Prospective freshman international students should read the information provided for all students on our website and in our Freshman Admission flyer
in addition to the special topics included below. Much of our admissions information is the same for foreign as well as for U.S. students.
Who is an International Applicant?
You are considered an international applicant if you need a visa in order to reside and study in the United States. If you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee or asylee, you will be considered a domestic applicant even if you currently reside outside the U.S.
Applying as a Freshman
You are a freshman applicant if you have completed secondary school and have not enrolled in a regular session at any college or university.
Academic Requirements:
To be considered for admission to UC Berkeley, international students must have completed secondary school and have earned a certificate of completion which enables the student to be admitted to a university in the home country.
Students from countries that require entry into military service upon completion of secondary education should not apply until that obligation has been met. UC Berkeley does not defer admission to a later term.
All freshman applicants are required to take the following tests:
Test Requirements:
The ACT Assessment plus the new ACT Writing Test or the new version of the SAT Reasoning Test with critical reading, mathematics and writing scores from the same sitting; and two SAT Subject Tests in two different subject areas:
−English (literature)
−History/social studies
−Mathematics (Level 2 only; Level 1 will no longer be accepted)
−Science
−Languages (other than English).
Applicants to the Colleges of Chemistry and Engineering are strongly encouraged to take the SAT Subject Test: Math Level 2 and a science test (Biology, Chemistry or Physics) that is closely related to the applicant’s intended major.
You must complete all tests no later than the December examination dates of the year in which you file your application. For information about the SAT, contact the College Board SAT Program, website www.collegeboard.com, e-mail sat@ets.org, or write to College Board SAT Program, P.O. Box 6212, Princeton, NJ 08541-6212-USA, phone: 609-771-7600
Language Requirements:
A proficiency in English will be critical to your success. UC Berkeley requires one of the following proficiency exams from all international students coming from non-English speaking countries:
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) −a score of 7 or higher on the academic module
or
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) −a score of 220 or higher on the computer-based exam or 550 on the paper-based exam
• Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) −a score of 83 or higher
Test results must be received in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions no later than January prior to the fall semester in which the student wishes to enroll. A bulletin containing information and an application form is available at most United States Consulates and Information Service Offices. If local information is not available, you may contact Educational Testing Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, USA. You may also call 609-771-7100, e-mail toefl@ets.org, or obtain information on-line at http://www.ets.org/toefl/.
Application Self-Report and Academic Records
Each UC campus has an International Admission Specialist who is familiar with the educational systems of other countries. You should fill out the educational history section of the application completely, and list the marks you received exactly as they were given by your school. See the Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships for further details. Please do not send your academic record unless it is requested.
Personal Statement
The Personal Statement is an important part of your application for admission and is required of all applicants. The University uses your statement to learn more about you as an individual—your talents, experiences, achievements and points of view. You may use the Personal Statement to discuss your recent interest and goals, significant experiences in your life, or unusual circumstances, challenges or hardships you have faced. Transfer students should discuss their interest in the intended major and how this interest in the field developed. See our Personal Statement flyer for further details.
Application Procedure and Notification
UC Berkeley accepts applications for the fall semester only. Applications are available from late September until late November for the following fall semester. Applications are available in paper format and on-line. For information on requesting an application or using the online application, see How to Apply.
The application filing period is November 1 through November 30 for the following fall semester. Applications must be postmarked or received by November 30. The application review and selection process begins in January. Freshman admission decisions are mailed (and posted on our website) in late March.
California Residency for Tuition Purposes
International students with F-1 visas cannot be classified as California residents for tuition purposes. Information for students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents is available at the Registrar website.
UC Berkeley does not defer admission to a later semester. If you choose not to enroll for the semester you are admitted to, you must re-apply for admission to a later fall semester. If you are from a country that requires military service upon the completion of secondary education, you should not apply until that obligation has been met.
Tuition, Fees, and F-1 Student Visa Information
Please consult our Berkeley brochure for complete budget costs. Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice.
All international students who are admitted will be required to complete a Non-immigrant Information Form (NIF) which requires a guarantee by the applicant's financial sponsor that sufficient funds will be available for the first year of study. Upon receipt of the completed NIF, Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) will issue the document required to apply for a student visa.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
In general, UC Berkeley does not have scholarships or financial aid available to entering undergraduate students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. International applicants are encouraged to explore scholarship opportunities from private sources.
Housing
The University offers a variety of housing choices, and guarantees one year of housing in the campus residence halls to new students admitted to the fall term who meet the housing application deadline. Housing information is sent to all applicants who are offered admission. The Housing and Dining Services Web site is http://www.housing.berkeley.edu.
Second Bachelor’s Degree Applicants
Applicants who have already earned a degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree are not accepted by the College of Letters and Science, the College of Environmental Design, the College of Natural Resources, or the Haas School of Business; and they are rarely accepted by the College of Engineering or the College of Chemistry. To be considered by the College of Engineering or the College of Chemistry, applicants who have a bachelor's degree must meet the lower division prerequisites for admission to these colleges.
Summer Session
Students who would like to have the experience of studying at Berkeley on a short term basis should consider attending Summer Session. Formal admission to the University is not required. The Summer Session offers five sessions between May and August. Inquiries should be directed to the Summer Session Office, 1995 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94720, or check their website.
How to Apply
UC Berkeley accepts applications for the fall semester only. The fall term begins in August.
The Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships is available on the Internet at the University of California Application website. The University of California admissions website includes comprehensive information for prospective UC students about undergraduate education and admission.
PDF (Portable Document Format) versions of the application form and application booklet are available on the Web at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply/. Follow the prompts to download and print the form and instructions. You may submit a form you have downloaded and printed.
The application filing period for is November 1-30. Applications must be postmarked or received by November 30. Paper applications should be sent to the address below:
University of California Undergraduate Application Processing Service
P.O. Box 4010
Concord, CA 94524-4010
USA
