How to Get Into UC Berkeley: Admissions Data and Strategies
October 30, 2025
The University of California – Berkeley鈥檚 reputation as a haven for young liberals grew in the 1960s as it became the epicenter of protests over the Vietnam War and, in many ways, the very center of the counterculture movement itself. By the 1970s, Berkeley had a reputation for strong academics, but it was by no means an exclusive institution鈥攖wo-thirds of applicants were still accepted by the time the ’80s rolled around. In the early Reagan years, the University of California campus received just under 10,000 applications per year.
Fast-forward to 2024, when Berkeley received over 126,000 freshman applications and their acceptance rate stands at about 11%. Those who are accepted sport 鈥淎鈥 averages and have a host of impressive extracurriculars. Berkeley still has large protests (they made headlines every few years), but in order to join them, you鈥檒l have to survive a brutal admissions gauntlet. To help you, 国产第一福利影院草草 is happy to provide you with:
- Berkeley鈥檚 Class of 2028 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator
- GPA and class rank of accepted Berkeley applicant
- Admissions trend
- The demographics of current Berkeley undergraduate
- Berkeley鈥檚 yield rate
- How Berkeley鈥檚 admissions officers evaluate candidates
- Tips for applying to UC Berkeley
- How to approach the UC Personal Insight essays
- How to assess whether applying to Berkeley is even worth the $80 application fee (for you)
UC Berkeley – Admissions Calculator
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Many students applying to Berkeley may also find the following blogs to be of interest:
How to Get Into…
Let鈥檚 begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.
UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate 鈥 Class of 2029
Berkeley鈥檚 11% acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was one of the lowest ever. Of the 126,836 Golden Bear hopefuls, only 14,451 were admitted. For context, let鈥檚 see how this acceptance rate compares to previous admission cycles:
| Applicants | Admits | Acceptance Rate | |
| Class of 2028 | 124,254 | 13,714 | 11% |
| Class of 2027 | 119,894 | 13,950 | 11% |
| Class of 2026 | 128,226 | 15,852 | 11% |
Berkeley Admissions 鈥 GPA and Class Rank
The University of California System has adopted a test-blind policy beginning with those applying in the fall 2021 cycle and extending through at least 2026.聽 As such, performance inside the classroom takes center stage. Freshmen in 2024-25 had an average unweighted GPA of 3.9 and the deian weighted GPA of 4.15-4.29. Historically, well over 90% of entering freshmen place in the top decile of their high school class. Clearly, most incoming Golden Bears achieved straight A鈥檚 in high school.
Admissions Trends & Notes
- University of California schools will continue to operate on a test-blind policy in 2025-26.
- Berkeley’s number of applications rose from 119,894 last year to 126,836 for the Class of 2028, a 5% increase in applications.
- A recent may lead to Berkeley having to drastically reduce their number of acceptances.
- Lastly, the number of offers of admission to African American, Latinx, and Native American students has held steady in recent years.
Who Gets Into Berkeley?
Let鈥檚 look at the demographics of Berkeley undergraduates:
For the enrolled Class of 2028, most Berkeley students hailed from the Golden State:
- California residents: 84%
- Domestic nonresidents: 10%
- International nonresidents: 6%
Examining the country of origin for international students, China leads the way, followed by India, South Korea, Canada, and Taiwan.
Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the admitted Class of 2028 is:
- African American: 5%
- American Indian: 1%
- White: 18%
- Asian: 30%
- Chicano/Latinx: 28%
The breakdown by gender in the Class of 2028 shows significantly more women than men:
- Male: 43%
- Female: 56%
The Class of 2028 included the following:
- California Public School Students: 71%
- California Private School: 12%
- Non-CA (Domestic): 10%
- International: 7%
Yield Rate
Berkeley鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted was just over 45%. To compare this school to other elite public institutions, UT-Austin has a 46% yield, UNC-Chapel Hill sports a similar 44%, and UGA also comes in at 41%.
How Berkeley Rates Applicants
There are only three factors that Berkeley ranks as being 鈥渧ery important鈥 to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, GPA, and application essays. Factors rated as 鈥渋mportant鈥 are: extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, volunteer experience, and work experience. 鈥淐onsidered鈥 factors are: test scores (subject tests only), recommendations, talent/ability, first-generation status, and state residency.
Berkeley, along with all other University of California campuses, dropped all standardized requirements starting with the Class of 2025 (those applying in the 2020-21 admissions cycle). This makes the already holistic review process at Berkeley even more so. According to the admissions committee, the university is looking for students who 鈥渨ill contribute to Berkeley鈥檚 intellectual and cultural community and, ultimately, to the State of California, the nation, and the world.鈥
It can also greatly improve an applicant鈥檚 odds if they possess an exceptional skill in a given area, whether that is in the realm of music, research, leadership, or athletics. One recent incoming class of freshmen included:
- 100+ students who had performed at Carnegie Hall.
- 170 students who had participated in the Science Olympiad
- 50 Eagle Scouts
- 50 Girl Scout Gold Award winners
Tips for Applying to Berkeley
If you plan on joining the 126,000+ Golden Bear hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- While a 鈥渉olistic鈥 process, Berkeley does not offer interviews of any kind, in-person or alumni.
- Berkeley does not consider 鈥demonstrated interest鈥 so it is not essential to take multiple steps in the name of establishing yourself as a serious and committed applicant. However, it still never hurts to make contact with the admissions office, connect through social media, and/or visit campus or meet Berkeley reps at college fairs near you. If nothing else, this will still help you learn more about whether the university is the perfect home for you.
- As mentioned previously, UC-Berkeley, along with all other UC campuses are now test-blind.
- Lastly, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essays required by Berkeley:
Personal Insight Prompts
1) Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
2) Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.聽
3) What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?聽
4) Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
5) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
6) Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
7) What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?聽
8) Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?
As the UC-Berkeley admissions committee states, 鈥淎ll questions are equal鈥 and 鈥渁ll are given equal consideration in the application review process.鈥 For more, read our blog: How to Master the UC Personal Insight Essays.
Should I Apply to Berkeley?
Getting into UC-Berkeley has never been more of a challenging endeavor, particularly for out-of-state and international students. Even in-state applicants need to have pristine academic transcripts with no more than one or two blemishes. Berkeley is a wonderful school with a great number of extremely strong academic programs possessing global reputations. Of course, 86-89% of applicants will ultimately be turned away. As such, all students need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥 and 鈥渟afety鈥 schools. You鈥檒l definitely want to do this in collaboration with an admissions professional (including your own high school counselor).
Ready to start working on your applications? Consider checking out the following:
- Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
- What is Demonstrated Interest?
- Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
- College Fair Advice for High School Students
- How to Complete the Common App Activities List
- Common App Essay Prompts
- 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas
