Glowbal
Back to university search

University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

#12 QS World Ranking#8 THE RankingUnited StatesPublic
  • QS ranking#12
  • Acceptance rate11%
  • Typical GPA3.89 median GPA
  • Tuition / year$44,066

Overview

About University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

Best public university globally; Silicon Valley feeder; #1 public school for STEM; Haas is top public business school; Cal culture of activism

  • International environmentExtremely diverse; 15%+ intl UG; very large campus (~45,000 students)
  • Teaching styleLecture-heavy (large classes); research-heavy at grad level; discussion sections

Academics

Subjects and fit

Strongest subjects

  • Engineering (EECS)
  • Computer Science
  • Business (Haas)
  • Economics
  • Chemistry
  • Political Science
  • Law (Boalt)

Best for

  • CS/engineering
  • business
  • social science students; those who want great value at world-class school

Getting in

Admission requirements

  • GPA: 3.89 median GPA (admitted); highly competitive
  • TOEFL 80+ / IELTS 6.5+
  • No SAT/ACT for CA residents; international students typically submit scores
  • Difficulty: Competitive (public)
  • Acceptance rate: 11% overall; 8% OOS; lower for EECS (~3%)
  • Deadline: UG: Nov 30 | Haas MBA: Jan/Apr | Law: Feb

On campus

Campus and location

Limited guarantee; Y1 priority; off-campus housing in Berkeley very expensive

Money

Costs and scholarships

  • Tuition (USD)44,066 (OOS/intl); 15,000 (in-state)
  • Living cost (USD)22,000–28,000
  • ScholarshipsBlue & Gold Scholarship (in-state); limited merit for OOS/intl; Graduate Fellowships

  • Doctoral Funding Packages at University of California, Berkeley 2026 (Fully Funded)

    other

    Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Tiến sĩ, mọi quốc tịch.

    United StatesThe great news is that there is no specific deadline to apply for Doctoral Funding Packages! While there is no fixed deadline to apply, you do need to apply for Ph.D. admissions at University of California, Berkeley . Ph.D. admissions timelines can differ by department or project—please check your department’s page for specifics.
    Official link
See all scholarships

After graduation

Careers and outcomes

  • Industry connectionsGoogle, Apple, Meta, Stripe, Uber, Netflix; tech giants and startups; Goldman Sachs (via Haas)
  • InternshipsStrong research via URAP; Haas Berkeley Haas Business School internship network
  • EmployabilityTop 5 globally for employer reputation in tech/engineering; Haas MBA well-regarded

The honest view

Why students choose University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

  • Blue & Gold Scholarship (in-state); limited merit for OOS/intl; Graduate Fellowships
  • Employability: Top 5 globally for employer reputation in tech/engineering; Haas MBA well-regarded

Worth knowing

Large class sizes (200+ in intro EECS); competitive & stressful atmosphere; housing crisis in Berkeley

GlowBal's insider note

UNRESOLVED_SOURCE_CLAIM: Berkeley is world's best public university by most rankings. INSIGHT: EECS is most competitive program (admits ~5% of applicants). Berkeley has produced more startup unicorn founders than most countries.

Ask a human

Talk to someone who studied here

Book a 1-1 session with a current student or alumnus for honest advice about your application and life on campus.

Find an advisor