When you become a Golden Bear, you connect with a long tradition of academic excellence and community pride. Students can discover their academic interests in one of over 100 undergraduate programs. Whether it’s a discovery course, or a DeCal, a lecture, or a small discussion seminar, our students thrive inside the classroom in a variety of different fields. Around 71% of undergraduate classes have fewer than 30 students. Our student-to-faculty ratio is about 19:1. Students are encouraged to engage with our world-class faculty.
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Visit our Berkeley admissions YouTube channel to discover more about the Berkeley campus and student life, and to learn more about Berkeley admissions.
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From blockbuster concerts at the Greek Theater to more intimate performances in the redwood grove of the campus’s Botanical Garden, there is no shortage of cultural events happening in and around the Berkeley campus. Recent guests include Simpson creator Matt Groening and cartoonist Lynda Barry, writer Margaret Atwood, humorist David Sedaris, musician Kehlani, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Learn about upcoming performances and events.
Discover what makes Berkeley, well, Berkeley – pizza co-ops, independent bookshops, architectural wonders, eclectic live music venues, farmer’s markets, idyllic swimming holes, breathtaking scenic lookouts, charming neighborhoods, and more. Enjoy exploring a college town nestled in a bustling city. And should you want to discover further, Oakland and San Francisco are just a short BART ride away. And within 40 miles you’ll have access to the Napa Valley, with hundreds of wineries and gourmet food, as well as the tech hub of Silicon Valley.
The California Golden Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Berkeley. Referred to in athletic competition as California or Cal, the university fields 30 varsity athletic programs and various club teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)’s Division I primarily as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Learn more about our athletics program at CalBears.com.
UC Berkeley Housing offers more than just a place to live —it’s an experience that puts you right at the heart of everything that Berkeley has to offer. That’s why about 96% of first-year students and a third of transfer students choose to live on campus.
Living in campus housing puts you close to UC Berkeley’s classrooms, libraries, and club meetings, with convenient amenities that support you on your academic and social journey. Whether you’re a first-year or transfer student, you’ll find your place here. First-year students can choose one of our residence halls, ranging from high-rise units near cafes, bakeries and bookstores, to hillside suites with views of the San Francisco Bay. Residence hall contracts include a meal plan, plus all the conveniences you’ll need, like utilities, wi-fi, laundry, study spaces, live-in support, and more. Transfer students can choose to live in any of our residence halls, or opt for independent living in one of eight campus apartment buildings, including our newest building, Anchor House, a state-of-the-art complex designed just for transfer students. Explore UC Berkeley Housing today.
Berkeley Rec Sports invites you to Rec Sports Online – our virtual recreation hub specifically designed to help you stay active and healthy, wherever your location. With over 50 free on-demand videos and 30 live fitness classes each week with the instructors you know and love, weekly IM Sports Trivia Nights, self-guided outdoor activities, and even a training program to take you from your couch to a 5K, there’s something for everyone.
All these offerings and more can be found on our website.
While Berkeley is in an urban environment, the campus offers a wide range of safety services such as late-night shuttles, campus escorts, and self-defense courses. The Berkeley campus has a dedicated, full-service police department with 77 officers, 45 full-time non-sworn personnel, and 60 student employees.
The campus offers comprehensive healthcare services—as well as health promotion, public-health services, and personal, career, and crisis counseling—for all Berkeley students at the Tang Health Center. You’ll also find help for any special needs (disabled students, gender equity, etc.).
UC Berkeley is a tobacco-free campus. The goal is to create a healthier environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors; help support tobacco users who are trying to quit; and reduce the number of new tobacco users by promoting the social norm of a tobacco-free environment.
Berkeley, along with all of the UC campuses, has implemented immunization requirements to ensure that students are educated about and receive vaccinations to prevent potentially serious and contagious diseases. To see what immunizations are now required, visit the University Health Services (Tang Center) website.
Don’t know where to start? Check out the Dean of Student’s wellness resources.