How to Get into University of California, Berkeley (UCB): Admission Requirements & Application Process

UCB attracts a large number of Indian students because of its academic prowess. The university is known for its research programs and its extremely low student-faculty ratio of just 19.4:1. UCB has produced one of the largest numbers of Nobel laureates, with 35 recipients. The US News & World Report named UCB the #1 public university worldwide, which only further proves the point.

The culture at UCB encourages students to be active in extracurricular activities as well. Students can become part of its 475+ community organisations with Berkeley student involvement. Moreover, the sports teams at UCB have won 135 national championships. The BAMFA Collection has over 18,000 films and videos and the UCB libraries are home to more than 13.8 million books! UCB truly provides a holistic experience for its students.

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To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1530 SAT or a 34 ACT. You should also have a 3.9 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score.

If you're a California resident, you must achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 in your 10th and 11th-grade classes. If you're a non-resident, the GPA requirement is higher at 3.4. However, you should aim for a higher GPA (closer to 3.8 to 4.0, unweighted) for a better chance of acceptance. 

Getting into your dream overseas university can be tough. The University of California, Berkeley has an acceptance rate of just 14%. This means that out of 100 applicants, only 14 get admission to this world-renowned university. Let’s see how you can apply to UCB for your postgraduate degree.

Eligibility criteria

Students who want to apply to UCB must fulfil the following criteria:

• A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a recognized university with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• A TOEFL score of at least 90 on the Internet-based test (IBT).
• An IELTS overall band score of at least 7 on a 9-point scale.
• At least 3 letters of recommendation (LORs)
• A statement of purpose (SOP) outlining your academic plans, research interests, and future career goals and a personal history statement describing how your background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree.

Admissions policy

When applying for admission to a graduate program at UCB, you can expect the following process:

• Choose your program of study from the list of programs.
• Know your deadlines and plan ahead for the process.
• Prepare and gather all the required documents.
• Register for an account on the applicant portal.
• Fill out the application form and submit the required documents.
• After due review, you will receive a confirmation email if you are selected, and you will be required to accept or reject the admission.

It might be difficult to get admission to the University of California, Berkeley, but it is definitely not impossible. Yocket has helped hundreds of students get into the top 50 universities in the USA, and it can help you too!

Sushil Rd got into UC Berkeley for an MEng in Computer Science with the help of Yocket. With a CGPA of 9.4 and a TOEFL score of 113, Sushil successfully gained an admit to his dream school. Check out his profile here.

To improve your chances of getting into Cambridge, we have curated a list of tips below:

Tip 1: Maintain an excellent academic record:

This goes without saying since UCB only accepts applications from students with at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. For your standardised tests, you must rank within the top 25 percentile of test-takers. Your transcripts and certificates must reflect your academic prowess.

Tip 2: Prepare your documents well in advance: 

Preparing documents for your application cannot be undermined. This takes considerable time and effort. Plan out your references and personal statements carefully and ensure that you have time to review and revise them

Tip 3: Maintain a holistic profile: 

Apart from your academics, UCB places extreme importance on your holistic profile. As is evident from the statistics, UCB values its culture of ensuring students remain active outside of the classroom as well. So to impress the admissions committee, complete your profile with extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and soft skills.

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As an Indian student applying to a US university, you can face the following challenges:

• Indian students may be at a disadvantage due to limited research options in Indian institutions when compared to their international counterparts.
• For non-native English speakers, creating a compelling but brief statement of purpose and personal history statement might be challenging.
• Another challenge is getting solid reference letters from academics who are not familiar with international research norms.
• Completing necessary paperwork and managing the application process remotely can introduce additional challenges.
• UCB can put a substantial financial strain on students due to its expensive tuition fees, living costs, and travel expenses, particularly in light of the volatile currency rates. It can be difficult to get financial help or scholarships, which could prevent some worthy students from enrolling.

By gauging these challenges and preparing to overcome them, Indian students can greatly increase their chances of getting into the coveted University of California, Berkeley. To know more about how to do this, book a free consultation call with a Yocket expert today!

For international students, the application fee is USD 155 (INR 12,846). For graduate students enrolled in academic subjects, the tuition fee is USD 18,511.75 (INR 15,34,291) per semester. For graduate students enrolled in professional courses, the tuition fee can go up to USD 44,214.25 (INR 36,64,567) per semester. 

The average cost of living on campus is USD 16,584 (INR 13,74,515), while the average cost of living off campus is USD 17,152 (INR 14,21,592).

However, these figures greatly depend on the course and college you choose, as well as the type of lifestyle you lead. However, financial aid is available in the form of scholarships if you are worried that the expenses are too high.

Scholarships are provided by both governments and the university to ease the financial burden on students. Indian students are eligible for the following scholarships if they want to pursue their higher studies at UCB. 

The University of California, Berkeley, offers more than 200 postgraduate courses to choose from, which fall under its 184 departments. These departments have their own sets of deadlines, which you can find out more about on the official page. However, given below is the general timeline for applications:

• October 1st: application portal opens for fall semester enrollment.
• November 30th: Deadline to submit applications, transcripts, and other required documents (including letters of recommendation for some programs).
• December - February: The review process takes place.
• March: Admission decisions are released.
• April 15th: Deadline to accept or decline offer (may vary slightly depending on program).

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The University of California, Berkeley is one of the most respected institutions in the world, standing tall since its inception in 1868. UCB offers some of the most diverse courses to its students across multiple departments. Choosing the right one is necessary to ensure a successful career. UCB empowers Indian students to delve into an independent, vibrant life full of opportunities.

If you aspire to pursue your higher education at the University of California, Berkeley, you may want the best consultants to help you with your visa and admission processes. Don’t worry, Yocket experts can help you with end-to-end, tech-enabled services. Explore Yocket Premium now!