If your initial attempt to become a Golden Bear directly out of high school came up short, there is no reason to lose hope. In fact, UC Berkeley admits 4,000-5,300 applicants every year. In further good news, acceptance rates for transfers at UC Berkeley are actually roughly double those of the regular round. The following blog will reveal the UC Berkeley transfer acceptance rates as well other crucial items like the UC Berkeley transfer deadline, the Berkeley transfer requirements, and much more.

UC Berkeley Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2022, there were approximately 5,250 students admitted out of a pool of 19,300 applicants. This means that the UC Berkeley transfer acceptance rate in 2022 was 27%.

In the fall of 2021, there were 4,372 transfer applicants and 22,206 individuals were accepted. This means that the transfer acceptance rate was 20%. If we break this down by gender the acceptance rates are as follows:

  • Male  applicants: 17%
  • Female applicants: 22%

When trying to get the complete picture on how difficult it is to transfer into any school, it is important to also look at historical data. As you can see, UC Berkeley’s have remained stable in recent years.

Historical UC Berkeley transfer rates are as follows:

Year UC Berkeley  Transfer Acceptance Rate
2020 21%
2019 23%
2018 21%
2017 23%

 UC Berkeley Transfer Deadline

For every academic program, the UC Berkeley transfer deadline is November 30. .

The application window opens on August 1, so you can begin completing all materials at that time.

The FAFSA deadline is March 2.

Some programs have additional supplemental materials due in January, For example, “All Haas Business School applicants are required to submit a Supplemental Application which includes an essay, self-reported academic record, and resume in January.”

UC Berkeley Transfer Requirements

All students must submit to the following items as part of their UC Berkeley application:

In addition to meeting the transfer requirements, you’ll need to have achieved/earned the following:

  • Completion of general education/breadth requirement
  • Minimum 60 UC-transferable semester (90 UC-transferable quarter units
  • Overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in all transferable college-level coursework
  • Lower Division Major Preparation Courses

We recommend thoroughly reviewing the UC Berkeley Transfer Admission Guide.

UC Berkeley also has articulation agreements with CA community colleges. Those can all be viewed here.

UC Berkeley Transfer Acceptance by Major

Here are some of the transfer acceptance rates for the most popular majors at Berkeley.

Major Acceptance Rate
Business Administration 4%
Psychology 6%
Economics 22%
Electrical Engineering 10%
Political Science 21%
Computer Science 4%

 

For a more detailed look, you can view acceptance rates by major at all UC campuses.

UC Berkeley Average Transfer GPA

Students admitted as transfers in 2021 had a mid-50% GPA range of 3.65-3.95.

Berkeley Transfer Application Essays

Required UC Berkeley Essay

  1. Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university.

Choose 3 of the following 7 questions (in addition to the mandatory prompt above):

  1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
  2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
  3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
  4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
  5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
  6. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
  7. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

UC Berkeley Transfer Decision Date

The UC Berkeley transfer decision date is in mid-to-late April. It fell on April 19th in one recent cycle.

Final Thoughts – UC Berkeley Transfer Acceptance Rate

The University plucks 95% of their transfer students from California community colleges. A sizable 48% are first-generation students.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to UC Berkeley as a first year student, you may find the following blogs to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages:

 

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).