UCLA vs UC Berkeley is closer than the two schools' reputations suggest. Both admit roughly one in ten first-year applicants, both ignore SAT and ACT scores, and both use the same UC application. The real differences are in how much your intended major matters, what a year costs on campus, and whether you'd rather study on quarters or semesters. Everything below comes from UCLA's and UC Berkeley's own admissions and financial aid pages, and from the University of California's application site, for students applying this fall for fall 2027.
UCLA vs UC Berkeley at a glance
| UCLA | UC Berkeley | |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 first-year applicants | 145,085 | 126,843 |
| Fall 2025 admits | 13,659 | 14,502 |
| Fall 2025 admit rate | 9.4% | 11.4% |
| Most recent data | Fall 2025 | Fall 2026: 133,157 applications, 13,992 admits, 11% |
| SAT/ACT | Not considered | Not used ("test-free") |
| Majors | Over 140 | More than 130 academic departments, in six colleges and one school |
| Calendar | Quarters | Semesters |
| 2026-27 tuition and fees, new Californians | $16,430 | $18,214 |
| 2026-27 total cost, Californian living on campus | $45,500 | $54,674 (campus residence hall) |
| Nonresident supplemental tuition, 2026-27 | $39,270 | $39,270 |
UCLA vs UC Berkeley acceptance rate
For fall 2025, UCLA was a little more selective. UCLA received 145,085 first-year applications, admitted 13,659 and enrolled 6,553, a 9.4% admit rate. Berkeley received 126,843 applications and admitted 14,502 for fall 2025, which works out to 11.4%.
Berkeley has already posted fall 2026 numbers: 133,157 applications and 13,992 admits, an 11% admit rate. UCLA's profile page still shows fall 2025, so the fall 2025 row is the fair side-by-side.
Your odds depend heavily on where you apply inside UCLA. UCLA breaks out its fall 2025 admit rates by school:
| UCLA school applied to (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| The College (letters and science) | 98,459 | 10,788 | 11% |
| Samueli School of Engineering | 33,052 | 2,241 | 6.8% |
| School of Theater, Film & Television | 3,293 | 140 | 4.3% |
| School of the Arts & Architecture | 3,437 | 177 | 5.1% |
| Herb Alpert School of Music | 1,175 | 282 | 24% |
| School of Nursing | 5,669 | 31 | 0.5% |
Berkeley doesn't publish a matching breakdown by college on its student profile page. For how a major can change your odds across the UC system, see the UC major-specific acceptance rate penalty.
Admitted GPAs
Both campuses report weighted and unweighted GPAs for admits, but for different years.
- UCLA, fall 2025 admits: weighted GPA median 4.61, middle half 4.44-4.78. Unweighted median 4.00, middle half 3.95-4.00. UCLA calculates these from grades 10 and 11, with an extra point for UC-approved honors courses.
- UC Berkeley, 2026 admitted class: unweighted middle half 3.90-4.00, weighted 4.36-4.72.
At both, a near-perfect unweighted GPA is typical of admits, not a guarantee. UCLA says there's "no specific cutoff value" for any factor. Berkeley says its profile numbers "are not benchmarks."
Applying: one application, different rules about majors
You apply to both through the same UC application, with the same personal insight questions. UC lists its fall filing period without a year, so confirm the fall 2027 dates on the UC application site.
Neither campus uses SAT or ACT scores. UCLA "will not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarship purposes." Berkeley is "test-free, which means we will not use SAT/ACT test scores in any part of our application process." Scores you send can still be used for placement after you enroll.
Your choice of major works differently at each:
- UCLA: for the College of Letters and Science, UCLA says your choice of major "will neither enhance nor diminish your prospects for admission," and many applicants apply undeclared. UCLA reviews first-year applicants for one major only. It doesn't consider the alternate major you list on the UC application.
- UC Berkeley: for Letters & Science, Berkeley has a high-demand majors policy. If you list a high-demand major as your primary major and you're admitted, you're guaranteed a spot in it, as long as you complete the prerequisites and stay in good standing. If you don't, getting into that major after you arrive is "extremely limited," and you'll need a backup major.
The practical takeaway: if you're sure you want a high-demand Letters & Science major, Berkeley rewards committing to it on the application. If you're undecided, UCLA's College won't penalize applying undeclared. For more on reading the UC application, see how UC admissions actually works.
Cost: UCLA vs UC Berkeley for 2026-27
These are each campus's own 2026-27 estimates for new students. Your fall 2027 costs will be set later.
UCLA:
- University fees: $16,430 (systemwide tuition of $15,588 plus $842 in campus fees)
- Total for a California resident living on campus: $45,500
- Nonresident supplemental tuition: $39,270, for an on-campus nonresident total of $84,770
UC Berkeley:
- Tuition and fees: $18,214
- Total cost of attendance for a new student in a campus residence hall: $54,674, including personal expenses
- New out-of-state students add $39,270 in nonresident supplemental tuition
Why Berkeley's on-campus number is higher: its tuition and fees line is higher, and its residence hall budget includes $16,640 for housing and a $7,000 meal plan. UCLA's residence hall budget lists $12,299 for housing and $7,568 for food. The two campuses don't build their budgets the same way, so compare line by line, and compare your actual aid offers, before deciding on cost. Berkeley says 38% of its students pay nothing out of pocket for tuition because of grants and scholarships.
Out of state? See UC out-of-state tuition by campus. Californians should also check Cal Grant eligibility for 2027-28.
Quarters vs. semesters
UCLA runs on quarters, and Berkeley runs on semesters. UC says Berkeley and Merced are its only campuses on the semester system. Ask current students at each campus how the calendar shapes their course load before you pick.
Which one should you choose?
- Choose UCLA if you're undecided on a major, prefer quarters, or its lower on-campus budget estimate matters to you.
- Choose UC Berkeley if you're sure about a high-demand Letters & Science major and can lock it in on the application, or you prefer semesters.
- Apply to both. It's one UC application, but choose your major carefully for each campus, since they treat it differently.
To see how applicants with real profiles fared, read UCLA accepted vs. rejected applicants and UC Berkeley accepted vs. rejected applicants. For how your own high school does, see UCLA acceptance rate by high school and UC Berkeley acceptance rate by high school.
Sources
- First-Year Profile — Fall 2025, First-Year Requirements, First-Year Applicants and Majors — UCLA Undergraduate Admission
- Cost of Attendance — UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Student Profile, Majors, High Demand Majors Policy, First-Year Policy Changes and Cost — UC Berkeley Office of Undergraduate Admissions
- Cost of Attendance — UC Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Applying as a first-year student — University of California