How many students get accepted to UC Berkeley each year?
I'm a junior trying to make my college list, and UC Berkeley is definitely one of my top choices. I know it's super competitive, especially for out-of-state applicants like me, but I'm still interested because of its strong science programs.
I keep hearing different numbers for how many students get in each year, but I'm not sure what's accurate. Does anybody know how many freshman applicants are usually accepted into UC Berkeley each year? Also, is the acceptance number very different for in-state vs. out-of-state students?
I’m looking for general recent stats because I want to get a sense of what my chances might be. Any info or personal insight on this would be really helpful!
I keep hearing different numbers for how many students get in each year, but I'm not sure what's accurate. Does anybody know how many freshman applicants are usually accepted into UC Berkeley each year? Also, is the acceptance number very different for in-state vs. out-of-state students?
I’m looking for general recent stats because I want to get a sense of what my chances might be. Any info or personal insight on this would be really helpful!
2 weeks ago
•
21 views
Kathy Jayanth
• 2 weeks ago
Advisor
UC Berkeley is definitely a top choice for many students because of its academics and reputation. In terms of numbers, for the most recent admission cycle (fall 2023), UC Berkeley received about 128,000 freshman applications and offered admission to roughly 15,800 students. That puts the overall acceptance rate at around 12%.
However, those numbers break down pretty differently depending on your residency. California residents typically see a higher acceptance rate compared to out-of-state and international students. For example, the in-state acceptance rate is typically in the 14-15% range, while out-of-state applicants usually see rates closer to 8-9%. So yes, there's a noticeable difference, but strong applicants from out-of-state are still admitted every year.
If you're interested in a competitive major within the sciences (like computer science or engineering), keep in mind that some of those programs have even lower acceptance rates than the university average. For example, the College of Engineering is especially selective—admission there is closer to 7-8%.
Here's an example: last year, a friend of mine from New York was accepted as a chemistry major. He had strong grades, top test scores, and some unique research experience from a summer internship, which helped him stand out as an out-of-state applicant. The key takeaway from his experience was that showing academic passion and unique extracurriculars that connect to your major really helped.
If you're thinking seriously about applying, look closely at the major-specific data and try to showcase what makes your science interests distinct. The UC admissions website also publishes official annual admission statistics if you want the most recent numbers broken down by major, residency, and other factors. Hope this helps you shape your list!
However, those numbers break down pretty differently depending on your residency. California residents typically see a higher acceptance rate compared to out-of-state and international students. For example, the in-state acceptance rate is typically in the 14-15% range, while out-of-state applicants usually see rates closer to 8-9%. So yes, there's a noticeable difference, but strong applicants from out-of-state are still admitted every year.
If you're interested in a competitive major within the sciences (like computer science or engineering), keep in mind that some of those programs have even lower acceptance rates than the university average. For example, the College of Engineering is especially selective—admission there is closer to 7-8%.
Here's an example: last year, a friend of mine from New York was accepted as a chemistry major. He had strong grades, top test scores, and some unique research experience from a summer internship, which helped him stand out as an out-of-state applicant. The key takeaway from his experience was that showing academic passion and unique extracurriculars that connect to your major really helped.
If you're thinking seriously about applying, look closely at the major-specific data and try to showcase what makes your science interests distinct. The UC admissions website also publishes official annual admission statistics if you want the most recent numbers broken down by major, residency, and other factors. Hope this helps you shape your list!
Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
Experience
5 years