The University of California was chartered in 1868 and its flagship campus — envisioned as a "City of Learning" — was established at Berkeley, on San Francisco Bay. Today the world's premier public university and a wellspring of innovation, UC Berkeley occupies a 1,232 acre campus with a sylvan 178-acre central core. From this home its academic community makes key contributions to the economic and social well-being of the Bay Area, California, and the nation.

UC Berkeley's ranks first nationally in the number of graduate programs in the top 10 in their fields, according to the most recent National Research Council study. In the study, 35 of Berkeley's 36 graduate programs ranked in the top 10 in their fields in terms of faculty competence and achievement. The national and international awards held by faculty underscore Berkeley's preeminence.

Language of Instruction: English

Course restrictions:
Strictly no SoC and ECE students. In the case when students are allocated places, SoC and ECE courses will not be open to students. Information Management, Journalism and Law courses in all UC campuses are not available to exchange students.

In general, limited engineering, business/management, legal studies and architecture courses are available.

Some majors (fields of study) are not open to Exchange students or have restrictions on enrollment. Before you choose your major, please refer to the Fields of Study Chart and the Impacted (Restricted) Majors Table in http://eap.ucop.edu/reciprocity/undergraduate/formbook/0607/choosingamajor.pdf

For more information on undergraduate exchange, please refer to http://www.eap.ucop.edu/reciprocity/undergraduate/

Course description:
http://www.berkeley.edu/catalog/curricula.html

Academic calendar:

• Fall Semester: Mid August to Mid December
• Spring Semester: Mid January to End May

Application deadlines:
Please obtain information on deadlines and application procedures from your faculty's Student Exchange Programme (SEP) Administrator/Coordinator.

On-campus:
There are a variety of environments to choose from, including traditional high-rise buildings, single gender residence halls, suite environments, Substance-Free Environment Hall, theme programme floors, disabled student housing, and a Transfer and Upper-division student hall. Visit http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/ and http://eap.ucop.edu/reciprocity/generalinfo/fall/ucb_F08.htm#housing for more information.

Off-campus:
Cal Rentals (http://www.calrentals.housing.berkeley.edu/) is an office offering housing listings (ads) and practical advice for UC students seeking housing in the community. For a charge of $30 per month students can access room/apartment listings via the Internet.

UCB Faculty Wives is a volunteer group that advises students in their search for housing in the Berkeley area. Assistance is available on a "drop in" basis (come to talk a volunteer at their table in the I-House).
Address: International-House Home Room, International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley CA 94720-2321

Other Off-campus Housing Websites:

• E-housing: http://www.ehousing.com/
• Home finders: http://www.homefinderslist.com/
• Craigslist: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hhh/

Useful links:

• University website: http://www.berkeley.edu
• UC Education Abroad Programs Reciprocal Exchanges: http://eap.ucop.edu/
  
• Information for exchange students: http://www.eap.ucop.edu/reciprocity/generalinfo/fall/ucb_F08.htm
  
• Student guide: http://www.eap.ucop.edu/reciprocity/StuGuide/0809reciprocity.pdf

Health insurance:
Students are automatically enrolled in the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan unless they complete a waiver form that provides proof of equivalent coverage, and it is approved. For more information regarding the University’s SHIP, please visit http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/index.shtml.

Estimated cost of living: