University of California, Berkeley

Yes — UC Berkeley is highly selective, admitting about 11% of applicants in the most recent cycle. Roughly 127,000 students applied, around 14,524 were admitted, and about 6,687 enrolled as first-years. Because Berkeley is test-free, the rigor of your coursework and your academic GPA carry the most weight in a holistic review.

Out-of-state applicants face steeper odds than California residents. In Fall 2025, domestic non-residents were admitted at 10.3% (3,117 admitted out of 30,172 who applied), compared to 13.6% for California residents (9,852 out of 72,685). International applicants had the lowest rate at 5.8% (1,391 out of 23,973). State residency is listed as a considered factor, and about 14% of Berkeley's domestic undergraduates come from outside California.

Admitted first-year students at UC Berkeley report an average high school GPA of about 3.9 on a 4.0 scale. There is no published hard cutoff, but because Berkeley does not use test scores, your academic GPA and the rigor of your high school record — both rated very important — are the strongest signals in your file.

No. Like all University of California campuses, Berkeley is test-blind and does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them. UC removed the SAT and ACT from its review entirely, so your application is read without those scores and your coursework and GPA carry the weight instead.

Annual tuition and required fees run about $18,466 for California residents and $57,736 for out-of-state and international students. On-campus food and housing add roughly $25,962. About 40% of first-years receive need-based aid, with an average package near $39,656, and Berkeley meets about 88% of demonstrated need.

Yes — the application essay is rated very important at UC Berkeley, on par with academic GPA and the rigor of your course load. Since Berkeley is test-free and does not look at SAT or ACT scores, your Personal Insight responses are one of the few places to set yourself apart, making a specific, well-revised essay especially valuable.

Esslo gives free line-by-line feedback on your draft. Try it now

Computer and information sciences are the single most popular field at about 19% of bachelor's degrees, ahead of the sciences at roughly 17% and the social sciences at 16%. Engineering accounts for about 10%, reflecting Berkeley's strength across both its College of Letters & Science and College of Engineering.

No. UC Berkeley offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action — there is no binding or restrictive early round. All applicants apply in a single regular cycle through the UC application, so there is no early-admission path that improves your odds.