Founded at the beginning of California’s famous Gold Rush in 1868, the University of California – Berkeley was the center of social and economic growth and groundbreaking medical research. As the university with the largest number of graduate programs according to a National Research Council analysis, UC Berkeley is well-known for being ranked amongst the most prestigious universities in the world.
Mission/Vision
Since Berkeley is one out of several campuses in the University of California system, there is a single mission statement for all campuses under the University of California system: “The distinctive mission of the University is to serve society as a center of higher learning, providing long-term societal benefits through transmitting advanced knowledge, discovering new knowledge, and functioning as an active working repository of organized knowledge. That obligation, more specifically, includes undergraduate education, graduate and professional education, research, and other kinds of public service, which are shaped and bounded by the central pervasive mission of discovering and advancing knowledge.”
Campus Setting
Students who would like to stay on campus or off campus in housing areas near Berkeley have to fill out an application for housing on UC Berkeley’s campus. There are different halls that students can choose from and different rates that correspond to each hall that a student wishes to stay in. UC Berkeley has twenty off-campus sites through its Berkeley Student Cooperative program that provides students with housing options at affordable costs. UC Berkeley also has a housing program for international students known as I-House, which is a housing area that encourage cultural interaction and appreciation.
Academics
With 14 academic colleges and schools along with nearly 350 academic programs, UC Berkeley has a wide selection of majors students can choose from. UC Berkeley is well-known for attracting students who desire to major in engineering, sciences and business. Offering numerous top-ranking graduate programs, UC Berkeley’s graduate program allows undergraduate students to further their education.
Athletics
UC Berkeley is famous for its football team: the California Golden Bears. The university also offers many other athletic programs, such as tennis, softball and archery, and has a wide variety of athletic areas, from the four gymnasiums to the martial arts room. Sports teams for women, men and co-ed are offered at UC Berkeley as well. Intramural indoor and outdoor sports are also available for students at UC Berkeley.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at UC Berkeley varies depending on what program students would like to enroll in and what type of student is applying. For new undergraduate and graduate students, in-state tuition is very affordable while tuition is average for out-of-state students. Financial aid and scholarships are available for prospective Berkeley students who are qualified. Please refer to UC Berkeley’s website for the most up-to-date tuition and financial aid information.
Accreditation
UC Berkeley is an accredited institution by WASC, also known as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Admissions
Online application is available for prospective, undergraduate students, and there are different application processes for residential and non-residential students. Non-residential student requirements are similar to residential student requirements; however, non-residential students need at least a grade point average of 3.4 and no grade less than a C in college-preparatory classes. Transcripts and letter of recommendations are not needed as part of the non-residential student application. If you would like more information on undergraduate admissions at Berkeley, you can visit the site for undergraduate admissions.
Graduate, transfer and re-entry students can also apply at Berkeley’s application site.
