University of California Berkeley

The University of California at Berkeley – The University of California, Berkeley – is one of the most famous educational institutions in the world for training specialists in the field of IT , in the fields of physics , chemistry , biology and economics . The University of California Berkeley is the oldest university in the state of California, it was here that many chemical elements were discovered and important scientific discoveries were made.

History of the University of California, Berkeley

The university traces its history back to 1866, it grew from a small private college. Half a century later, the university was perceived as an educational institution with a strong teaching staff, and by the middle of the 20th century, Berkeley’s achievements became known to the whole world.

In the laboratory of Lawrence, operating at the university, during the Second World War, scientists worked on the creation of the atomic bomb. In the next few years, five elements of the periodic table were discovered within the walls of the laboratory.

In the 1960s, a movement of student activists actively developed at the university, who sought freedom of speech and self-expression. Student riots and anti-war campaigns organized by students continued into the early 1970s. In the 21st century, actions at the university have subsided, a calm and friendly atmosphere reigns on campus, but Berkeley students are still considered socially and politically active students.

Today, the University of California at Berkeley is one of the strongest research universities in the world with a solid scientific base, excellent technical equipment and an original approach to solving scientific problems.

Infrastructure and location of the University of California at Berkeley

The university is favorably located in the picturesque town of Berkeley, known for its democratic views and mild climate. Berkeley is located on the east coast of the San Francisco Bay, it is called the center of science, and this is no coincidence. It is home to research institutes and the UC Berkeley campus.

The UC Berkeley campus covers 1,232 acres (5 square kilometers). There are educational buildings, laboratories, research centers and museums. This is a green campus with clean air: on its territory there is a wildlife sanctuary, a university botanical garden and a recreation center. On campus and off campus there are student residences and dormitories – students can choose housing near the university or in different parts of the city. All freshmen are guaranteed a place on campus.

Scientific achievements of the University of California at Berkeley

• Here the cyclic accelerator cyclotron for radiation therapy was invented.
• It was within the walls of Berkeley that the processes of photosynthesis were studied.
• Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have discovered the antiproton.
• In 2014, scientists at UC Berkeley created a device capable of detecting the slightest concentration of explosives.
• IN 2013/2014, BERKELEY RECEIVED $ 7,307 million in research funding from various sources.
• Berkeley has filed about 2,500 patents for various inventions throughout its history.
• University researchers have found a way to make flights to Mars much cheaper: they proposed using bacteria to synthesize fuel, food, and even drugs.

Why choose the University of California, Berkeley?

• Berkeley houses 8 museums dedicated to architecture, botany, engineering, entomology, film history, geology, history, linguistics, paleontology, and zoology. The Berkeley Art Museum contains over 13,000 art objects. The university has its own Pacific Film Archive, which includes 10,000 films.
• The university has the famous Lawrence National Laboratory, open to research students. It occupies one square kilometer of the university campus. Many chemical elements were discovered here, including plutonium, berkelium and californium. 11 employees of the laboratory became Nobel Prize winners.
• Classes are conducted in small groups. 75% of classes have no more than 30 students.
• The campus of the University of California, Berkeley produces more PhDs each year than any other American university.
• The university libraries are among the largest university libraries in the United States. Berkeley has 29 libraries with over 10 million volumes of books and 90,000 periodicals.
• The university has 30 men’s and women’s sports teams. It is interesting that graduates of the university won 103 Olympic gold medals in different years.

Faculties at UC Berkeley

Unlike other Californian universities, at Berkeley schools and colleges you can get not only a bachelor’s degree, but also a master’s or doctoral degree. Moreover, students have the opportunity to engage in research activities in institutes operating at the university. In total, Berkeley has 130 academic departments (faculties, departments) and more than 350 programs.

There are interdisciplinary programs that allow you to get a double diploma. Among the most popular majors are electrical engineering , economics , political science , business administration , psychology , and journalism .

The educational institution is divided into 14 colleges and schools:

