – 3.78 | 49% |
| 3. | Society and Environment | 3.57 – 3.91 | 54% |
| 4. | Landscape Architecture | 3.11 – 3.6 | 39% |
| 5. | Conservation and Resource Studies | 3.40 – 3.98 | 37% |
| 6. | American Studies | 3.72 – 3.89 | 35% |
| 7. | History of Art | 3.53 – 3.86 | 40% |
| 8. | Comparative Literature | 3.60 – 3.87 | 41% |
| 9. | Peace and Conflict Studies | 3.59 – 3.84 | 44% |
| 10. | English | 3.60 – 3.92 | 37% |
The University of California Berkeley Undergraduate Admissions Address and Contact.
The University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States. 110 Sproul Hall #5800,
- Berkeley, CA 94720-5800
- Phone: +1 510-642-6000
FAQs
Below are some of the questions students and prospective students ask about admission at UC Berkeley, and the answers to them contain important information that will benefit you.
Does UC Berkeley accept by major?
In general, some departments, schools, or majors in a college may have additional requirements for admission as are some of the majors at UC Berkeley. The information you need about the acceptance rate by major can be found in this article.
What are the top 3 majors at UC Berkeley?
At UC Berkeley, the three of the most popular majors students study are Computer Science, Econometrics, Quantitative Economics, Cell/ Cellular and Molecular Biology. Furthermore, UC Berkeley awards 763 degrees in computer science each year.
Can you get to UCLA and Berkeley at the same time?
Yes, you can get admission to Berkeley and UCLA at the same time. There is a saying that UCLA and Berkeley secretly communicate that if you are accepted into one college, you will not be accepted into another. Completely wrong. Applicants are continuously admitted to both campuses.
What is the selection process at UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley uses a comprehensive process to evaluate applicants for its programs. The process takes into account various parameters such as test results, community or other extracurricular activities, and personal characteristics before selecting candidates.
What is the UC Berkeley School of Law acceptance rate?
UC Berkeley Law School is consistently ranked as one of the best public law colleges in the United States and one of the best law schools in the world with a 25% acceptance rate.
What are the GPA requirements for a UC Berkeley transfer?
UC Berkeley requires a GPA of at least 2.4 on a 4.33 scale in college.
The University of California Berkeley Acceptance Rate By Major
- Natural Resources and Conservation: 6%
- Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies Majors: 7%
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences Majors: 10%
- Engineering majors: 11%
- Social Sciences Majors: 20%
