Accepting Your Offer of Admission

If you receive an offer of graduate admission to UC Berkeley, you must complete these steps before you can enroll.

Let Us Know You’re Coming

Congratulations on your admission, and welcome to Cal! The next step is to login to your application status page and complete the “Reply to Offer of Admission” form to let us know if you’re coming.

• To accept your offer of admission: please complete the “Reply to Offer of Admission” form to formally accept admission.
• Read next steps on preparing to enroll below.

To decline your offer of admission, we still kindly ask you to complete the form and follow-up questions so that we may learn about your decision.

Ready for Berkeley?

• Getting Started
• New Graduate Student Orientation
• Graduate Student Resource Guide

After you accept our offer of admission, you will receive an email within 48-72 hours 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 all Fall students, enrollment will begin in July. Please check your CalCentral “Academic” tab for your enrollment time slot. For Summer students, please reference section below.

While we accepted unofficial copies of your academic records as part of your application, you are now required to to submit your official academic records (ie, transcripts, degree certificates/diplomas, and/or applicable translations). Your official academic records must show that your undergraduate degree conferral date. The deadline to submit official documents is October 1.

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 the original academic records and a copy for the admissions staff to certify.

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

How to submit your records:

1. Recommended: Send official e-transcripts from United States institutions via a secure transcript provider (ie, Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse) directly to “University of California, Berkeley – Graduate Admissions,” by the issuing school.  If we are not listed as an option in the service provider’s drop-down menu, enter our information manually: University of California, Berkeley – Graduate Admissions, [email protected]
2. Drop off academic records in-person to Graduate Admissions in 318 Sproul Hall.
   • If you do not need your academic records returned to you, please submit them via the drop box or tray in front of 318 Sproul Hall. Please attach the form provided to your academic records. 
   • If you need your academic records returned to you, please visit us during open office hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9am-12pm and 1-4pm. Please bring your original academic records and a copy for the admissions staff to certify. This may take 15-20 minutes depending on availability.
3. Mail your academic records 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 94720-5900

If we have not received official documents by October 1, you will not be able to register for courses in your second term. 

If your program begins in the Summer term, 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 Advanced Study in Engineering (MAS-E)
• Master of Biotechnology (MBT)
• Master of Information Data Science (MIDS)
• Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS)
• Master of Public Affairs
• Master of Public Health 11-month program
• 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 1 to ensure the correct assessment of your fees. Use your CalNet ID and passphrase 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)

The FAFSA and California Dream Act Application are used to determine aid eligibility for the specific academic year (fall, spring, and summer term) for which the application is completed. The FAFSA application needs to be completed for each academic year that you wish to apply for aid.)

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. The Berkeley International Office also provides useful information about obtaining the visa, orientations, and life at UC Berkeley as an international student.

Oral English Proficiency Requirement for Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Appointments

Once admitted, graduate students who do not speak English as a native language must satisfy the oral English proficiency requirement before they can be appointed to teach. Please note that the oral English proficiency level required for GSI positions is higher than for admissions. Consult the Language Proficiency Program for information regarding this requirement.