• The College of Letters and Science (College of the Humanities and Natural Sciences) is the largest department within the University of California, Berkeley. It offers training in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in such areas as physics , art , social and human sciences , biology , and more.
• The College of Engineering (College of Applied Sciences) is ready to offer students training in the most popular areas: computer technology , biomedicine , nuclear engineering , industrial engineering , etc. Here you can get a bachelor’s , master’s and doctoral degrees.
• Haas School of Business (Walter Haas School of Business) is one of the top 10 best business schools in the world, here you can get a master’s degree in business administration, as well as continue your studies on a doctoral program in business and economics.
• The College of Chemistry (College of Chemistry) offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The college consists of two main departments – Chemical and Molecular Engineering and Chemistry .
• The College of Environmental Design (College of Environmental Design) offers training in such popular areas as urban regional planning , architecture , landscape architecture and more.
• School of Law (School of Law) – one of the most selective divisions of Berkeley, where about 7,000 applicants annually enter, but no more than 300 people are selected.
• Graduate School of Education (Higher School of Education) is engaged in the preparation of educators and legislators who will be associated with the field of education.
• Graduate School of Journalism (Higher School of Journalism) offers training in the following areas: documentary , photojournalism , science and the environment , audio journalism, etc.
• The College of Natural Resources (College of Natural Resources) trains specialists in the field of agricultural management and experts in the field of ecology and environmental protection .
• School of Information (School of Information) offers training in master’s and postgraduate programs in the field of high technology and information security .
• Goldman School of Public Policy (Goldman School of Public Policy) offers master’s and doctoral programs in political science , social psychology , engineering and economics .
• School of Public Health (School of Health) prepares specialists in the field of nutrition , epidemiology , vaccinology , biostatics , etc.
• School of Optometry (School of Optometry) trains future ophthalmologists and researchers in the field of optometry. By the time they graduate, each student sees more than 2,500 patients.
• The School of Social Welfare (School of Social Welfare) trains specialists in the field of social policy and law , as well as social workers.

Features of admission to the University of California, Berkeley

UC Berkeley is a selective university, only a quarter of applicants who apply become its students. Entrance tests vary depending on the faculty. For most undergraduate specialties, the applicant will need the following package of documents.

• high school diploma/certificate with grades ;
• certificate of passing the IELTS language test (at least 7 points) or TOEFL (at least 220 points);
• SAT test results : general and two subject. The result on SAT Math should be at least 650-770 points, on SAT Reading – at least 620-740, on SAT Writing – 640-760 points;
• motivation letter ;
• certificate of financial solvency .

Each faculty may impose additional requirements on applicants: passing specialized tests (test for knowledge of law LSAT or medical test MCAT).

Applicants to graduate and graduate programs will need GRE or GMAT scores , as well as an academic resume , an essay in English (the topic is proposed by the admissions committee), and three recommendations from professors and teachers. To enter the MBA program, you must have professional experience.

Application Deadlines for Admission to UC Berkeley

There is no single deadline for applying to the University of Berkeley, as each school or college sets its own deadlines. As a rule, the general collection of applications starts on September 6th . For some programs, it ends at the beginning or end of December; for other areas, applications are accepted until the beginning of January and the end of February. Detailed information regarding application deadlines can be found on the website of the relevant department.

Tuition at UC Berkeley

Berkeley Scholarship and Grant Programs

Berkeley University offers several financial aid schemes for its students. According to statistics, about 60-70% of university students are participants in scholarship programs. For example, about 30-40% of university undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Their size is calculated based on the financial situation of the student’s family.

Some students receive scholarships from private foundations and commercial organizations. For example, undergraduate students from different departments can take part in the Lipson Scholarship program, which allows you to cover part of the cost of education. To participate in the program, you must write an essay.

In addition to the above scholarship programs, Berkeley students have the opportunity to compete for the following grants:

• Fulbright American Scholar (Fulbright Scholarship)

The Fulbright Foundation awards 50 grants each year to graduate students conducting research in various fields of science. Assistance is calculated for 4, 9 or 12 months, depending on the complexity of the research project.

• AlcoRehab Scholarship

THE ALCOREHAB FOUNDATION IS OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS OF UP TO $ 3,000 to UC Berkeley undergraduate, graduate, and graduate students. All that is needed to participate is to write an essay about the dangers of alcohol and the consequences of alcohol abuse.

• The Frank E. Ratliff Fellowship in Classical Antiquity

The scholarship is available to academically successful graduate students who conduct research in the fields of ancient history, Greek literature and archaeology. The amount of assistance is about 31,000 USD , which covers the cost of tuition.

• The Kang Family Graduate Fellowship for Biotechnology

The grant is for UC Berkeley graduate students doing research in biotechnology. The remuneration is paid one-time in the amount of 7,500 USD .

International exchange programs and internships at the University of California, Berkeley

Exchange programs with the most powerful universities in the world are widespread at UC Berkeley, for example, within the framework of The Oxford-Berkeley Collaboration (OBC), several students of these educational institutions change their place of study for 3-6 months. In addition to cooperation with Oxford University , Berkeley offers to take part in an exchange program with other partner universities, the list of which includes: Stanford University , Brown University , Columbia University , Cornell University , Harvard University , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Princeton University .University of Chicago , University of Pennsylvania , Yale University , Hosei University .

Dual Degree Programs at UC Berkeley

The University of California at Berkeley is a cutting-edge institution that provides its students with a wealth of research opportunities. It is for this reason that the university offers students to master two popular specialties at once, taking part in the joint degree program. The option is available only for students of master’s and doctoral programs. You can get a second degree right within the walls of your native university. For example, Master’s students in the Faculty of Architecture can enroll in the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering or Urban and Regional Planning.

