When is the UC Berkeley application deadline?

For first-year applicants, the University of California system—including UC Berkeley—has the same application deadline for all its campuses. You can start submitting the UC application on October 1. The official submission window is open from November 1 to November 30, and the absolute final deadline is November 30 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

There is no separate deadline for Berkeley; you use the single UC application to apply to all UC schools.

A few things that students sometimes overlook in the UC application process: you can't submit anything after November 30, not even a minute past midnight, so don't wait until the last evening! Also, UC schools don’t use the Common Application, so make sure you’re completing your essays and activities within the UC application platform. On top of your main application, you'll have to answer the four Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), so double-check your responses for grammar, clarity, and uniqueness before submitting.

For majors requiring portfolios, like the College of Environmental Design (architecture, landscape architecture, etc.), be sure to check if there are any December supplemental deadlines.

Lastly, remember that UC Berkeley does not accept letters of recommendation or official transcripts as part of the initial application—those are only requested if you're admitted. But you do need to input all your classes and grades from high school manually, which can be tedious. Have your transcripts nearby to avoid mistakes.

In short, mark November 30 on your calendar and try to have everything fully reviewed a few days before that. This helps you avoid any last-minute technical issues or surprises. Celebrating after you hit that 'submit' button is always a good idea!