UC Berkeley: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.

The University of California Berkeley is a large public university with an acceptance rate of 16.8%. This makes the school one of the most selective public institutions in the country. Considering applying to UC Berkley? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Why UC Berkeley?

• Location: Berkeley, California
• Campus Features: Berkeley's attractive 1,232-acre campus occupies enviable real estate in the San Francisco Bay area. Iconic Sather Tower dominates the skyline of the main campus, and other features include an ecological reserve and botanical garden.
• Student/Faculty Ratio: 19:1
• Athletics: The California Golden Bears compete in the NCAA Division I Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12).
• Highlights: For its many strengths, Berkeley often ranks near the top of the nation's best public universities. It is also one of the nation's top engineering schools and top business schools.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, UC Berkeley had an acceptance rate of 16.8%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 16 students were accepted, making UC Berkley's admissions process highly competitive.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to UC Berkeley. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

University of California, Berkeley, which accepts fewer than 20% of applicants, has a highly selective admissions process with above average grades and standardized test scores. However, Berkeley, like all of the University of California schools, has holistic admissions and is test-optional, so the admissions officers are evaluating students on more than numerical data. As part of the application, students are required to write four short personal insight essays. Since UC Berkeley is a part of the University of California system, students can easily apply to multiple schools in that system with one application. Students who show special talent or have a compelling story to tell will often get a close look even if their grades and test scores are a bit below the norm. Impressive extracurricular activities and strong essays are all important parts of a successful application to Berkeley.

Keep in mind that California residents who apply must have a GPA of 3.0 or better with no grade lower than a C in 15 college preparatory "a-g" courses. For non-residents, your GPA must be 3.4 or better. Local students from participating high schools may also qualify if they are in the top 9% of their class.

Most important for admission to UC Berkeley is your academic performance, but Berkeley is looking at much more than your grades. The university wants to see grades that are trending upwards (or at least not downwards) as well as successful completion of challenging college preparatory classes such as AB, IB, and Honors. The university wants to admit students who show passion for learning and who have pushed themselves in high school.

The graph reveals that high scores and a high GPA are no guarantee of admission—some students with excellent scores do not get in. There is quite a bit of red (rejected students) hidden behind the blue and green (admitted students) in the top of the graph. When applying to Berkeley, you'll be safest if you consider it a reach school even if your grades and SAT/ACT scores are on target for admission.