University of California--Berkeley is a public institution that was founded in 1868. It has a toal undergraduate enrollment of 27,126, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,232 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of California--Berkeley's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 20. Its in-state tuition and fees are $13,432 (2015-16); out-of-state tuition and fees are $38,140 (2015-16).
The University of California—Berkeley, often referred to as Cal, is situated overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Typically, 95 percent or more of incoming freshmen at Berkeley choose to live on campus. There are more than 1,000 student organizations, ranging from political groups to a hang gliding club and everything in between. Berkeley also has a thriving Greek life with dozens of fraternity and sorority chapters. The California Golden Bears, Berkeley’s athletic teams, compete in the Pac-12 Conference and are known for their traditional arch rivalry with Stanford University.
Berkeley has 14 schools and colleges, including a number of graduate and professional
schools, such as the School of Optometry and the Graduate School of Journalism. Other graduate programs offered include those in the highly ranked Haas School of Business, Graduate School of Education, College of Engineering and School of Law.
Berkeley is well known as a hub of liberal student activism: The Free Speech Movement – a 1964 student protest at Berkeley in response to the administration’s ban on political activity – gained widespread attention. Notable alumni include former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley and actor John Cho, known for his role in the "Harold and Kumar" films. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, who worked on the development of the atomic bomb as scientific director of the Manhattan Project during World War II, was a professor at Berkeley.
Applying
When applying to University of California--Berkeley, it's important to note the application deadline is November 30. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due December 31. The application fee at University of California--Berkeley is $70. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 16 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
Selectivity
most selective
Fall 2014 acceptance rate
16%
Application deadline
November 30
SAT/ACT scores must be received by
December 31
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at University of California--Berkeley is 17:1, and the school has 59 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at University of California--Berkeley include: Social Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Engineering; English Language and Literature/Letters; and Natural Resources and Conservation. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 96.8 percent.
Student Life
University of California--Berkeley has a total undergraduate enrollment of 27,126, with a gender distribution of 47.9 percent male students and 52.1 percent female students. At this school, 26 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 74 percent of students live off campus. University of California--Berkeley is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
General Information
School type
public, coed college
Year founded
1868
Religious affiliation
N/A
Academic calendar
semester
Setting
city
2014 Endowment
$3,730,882,000
