College Profiles/ University of California, Berkeley
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
University of California, Berkeley Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Berkeley, CA · 33,513 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to University of California, Berkeley for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
University of California, Berkeley admitted 11.4% of 126,864 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] The 2026-27 cost of attendance is $54,674 for in-state students and $93,944 out of state.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $36,226.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Regular Decision Nov 30.[3]
11.4%
Overall admit rate[1]
$93,944
Out-of-state cost, 2026-27[2]
$36,226
Average need-based grant[1]
93.7%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
University of California, Berkeley at a Glance
- Location
- Berkeley, CA
- Type
- Public
- Student to faculty ratio
- 18:1[1]
- Endowment
- $3.2 billion (federal data)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Blind/Free (UC does not consider SAT/ACT)[3]
- Application
- UC Application[3]
- First-year retention
- 97.0%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on University of California, Berkeley
The ConnectPrep take
Berkeley weighs academic and non-academic factors with no pre-assigned weights and warns that meeting minimum requirements is often not enough to be competitive. Its Common Data Set rates activities, character, volunteer work, and work experience as important, so what your student does outside class matters. There is no early round, and UC does not consider SAT or ACT scores, which puts the weight on the transcript, the activities, and the choice of college and major on the UC application. Some programs, including M.E.T., are open only to first-year applicants. The admit rate is 11.4% on 126,864 applicants, and the waitlist offers little cushion: 9,102 students were offered a spot and 0 were admitted from it. The mistake we see is an M.E.T. applicant missing the separate written and video essays due Dec 14.
What to do this fall
- File the UC application by Nov 30, then watch for the mandatory forms due Jan 31.
- Choose the college and major deliberately; some programs are open only to first-year applicants.
- M.E.T. applicants must complete the written and video essays in the MAP@Berkeley portal by Dec 14.
- Describe work experience and volunteer work fully, since Berkeley's data rates both as important.
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University of California, Berkeley Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
126,864 |
14,524 |
11.4% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 46.0%.[1]
- 9,102 students were offered a waitlist spot, 6,479 accepted one, and 0 were admitted from it.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| Average high school GPA[1] |
3.9 |
What University of California, Berkeley looks for
In its own words: Berkeley uses a holistic review in which readers weigh academic and non-academic factors with no pre-assigned weights, and notes that meeting minimum requirements is often not enough to be competitive.[5]
University of California, Berkeley Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Regular Decision |
Nov 30 |
end of Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from University of California, Berkeley’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Berkeley M.E.T. (Management, Entrepreneurship and Technology) |
Dec 14 |
After submitting the UC application, M.E.T. applicants must complete a written essay and a video essay in the MAP@Berkeley portal by Dec 14, 2026, or they are not considered for M.E.T.[6] |
See how University of California, Berkeley compares with other colleges in the West deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
University of California, Berkeley Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance, in-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$54,674 |
| Cost of attendance, out-of-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$93,944 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
41.8% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$36,226 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$39,656 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
88.4% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
233 students, average $16,030 |
New California resident living in a campus residence hall: tuition and fees $18,214, housing $16,640, meal plan $7,000, health insurance $5,066, plus personal expenses $7,754. Nonresidents add Nonresident Supplemental Tuition of $39,270.[2]
- Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan (UC-wide): most California families earning up to $100,000 receive enough grant and scholarship aid to cover UC tuition.[7]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year in-state students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[4]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$5,311 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$6,501 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$9,693 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$15,074 |
| Over $110,000 |
$34,529 |
| All aided students |
$13,481 |
Academics and Majors at University of California, Berkeley
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Computer and information sciences19%
- Social sciences16%
- Engineering10%
- Biological/life sciences9%
- Interdisciplinary studies5%
Signature programs
College of Computing, Data Science, and Society
Berkeley's newest college, one of six undergraduate colleges applicants choose among.[8]
Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (M.E.T.) program
Dual-degree engineering and business program available only to first-year applicants.[8]
Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship Program
Biology plus business dual-degree program open only to first-year applicants.[8]
Global Management Program (Haas)
First-year-only business program in the Haas School of Business with a global focus.[8]
Choosing a major and getting in
Berkeley is divided into six colleges (Letters and Science; Computing, Data Science, and Society; Chemistry; Engineering; Environmental Design; Rausser College of Natural Resources) and one school (Haas School of Business); applicants select a major/college on the UC application. Some programs (several Undeclared options, M.E.T., Robinson Life Science Business and Entrepreneurship, Global Management) are open only to first-year applicants, and Berkeley publishes a separate policy on high-demand majors for first-year applicants.[8]
Special admission paths
- No Early Decision or Early Action (Common Data Set C21/C22: No).
- First-year-only dual programs: M.E.T., Robinson Life Science Business and Entrepreneurship, Global Management.
- Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan for California families up to $100,000.
University of California, Berkeley Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
97.0% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
81.3% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
93.7% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[4] |
$92,446 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[4] |
$13,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[4] |
29% |
Make University of California, Berkeley a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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University of California, Berkeley FAQs
What is the University of California, Berkeley acceptance rate?
University of California, Berkeley admitted 11.4% of first-year applicants (14,524 of 126,864), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
When are the University of California, Berkeley application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Regular Decision Nov 30.
How much does University of California, Berkeley cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $54,674 for in-state students and $93,944 for out-of-state students. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $36,226.
Does Berkeley have early action?
No. Berkeley offers no Early Decision or Early Action, and the UC application has one deadline, Nov 30. The waitlist offers little cushion: in the latest Common Data Set, 9,102 students were offered a waitlist spot and 0 were admitted from it. We tell families to treat the regular decision as the decision.
Does Berkeley give merit scholarships?
All applicants are automatically considered for the Regents' and Chancellor's Scholarship, with no separate application, and faculty interviews take place in early March. California families earning up to $100,000 can usually have UC tuition covered through the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan. On average, Berkeley met 88.4% of need for aided students.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of California, Berkeley. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
