What Is UC Berkeley’s Acceptance Rate for the Class of 2030?
Berkeley has not yet released complete Class of 2030 data. For the Class of 2029, Berkeley admitted 14,502 students from 126,843 applicants, an 11.43% rate. The Class of 2028 was 10.98% (13,639 from 124,242). Berkeley’s rate has dropped from 17.11% (Class of 2021) to approximately 11%, driven by a 51% surge in applications since the UC system eliminated standardized testing requirements. For context, see our Top 25 admissions statistics.
| Class | Applications | Admitted | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2030 | TBD (~128,000 est.) | TBD | ~10-11% (est.) |
| Class of 2029 | 126,843 | 14,502 | 11.43% |
| Class of 2028 | 124,242 | 13,639 | 10.98% |
| Class of 2026 | 128,210 | ~14,600 | ~11.4% |
| Class of 2021 | 85,045 | 14,536 | 17.11% |
Source: UC Berkeley CDS, UC Fall Admissions Summary, 2017-2026.
How Hard Is UC Berkeley for Out-of-State Students?
According to admissions data analysis, the out-of-state acceptance rate at Berkeley is approximately 7-8%, significantly lower than the 11.43% overall rate. In-state (California) applicants see approximately 14-15%. This gap exists because the UC system prioritizes California residents as part of its public mission, though Berkeley does not have the formal two-thirds mandate that UVA has. For NJ, NY, and CT families, Berkeley is a reach school comparable in selectivity to Georgia Tech (9% OOS) and UCLA (~7-8% OOS).
| Residency | Rate (est.) | Comparable To |
|---|---|---|
| California Residents | ~14-15% | 2x advantage over OOS |
| Out-of-State | ~7-8% | Similar to UCLA OOS, Georgia Tech OOS |
| International | ~6-7% | Most competitive pool |
Source: UC Berkeley CDS, institutional data, 2024-2025.
Is Berkeley’s EECS Program Harder Than the University Overall?
Dramatically harder. According to Berkeley’s admissions data, the EECS (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) program within the College of Engineering admits under 5% of applicants, making it one of the most selective CS programs in the country alongside CMU SCS (<5%) and MIT (4.6%). By contrast, the College of Letters & Science (which includes the separate CS major through L&S) has a higher acceptance rate of approximately 13-15%. This creates a critical strategic decision for CS applicants: apply to EECS (direct admit, under 5%) or L&S Computer Science (higher entry rate, same CS degree). For the full CS comparison, see our Best Colleges for CS guide.
Does Berkeley Have Early Decision or Early Action?
No. Like all UC schools, Berkeley uses a single application cycle through the UC Application (November 1-30 filing window, March decisions). There is no early round, which means every applicant competes in the same pool with no ED/EA advantage. This is a key difference from private peers where ED can 2-3x your odds. For early strategy at private schools, see our ED vs RD guide.
Is Berkeley Test-Blind?
Yes. The entire UC system has been test-blind since 2020, meaning SAT and ACT scores are not reviewed even if submitted. However, according to recent reports, there are policy discussions about potentially reintroducing standardized testing at Berkeley and UCLA as early as 2027. For the Class of 2030, Berkeley remains test-blind. The average admitted GPA is approximately 3.9+ unweighted. For testing strategy at non-UC schools, see our test strategy guide.
How Does Berkeley Compare to Other Top Schools?
| School | OOS Rate | Test Policy | ED Available? |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | ~7-8% | Test-blind | No |
| UCLA | ~7-8% | Test-blind | No |
| Georgia Tech | 9% | Test-optional | No (EA only) |
| UVA | 10% | Test-optional | Yes (24%) |
| MIT | 4.6% | Required | Non-restrictive EA |
Source: Institutional data, CDS, 2024-2026.
What Are Your Chances on Berkeley’s Waitlist?
As reported by Berkeley’s CDS, Berkeley’s waitlist is moderately active. Unlike UCLA (which does not accept LOCIs), Berkeley allows waitlisted students to submit an update. However, the UC system’s massive scale means waitlist outcomes are largely driven by yield patterns rather than individual advocacy. For waitlist strategy at private schools where LOCIs matter more, see our LOCI guide and waitlist rates comparison.
