Is UC Berkeley a public or private university?

I'm starting to make my college list and I want to make sure I understand which schools are public and which are private. I've heard a lot about UC Berkeley, but I can't tell if it's considered a public or private institution.

I know that being public or private can make a difference in things like tuition, financial aid, and even admissions stats. Does UC Berkeley get most of its funding from the state, or is it run like a private school? Any clarification on how it works would help me out as I prep for application season.

If anyone can explain what the main differences are for students at public vs private schools like this, that would also be super helpful!
2 weeks ago
 • 
34 views
Kathy Jayanth
 • 2 weeks ago
Advisor
UC Berkeley is a public university. It’s officially known as the University of California, Berkeley, and is part of the University of California system, which includes other campuses like UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Davis. As a public institution, UC Berkeley gets a significant portion of its funding from the state of California, although tuition, grants, and research also play a role in its budget.

For students, one of the biggest differences between public and private universities often comes down to tuition and admissions. Public schools like UC Berkeley generally offer lower tuition rates for in-state residents. For example, California residents pay significantly less than out-of-state or international students at UC Berkeley. Private colleges typically charge the same tuition for all students, regardless of where they’re from, but sometimes have larger endowments that allow for more generous need-based financial aid.

In terms of campus life and resources, both public and private institutions can offer outstanding academic programs, research opportunities, and vibrant campus cultures. However, public universities are often larger and have a wider range of majors and clubs simply due to their size. For example, UC Berkeley has over 30,000 undergraduate students and hundreds of student organizations.

To summarize, UC Berkeley is a public university. This affects tuition, admissions competitiveness for in-state vs. out-of-state students, and sometimes the scale of resources and student life.

If you’re putting together your college list, it’s definitely worth considering how public and private schools differ in terms of cost, size, and culture. But plenty of students thrive at both!
Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
Experience
5 years