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UCLA and UC Berkeley, both are ranked in the top 50 universities by QS World University Rankings 2022. UCLA vs UC Berkeley – which is better? Many international students come across this question while planing their study abroad journey. Read this blog and find out which one offers better experience, exposure and ROI to international students.
| UCLA | UC Berkeley | |
| Location | Los Angeles | Berkeley |
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 19:1 |
| Classes with fewer than 20 students | 48% | 54.7% |
| Total Undergraduate Students | 31,636 | 30,799 |
| Total Graduate Students | 12,953 | 11,528 |
| Total number of students | 44,589 | 45,057 |
| Acceptance Rate (2023) | 16.1% | 17.5% |
| U. S. News Ranking(2023) | 20 | 4 |
| QS 2023 Ranking | 44 | 27 |
| THE 2023 Ranking | 21 | 8 |
| Average % Receiving Financial Aid | 72% | 59% |
| SAT Score | 75th Percentile – 1550 50th Percentile – 1455 25th Percentile- 1360 |
75th Percentile – 1530 50th Percentile – 1415 25th Percentile- 1300 |
| ACT Score | 75th Percentile – 32 25th Percentile- 29 |
75th Percentile – 34 25th Percentile- 28 |
| Freshman Retention Rate | 97% | 97% |
UCLA vs UC Berkeley – Departments and Courses
| UCLA | UC Berkeley |
| There are 7 academic divisions in UCLA that offer 130 undergraduate majors.
1. The College of Letters and Science |
There are 5 academic colleges and one school in UC, Berkeley. These colleges collectively offer 150 undergraduate majors & minors to its students.
1. College of Letters and Science |
Application Requirements
Both the universities require students with high GPAs, SAT scores & ACT scores.
| UCLA | UC Berkeley |
| UCLA is extremely selective and only enrols students who have a GPA of 3.9 or more. | UC Berkeley requires a GPA of 3.89 from all its students. |
| The average SAT score should be between the SAT scale of 1405 and 1600. | Average SAT score of 1415 to 1600 on the SAT scale. |
| Your ACT score must be between 27 and 34 to get a fair shot at admissions. | The average ACT score needed by a student at UC Berkeley is 31. |
Cost of Studying
The below table states the per year costs of students studying at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Berkeley. This contains Costs of Tuition & College as well as the cost of Books, Living Arrangements, etc. –
| School | Tuition & Fees | Books & Supplies | On Campus | Off Campus |
| UCLA | $43,003 (INR 32,67,817) | $1,314 (INR 99,851) | $17,599 (INR 13,37,393) | $15,638 (INR 11,88,653) |
| UC Berkeley | $44,066 (INR 33,48,595) | $1,091 (INR 82,907) | $20,530 (INR 15,60,127) | $15,241 (INR 11,58,477) |
| Average | $43,535 (INR 33,08,244) | $1,203 (INR 91,419) | $19,065 (INR 14,48,798) | $15,440 (INR 11,73,603) |
UCLA vs UC Berkeley – Campus Life
| UCLA | UC Berkeley |
| UCLA Campus is located in the urban setting of California, Los Angeles. UCLA consists of the following programs for its students to facilitate learning and personal well-being.
1. Facilities include Veterans Resource Center (VRC) |
UC Berkeley Campus is located in the urban setting of California, Berkeley. This university consists of a Study Abroad program as well as an online classes program for its students. Other services that the UCB campus has include –
1. Disability Services Site, Military and Veteran Services |
UCLA vs UC Berkeley – Acceptance Rate
The average acceptance rate for the two rival universities i.e.UCLA and UC Berkeley is 15.74% and the enrollment rate (also known as the admission rate) is 40.34%, with a total of 196,932 applicants and 30,992 enrolled.
| UCLA | UC Berkeley |
| UCLA is the most difficult school to get into with a passing rate of 14.33% | The University of California, Berkeley has the second-lowest passing rate of 17.48%. |
Application Process and Important Dates
The application process for the UCLA and UC Berkeley is quiet similar. The deadlines differ for some courses. Lets have a look at the detailed application process for both the universities.
UCLA
- August 1: UCLA Application Opens
- October 1: The deadline for filing free Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) and Dream Law applications begins for all applicants. The GPA verification form registration deadline begins (required only if California residents are considering a Cal Grant)
- November 1 – 30: Application Filing Period
- March 2: Deadline for submission of the Financial Aid Application (FAFSA), Cal Grant GPA Verification Form, and Dream Act.
- End of March: Admission Notification
- May 1: Deadline for admission deposit and application for campus accommodation and UCLA College Honors Program
- July 1: Submit final official qualifications for admission. Must be postmarked or submitted electronically on or before 1st July.
- July 15: Official Results of the IB, AP Examination are sent to the admissions. Before 15th July, all the test scores must be electronically submitted or postmarked.
UC Berkeley
- August 1: Application Available
- October 1: Apply for the financial aid – CA Dream Act and FAFSA
- November 1 – 30: Application Filing Period
- November 30: Application Deadline
- Early December: UCB notifies its applicants of the receipt of their application
- January 31: UCB forms deadline
- End of March: Freshman Decision Posted
- End of April: Transfer Decision Posted
- May 1: Deadline of acceptance of offer for freshman
- June 1: Deadline of acceptance of offer for transfer students.
Documents Required
The documents required to apply for UG and PG courses at both the universities are the same. Given below is the list of accepted documents by UCLA and UC Berkeley –
| UCLA | UC Berkeley |
| 1. High school certificate / Degree equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree or Academic courses of 15 years with a 3.4 GPA 2. English Language Proficiency 3. Letters of Recommendation 4. Medical Records 5. Health Insurance 6. Minimum of 3.0 GPA on 4.0 scale GMAT, GRE Subject Test, GRE General, or MCAT scores for PG courses. |
1. A four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, which must be comparable in standard and content to a bachelor’s degree from the University of California / High school certificate and transcripts. 2. Overall scholastic average should be at least B (3.0 on a 5.0 scale). 3. Submitting the following scores will prove your English Language Proficiency: IELTS: 7.0; TOEFL (iBT): 87 4. Statement of Purpose 5. Resume 6. GRE/GMAT score |
FAQs
No. The university permits all its applicants to apply for only one major, the only exception to this rule are the students that are of established concurrent or articulated degrees.
Yes. Only the students who are U.S. citizens or are permanent residents and are able to demonstrate the need for financial aid are eligible to apply for an application fee waiver.
You can log in at MAP@Berkeley through the student portal. After logging in, you can select the option of ‘Withdraw Application’ in the “Account Tools” Option and follow the procedure.
Ph.D. students usually take around 6 years to complete their degree and an M.S. degree on average takes five quarters to complete.
UCB has more academic prestige but UCLA is known to be better at sports and has more students. UCLA is ranked as the top known public university and UCB is the second best.
Also Read: UCLA vs USC – Which is a Better Choice?
These were some important parameters to compare UCLA vs UC Berkeley. If you want to know more about courses, application and how to reach these universities then get in touch with Leverage Edu experts today!
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