Final Thoughts: Berkeley Admissions in 2026
UC Berkeley receives 127,000+ applications and admits approximately 11%. For out-of-state families, the ~7-8% rate makes it one of the most selective public universities in the country. EECS (<5%) is in the same tier as MIT and CMU SCS. With no early round advantage and a test-blind policy, your GPA, personal insight questions, and extracurricular depth are everything. At Oriel Admissions, our team of former admissions officers from Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia has helped students earn acceptances to Berkeley and other top universities. Schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help. For related guides, see our best engineering programs and best CS programs. For essay strategy, see our essay guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
L&S Computer Science is a legitimate and strategic alternative. The CS major through L&S covers the same core curriculum as EECS and leads to the same tech career outcomes. L&S admits at approximately 8-10%, which is meaningfully higher than EECS at under 5%. The tradeoff: EECS is a direct-admit program (guaranteed CS from day one), while L&S CS requires declaring the major after completing prerequisite courses with competitive grades. If your child’s primary interest is software engineering rather than electrical engineering, L&S CS gives better odds with equivalent career preparation.
Berkeley’s OOS tuition ($46,000) plus room and board ($20,000+) approaches private school sticker prices, but without the institutional financial aid that private schools offer. For OOS families, Berkeley’s value proposition depends on the specific program. For EECS and CS, Berkeley is worth the premium – these programs compete directly with Stanford and MIT in industry placement. For less differentiated programs, a private school with potential merit or need-based aid may offer better value. Run the net price calculator for private alternatives and compare the actual cost, not sticker prices.
GPA is the dominant academic metric under test-blind admissions. Berkeley uses a UC-weighted GPA that adds one point for each approved honors or AP course (up to eight semesters). This means a student with a 3.8 UW GPA and 8 AP/honors courses could have a UC-weighted GPA of 4.4+. The UC-weighted GPA captures both rigor and performance in a single number. Beyond GPA, the four Personal Insight Questions carry enormous weight – they are the primary tool for differentiation when thousands of applicants have similar GPAs. In a test-blind environment, the PIQs are arguably more important than at any other top school.
A 4.3 UC-weighted GPA is competitive for most Berkeley programs. For L&S and non-impacted majors, a 4.3 with strong PIQs makes Berkeley a reasonable target. For EECS, Data Science, or CS through L&S, a 4.3 is on the lower end of competitive – these programs attract applicants with 4.5+ UC-weighted GPAs. The 14-15% in-state rate is an average across all programs and applicant profiles. Your child’s program-specific rate may be significantly lower. California in-state applicants benefit from the two-thirds enrollment mandate, but the absolute number of California applicants is enormous.
Apply to both. The UC Application covers all nine UC campuses with one submission and one set of PIQs. Each campus evaluates independently – applying to UCLA does not affect your Berkeley review. Strong applicants typically apply to 4-6 UC campuses. The per-campus fee is approximately $80. There is no strategic reason to limit UC applications unless your school list is already overloaded with non-UC applications.
The differences are meaningful. Berkeley’s culture is more academically intense, politically active, and research-focused. UCLA’s culture is more socially balanced, with stronger athletics (the most successful NCAA program in history), a larger campus, and Westwood’s proximity to entertainment and corporate industries. For STEM and engineering, Berkeley has a slight edge in research output and industry connections. For pre-med, UCLA’s proximity to the Ronald Reagan Medical Center is an advantage. For business careers, both place well but in different ecosystems – Berkeley feeds NorCal tech, UCLA feeds SoCal entertainment and media. Campus visit impressions often settle this decision.
Both are top-10 engineering schools. Berkeley (EECS, ME, CE) is slightly more prestigious in CS/EE rankings. Georgia Tech (IE #1, ME, AE) has broader engineering specialty strengths and costs less ($53K vs $70K OOS). Georgia Tech has stronger co-op programs. Berkeley has stronger Bay Area tech pipelines.
There are policy discussions about reintroducing testing at Berkeley and UCLA, possibly as early as the Class of 2031 (fall 2027 enrollment). For the Class of 2030, Berkeley remains test-blind. Monitor announcements from the UC Board of Regents for updates.
