Admission at UC Berkeley is quite selective with an overall acceptance rate of 17.5%. The percentage of internationals entering the graduate class was 19% with 3,539 being selected out of 42,000 applicants. To secure admission at UC Berkeley, international students require a minimum GPA of 2.4. However, the average GPA of admitted students is GPA of 3.8 (~93-96%) on a scale of 4.0. The most enrolled program at UC Berkeley are MBA and Master of Laws with an enrollment of 400 students and 329 students respectively.

Tip for Indian Students: Indian students are advised to start the application three months before the deadline set by the university. The university does not follow open admission policy and does not accept applications after the deadlines.

UC Berkeley Admission Deadlines

When planning to make applications to UC Berkeley, international applicants are advised to ensure that they send in their completed application package ahead of the deadlines. It is to note that UC Merced and UC Berkeley are on a semester calendar. Rest other campuses follow a quarter system calendar.

Term/Semester Deadline
Fall Quarter/Semester November 1-30
Winter Quarter/Spring semester July 1-31
Spring Quarter October 1-31

Have a look at Student review of University of California!

University of California Berkeley Undergraduate Admission

International students must meet their course requirements, and have an average required GPA, AP/IB exams, GRE/GMAT scores, recommendations, English language proficiency requirements, health insurance, and financial support for one academic year. The undergraduate admission process for international students is two-fold. To apply for UG programs at UCB, international applicants are required to fill an online UC Application and pay an application fee of 80 USD. The basic documents required for admissions are mentioned below: 

Application Portal: UC Application
Application Fee: 80 USD
Admission Requirements: 

  • Academic transcripts with a 3.4 GPA (~89-90%)
  • English Language Proficiency Requirements
  • Medical Records
  • Health Insurance
  • Standardized exam scores
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Work Experience
  • Academic Resume
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • Interview

UC Berkeley Country-Specific Admission Requirement

Country Undergraduate Requirements
India Avg 70 with no mark below 60 in completed X and XII state board or CBSE examinations
Pakistan Completed X and XII state or board examination
Malaysia Either complete SPM and STPM or the SPM and at least 3 academic GCE A-level exam
Sri Lanka Complete Sri Lankan GCE O and A-level exams. Minimum 3-academic A levels exam is required.

University of California Berkeley Graduate Admission

The graduate programs which were first in the world are Computer Science, Biological Sciences, English, Sociology, Psychology, and Economics. 

To apply for master's programs, applicants are required to apply through different application portal on UC Berkeley Graduate Admissions pages. Application fees and admission requirements for graduate programs vary depending upon the programs. Mentioned below are some of the basic requirements to apply for PG programs:

  • Degree equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree
  • Official transcripts (With Min. of 3.0 GPA )
  • Statement of Purpose
  • English Language Proficiency
  • GMAT, GRE Subject Test, GRE General, or MCAT scores
  • Letters of recommendation

Also Check: 

Course Specific Requirements for PG programs

Mentioned below are some of the most enrolled programs of UCB along with their admission requirements: 

Requirements M.Eng Bioengineering  MS Computer Science MBA Full Time MS Civil and Environmental Engineering  MA Design 
Application Online Online Berkeley Haas Application UC Berkeley Graduate Application UC Berkeley Graduate Admission
Application fee USD 110 USD 140 USD 200 USD 140 USD 125
Transcripts Unofficial Required Unofficial Required Official Required Unofficial Required Official Required
GRE/ GMAT Not Required Not Required Required either Not Required GRE Required
Letters of Recommendation 3 required 3 required 2 required (one from current supervisor) 3 required 3 required (two academic letters)
Essays Not Required Not Required Required Not Required Required
Statement of Purpose Not Required Required Not Required Not Required Required
Personal History Statement Not Required Required Not Required Not Required Required
CV/Resume Not Required Required Resume required Not Required Not Required
Interview Not Required Not Required Required (if accepted) Not Required Not Required

English Proficiency Score Requirements for International Students

Test Minimum score for UG Minimum score for PG
IELTS  6.5 7.0
Duolingo 115 -
TOEFL PBT - 570
TOEFL iBT 80 90

US Student Visa Application Process

International students who have been admitted to UC Berkeley must complete a Non-Immigrant Information Form (NIF). The applicant’s financial sponsor should provide a guarantee for sufficient funds for the first year of study. Berkeley International Office will issue the document needed for the visa after getting the receipt of the completed NIF.

All non-immigrant visitors should have a valid visa to study in the United States. Students can receive the I-20 or DS-2019  from UC Berkeley by completing NIF, invited by the UC Berkeley department, VSIS. After this, visa appointments and insurance must be held in students’ cities. Then students have to pay a SEVIS fee and go to an interview at the US embassy or consulate.

Students have to bring the following documents to the US visa interview:

  • Passport (valid at least six months into the future)
  • Certificate of Eligibility I-20 (F-1)/ DS-2019 (J-1)
  • Proof of admission (new students)/ proof of enrollment (currently enrolled students)/ UC Berkeley appointment letter (scholars)
  • Evidence of Financial Support (Enrolled EAP/ Degree-Seeking Students)
  • Evidence of financial support (scholars)
  • Visa application forms and fees
  • SEVIS Fee receipt (F-1 and J-1 only)
  • J-1 students need J-1 AT DS-2019 with a job offer letter/ current employment verification letter

Also Check: 

Students can start the application three months before applying. After applying, students can print out their application for application ID and reference. Students can update their applications with their personal information and even their academic records. Multiple schools can also be applied for admission (except Berkeley). Each UC campus will respond to the application by March 31.

FAQs

Ques. What are the general deadlines for UC Berkeley?

Ans. UC Berkeley offers admission on a semester calendar. Mentioned below are the general deadlines for the same:

Semester Deadline
Fall November 1-30
Winter  July 1-31
Spring  October 1-31

Ques. When should international applicants start applying for UC Berkeley begins? 

Ans. International applicants should begin their applications three months before the university's deadline, as UC Berkeley does not operate an open admission policy and does not accept applications after the deadline.

Ques. What is the minimum SAT score required for admission to UC Berkeley?

Ans. There is no absolute SAT requirement at UCLA, but they do want to see at least a 1290 to be considered.

Ques. What are the general admission requirements for international students at UC Berkeley?

Ans. Basic admission requirements at UC Berkeley for international students are

  • Official transcripts 
  • English Language Proficiency scores
  • Health Insurance
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • CV/ Resume
  • Work Experience
  • Standardized exam scores
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • Interview (By invitation)

Ques. Is the Master of Information and Data Science program delivered on campus as well as online?

Ans. The MIDS program is offered exclusively online, but students will be required to attend a three-to-four day in-person immersion at UC Berkeley prior to completing their degree.