Accepting Your Offer of Admission

If you have been offered graduate admission to UC Berkeley, you must complete a few important steps before you will be eligible to enroll in classes.

Let Us Know You’re Coming

Congratulations on your admission! The next step for you is to accept our offer and reserve your place. Be advised that completing the “Reply to Offer of Admission” form is the official acceptance of admission, allowing you to enroll in classes and register. Notifying your program alone is not sufficient. Even if you decide not to attend, we would appreciate a response. We are eager to learn of your decision and hope to welcome you in Berkeley soon.

Please log into the status page of your UC Berkeley online application to accept or decline our offer of admission.

Prepare to Enroll

After you accept our offer of admission, you will receive an email with your Student ID number and a temporary password to create a CalNet ID to access UC Berkeley’s student portal CalCentral to start the onboarding process.

Onboarding is a communication tool in CalCentral that provides important information for newly admitted graduate and professional students to orient them to campus and take the necessary steps to prepare for their arrival. Please review the onboarding messages and checklist items under “Tasks” on My Dashboard that you will need to complete in order to register.

For review and decision purposes, we accepted electronic copies of your academic records. After you have accepted our offer, you are required to submit your official academic records/transcripts that show evidence of Bachelor (or Bachelor equivalent) degree conferral. The deadline to submit final official transcripts is October 1st. 

All records submitted to our office become the property of the University, and we cannot return them to you. If you want to retain your original documents, please bring them to our office and we can certify/photocopy them and return the originals to you.

Note: Students with a UC Berkeley undergraduate degree do not have to submit official transcripts.

How to submit your records:

• We will accept e-transcripts from United States institutions that are sent directly to gradadm@berkeley.edu by the issuing school.
  Or
• Mail the official academic records/transcripts in a sealed envelope bearing the institution’s stamp or seal to:
  University of California, Berkeley
  Graduate Admissions Office
  318 Sproul Hall #5900
  Berkeley, CA 94720-0608
• Drop Off at 318 Sproul Hall in the transcript drop box. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 9am-12pm and 1-4pm.
• To retain your original documents visit 316 Sproul Hall where we can certify/photocopy them and return the originals. Tuesday-Thursday between 9am-12pm and 1-4pm.

Contact our office at 510-642-7405 or gradadm@berkeley.edu if you have questions.

If your program is a Summer Admit program, you will be able to enroll in Summer courses via CalCentral. Eligible Summer start programs are listed below:

• Education (MA/Cred program)
• Education (EdD)
• Master of Information Data Science (MIDS)
• Master of Information and Cyber Security (MICS)
• Master of Public Affairs
• Master of Public Health 11-month program
• Online Master of Public Health (OOMPH)- Closed for Summer 2023
• Real Estate Development & Design
• Urban Design

All other new Graduate students who wish to enroll in the summer prior to their first Fall term must enroll as a Non-degree Visiting Student through the Summer Session Application process. Information can be found at summer.berkeley.edu.

Submit the Statement of Legal Residence Form(SLR)

This form is required of all new students and enables the Office of the Registrar to determine the fees you will be assessed; it must be submitted by June 1st to ensure the correct assessment of your fees. Use your CalNet ID and pass-phrase to access CalCentral . The link to the Statement of Legal Residence Form can be found under “Tasks” on My Dashboard. Questions regarding the completion of the SLR form should be addressed to the Residency Office.

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Submit the Non-Immigrant Information Form (NIF) for International Students

The Berkeley International Office (BIO) is responsible for issuing visa documents for international students who will study at UC Berkeley with F-1 or J-1 student visas.

If you are coming to UC Berkeley as a F-1 or J-1 student, use the online NIF, which you can find under “Tasks” on My Dashboard, to request the I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) documents you will need to apply for a visa.

If you are currently NOT a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (“green card” holder), complete the first page of the online NIF to notify Berkeley International Office of your status.

Due to processing and embassy wait times, submit your NIF as soon as possible.  If you are unable to access the online NIF, contact the Berkeley International Office. Their website also contains useful information about obtaining the visa, orientations, and life at UC Berkeley as an international student.