You can also learn a second specialty outside of Berkeley at one of the partner universities. The list of affiliated universities includes: California State University at San Francisco , Columbia University , Stanford University , Hosei University and other prestigious universities. Interestingly, the rules of the program allow you to combine different degrees, that is, you can simultaneously receive a master’s and doctoral degree. Berkeley students have access to two-year and five-year double degree programs.

MBA Programs at UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley offers a variety of degree programs leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. The MBA programs , which are taught at the School of Business. Haas , operating at the University of California at Berkeley. At the Haas School of Business, regardless of the main direction chosen, the student will be taught the key principles of business management, which include knowledge in economics , statistics , finance , marketing and other disciplines.

The school offers training in the following areas:

• Full-Time MBA (a two-year course where each student chooses one of 7 proposed areas: business and public policy , finance , accounting , economic analysis and public policy , marketing , organizational management , business and information technology );
• Part-Time MBA (a course that allows students not to leave work for the duration of their studies, which is very valuable for both large businessmen and beginner managers. It is important that Part-Time MBA students receive the same knowledge as Full-Time course participants MBA, but spend more time doing independent work);
• Evening / Weekend MBA (a course that allows students to work full-time, since classes are held in the evening or on weekends);
• Executive MBA (19-month course, at the end of which students are awarded the same degree as graduates of the Full-Time MBA program).
• Ph.D programs (this is a great opportunity for masters to continue their doctoral studies in order to engage in research activities in close cooperation with university teachers and professors).

University of Berkeley Admission Statistics

In 2016, UC Berkeley considered approximately 82,570 applications for admission. Of the total number of applicants, only 14,429 applicants were admitted to study, which is 17.5% in percentage terms.

Possibility and conditions of living in Berkeley dorms

UC Berkeley has 10 residence halls located on or near campus. The university guarantees a place in the hostel for first-year students so that they can quickly adapt to the rhythm of Berkeley’s life and join its friendly student family.

Among the 10 residences, there are both purely male and purely female buildings. As a rule, beginners or undergraduate students settle in standard double and triple rooms, which are equipped with all necessary furniture (beds, chests of drawers, a desk, a large mirror). Bathroom and toilet are located in the common corridor. Such residences have common lounges, laundry, parking, a copy center, as well as small shops and cafes located right in the hostel building. The cost of living in one of the rooms is about 1,000 USD per month, for accommodation in a single apartment you will have to pay at least 1,300 USD per month.

Students of the last undergraduate courses, future masters and graduate students settle in single rooms or entire furnished apartments with all amenities and their own kitchen. Of course, the cost of living in such apartments will cost more, around 1,500 USD per month.

For couples, completely home conditions are provided – the opportunity to rent housing in a student village, which is located about 3 km from the main university campus. Students can live in small houses, where there is everything necessary for a comfortable life. The cost of renting a house is about 2,000 USD per month.

Notable Berkeley Alumni

• The University of California, Berkeley boasts 29 Nobel Prize winners who have studied at the university in the past.
• Stephen Wozniak is a co-founder of Apple Computer, an inventor, scientist, programmer, and engineer, and a graduate of the University of Berkeley.
• Oscar winner, one of the greatest actors in the United States, Gregory Peck, studied at UC Berkeley.
• Jack London is an American writer, public figure and socialist, widely known for writing adventure novels and short stories.
• Inventor Douglas Karl Engelbart received first a master’s degree from the University of Berkeley, then a doctorate. Today he is known as the creator of hypertext, the first text editor, the first group online conferences and, of course, as the inventor of the computer mouse.
• Gordon Moore, founder of Intel Corporation, entrepreneur and scientist, received his Ph.D. in chemistry and physics from Berkeley.
• Eric Schmidt is the chairman of the board of directors of Alphabet, according to experts for 2016, the businessman’s fortune is about 63 USD billion.

Interesting facts about UC Berkeley

• Berkeley researchers have developed a bottle of invisibility: they have shown how the acoustic effect helps to hide objects.
• At the University of California, Berkeley, a display was invented for people with visual impairments that allows them to look at the screen without glasses.
• The university has produced more Peace Corps volunteers than any other university.
• The UC Berkeley Bancroft Library contains the world’s largest collection of Mark Twain’s documents, photographs, letters, and albums.
• As university scientists have found out, for every two lightning strikes in 2000, there will be three strikes in 2100, and global warming will be to blame.
• Berkeley University was one of the first prestigious universities in the world to post lecture videos on its Youtube channel. Anyone can watch free courses in various subjects. You can, for example, listen to a course of lectures from Google founder Sergey Brin.