Following the gold rush that brought hundreds of thousands of people to the state, the University of California is founded when two institutions merge - the private College of California in Oakland, and a new state land-grant institution, the Agricultural, Mining and Mechanical Arts College. Leaders of the two institutions decide to join the two schools with 10 faculty members and 40 students.
From 10 faculty members, 40 students and three fields of study at the time of its founding, UC Berkeley has grown to more than 1,600 faculty, 35,000 students and over 350 degree programs in 130 academic departments and 80 interdisciplinary research units.
At Berkeley, we address the biggest challenges of the day to create a better world. From robotic legs to the origins of the universe, research at Berkeley crosses disciplines and illuminates new ideas.
The Division of Equity & Inclusion acknowledges that UC Berkeley sits on the territory of xučyun (Huichin), the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo speaking Ohlone people, the successors of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County.
We recognize that every member of the Berkeley community has, and continues to benefit from, the use and occupation of this land, since the institution’s founding in 1868. Consistent with our values of community, inclusion, and diversity, we have a responsibility to acknowledge and make visible the university’s relationship to Native peoples.
UC Berkeley offers housing to fit every type of need. Virtually all first-year students choose to live in our residence halls. You’ll form lifelong friendships, share ideas, and meet top students, scholars, and faculty from all over the world.
Computer support, web applications, printers, and other IT support for the department leadership and administrative staff
University Health Services at the Tang Center is a fully-accredited outpatient center designed to address all aspects of health, with medical, mental health, wellness and health education all under one roof.
Life at Berkeley doesn't stand still. With over 35,000 students from around the world and a vibrant urban setting, it's no wonder the campus community talks about a "fear of missing out." Jump in and find out how dynamic and interconnected life at Berkeley can be.
Cal Recreational Sports is dedicated to enhancing the knowledge, wellness, fitness, personal skills and quality of life for students, faculty, staff, and the community. By providing facilities, programs, activities and the opportunity for cooperative and competitive play, Recreational Sports teaches life-long fitness skills, leadership, management, interpersonal skills, and helps to balance the stress of studying and working in a rigorous academic environment.
UC Berkeley has been fully accredited since 1949 and had its accreditation reaffirmed most recently in 2015 under the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC) pilot institutional review process.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 1 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6 | 7 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
Dropped 3 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 17 | 20 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 9 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 100 reviews
I have greatly enjoyed being a UC Berkeley graduate student. The workload has been challenging as expected of an R1 institution, but the environment and resources available on such a large campus have truly made my experience meaningful and helped me succeed. My experience with professors has been that they are dedicated and passionate about their teaching, strict but fair. It's also a lovely place to live if you love being outdoors and temperate weather. I hear from undergraduates that the dynamics can be much different and much more demanding as you'll be constantly split between classes, work, and orgs, but your people are somewhere on campus--you just have to find them.
If you want to feel like you�re learning from the people who actually run the world, UCLA is it. The teachers here exude a level of confidence that is infectious; they don�t just know their subjects, they own them. Whether it�s a Nobel laureate or a leading researcher, they command the room, which makes you feel like you�re getting an elite education.
Large classes-- really hard to get personal attention from professors and TAs. The area is generally unsafe to walk around at night. Some professors were great and super knowledgeable, which I liked. However, the academics was extremely stressful and rigorous and it was difficult to get help with the material.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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