The University of California, Berkeley (also referred to as UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, or simply Cal) is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. The university occupies 1,232 acres (499 ha) on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay with the central campus resting on 178 acres (72 ha). Berkeley is considered a Public Ivy and the flagship institution of the 10-campus University of California system.
Established in 1868 as the result of the merger of the private College of California and the public Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College in Oakland, Berkeley is the oldest institution in the UC system and offers approximately 350 undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in a wide range of disciplines.
Berkeley faculty, alumni, and researchers have won 71 Nobel Prizes (including 28 alumni Nobel laureates), 9 Wolf Prizes, 7 Fields Medals, 15 Turing Awards, 45 MacArthur Fellowships, 20 Academy Awards, and 11 Pulitzer Prizes.
History
In 1866, the land comprising the current Berkeley campus was purchased by the private College of California. Because it lacked sufficient funds to operate, it eventually merged with the state-run Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College to form the University of California, the first full-curriculum public university in the state. Ten faculty members and 40 students made up the new University of California when it opened in Oakland in 1869.
Student housing
Students at UC Berkeley live in a variety of housing that cater to personal and academic preferences and styles. The university offers two years of guaranteed housing for entering freshmen, and one year for entering transfer students. The immediately surrounding community offers apartments, Greek (fraternity and sorority) housing and cooperative housing, twenty of which are houses that are members of the Berkeley Student Cooperative.
Requirements for international freshman students
To be considered for admission to UC Berkeley, international applicants must:
• Finish secondary school.
• Earn a certificate of completion, which allows admission to a university in their home country or country of graduation.
Students who have completed the IGCSE or O-level examinations have not yet met the requirements for admission evaluation at UC Berkeley. The university requires further study, either completion of the 2-year A-level programme with a minimum of 3 academic exams, the IB diploma programme, or another similar academic curriculum.
Language requirements
Proficiency in English is critical to success at UC Berkeley. One of the following exams is required of all international applicants from non-English speaking countries:
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – a score of 7 or higher on the academic module.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – a score of 80 or higher on the TOEFL iBT or 550 or higher on the paper-based exam.
Financial documentation
Before a US consul will grant a visa, you must prove that you will have sufficient money to meet all your expenses while studying in the United States. You must explain the source of your funds and guarantee that you will receive them while at UC Berkeley.
When you leave your country, you must have enough money to
• Pay for travelling expenses to UC Berkeley.
• Pay fees for the entire term.
• Meet living expenses until more money reaches you.
• Pay the return fare to your home.
If your country’s government requires verification of enrollment before money can be forwarded to you, you may request the campus International Student Advisor to provide verification after you have completed your UC registration.
Student visa information
All admitted international students will be required to complete a Non-immigrant Information Form (NIF). A guarantee by the applicant’s financial sponsor proving sufficient funds for the first year of study is required. Upon receipt of the completed NIF, the Berkeley International Office (BIO) will issue the document needed for student visa application.
