How to Apply to Chemistry at UC Berkeley: The College of Chemistry Admits You Directly Into Your Chosen Major (B.S. in Chemistry or Chemical Biology) While Letters and Science Offers the B.A. in Chemistry, with Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At UC Berkeley, chemistry sits in two colleges. The College of Chemistry awards the B.S. in Chemistry and the B.S. in Chemical Biology; the College of Letters and Science (L&S) awards the B.A. in Chemistry. The College of Chemistry says students who want the B.A. apply to L&S, and the admissions majors list shows Chemistry under both colleges. The College of Chemistry also houses Chemical Engineering, which is an engineering program and is outside this article; see the official site. Here is what the official pages say for fall 2027 entry, for US domestic applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer applicants. Biochemistry at Berkeley is an emphasis within the Molecular and Cell Biology major in L&S, and the College of Chemistry takes care to say that Chemical Biology is not the same as Biochemistry.

1. Degrees, tracks and how you get into the major

• B.S. in Chemistry (College of Chemistry): the college describes it as intended for students who want to be professional chemists or want a thorough grounding for professional or graduate school in chemistry and related disciplines. It covers inorganic, organic and physical chemistry plus specialized courses such as analytical, nuclear and biophysical chemistry and chemical biology; laboratory work includes inorganic and organic synthesis, analytical methods, physical chemical measurements, spectroscopy, biochemical engineering and chemical methods in nuclear technology. Undergraduates are encouraged to join a research group. There is also a Materials Chemistry concentration, which students must declare by the end of junior year by submitting a concentration declaration form to their adviser; the college pages and the admissions majors list also name a Computational Chemistry concentration, whose requirements are not described here, so see the official site.
• B.S. in Chemical Biology (College of Chemistry): described as similar to the B.S. in Chemistry and intended for students interested in research in the biological sciences, medicine, pharmacology and bioengineering. On top of the chemistry core it adds general and cell biology, biochemistry and related courses, and it emphasizes organic chemistry, quantitative thermodynamics and kinetics.
• B.A. in Chemistry (L&S): described as including more humanities and social science courses than the B.S. and intended for those interested in teaching, medicine, or other fields needing a basic understanding of chemical processes. The college says students planning graduate study in chemistry will be better prepared by the B.S.
• You choose the major when you apply (College of Chemistry): the college’s admission page says that when you apply to the College of Chemistry as a Chemistry, Chemical Biology or Chemical Engineering major, you are officially declaring your major and are expected to enroll in courses for it starting in the fall of freshman year; the schedule has room for humanities and social science electives, but you follow the basic program in chemistry, mathematics and physics. It says admission to the College of Chemistry is as competitive as admission to L&S, and that if you are unsure what to study you may prefer to apply to L&S and explore first. The college has about 1,000 undergraduates.
• Declaring the B.A. (L&S Chemistry B.A. page): to declare you need Math 51 and 52, Physics 7A, Chem 4A and 4B, Math 53 and Chem 12A completed, then submit the declaration form and contact the Chemistry B.A. adviser. B.A. students are assigned an adviser in the College of Chemistry and can use its undergraduate student services (peer tutoring, peer advising, Chemistry Scholars and the career counselor).
• Changing into the College of Chemistry (college’s change-of-college page): students who entered other Berkeley colleges (L&S, Engineering, Natural Resources and so on) as freshmen may apply to move after completing the required courses, by the end of the 4th semester. For Chemistry or Chemical Biology you need a grade of B or better in Chem 4A and 4B (Chem 1A/L and 1B may be substituted, but then Chem 105 is required as a junior or senior), Chem 12A (Chem 3A/3AL may be substituted), Physics 7A (or 8A for Chemical Biology only), Math 51 and 52, and Reading & Composition Parts A and B. The page says meeting these criteria does not guarantee entry and applying without the minimum grades may result in automatic denial. A monthly workshop is held in fall and spring and must be attended before booking an individual appointment. The page also says that, because of over-enrollment, the college no longer accepts simultaneous-degree petitions from non-College of Chemistry students admitted in fall 2025 or later (to be re-evaluated in spring 2028), and that students who enter as junior transfers are generally ineligible to change into the college.
• Staying in the major (minimum academic requirements page): C- or higher in Chem 4A before taking 4B, in 4B before more advanced courses and in 12A before 12B; a GPA of at least 2.0 in all courses taken in the college to advance to and continue in the upper division; and, for chemistry or chemical biology majors, at least 2.0 in upper-division courses taken for the major. Normal progress is 30 units per year and a class schedule of at least 13 units a term; falling below a 2.0 for a term or overall puts a student on academic notice and subject to disqualification from the University.
• B.S. Chemistry course structure: lower division is Chem 4A/4B and 12A/12B, Math 51, 52, 53 and 54 (Physics 89 may substitute for Math 54; Math 10A+10B for 51+52) and Physics 7A and 7B (5A+5B/L may substitute). Upper division is Chem 104A, 104B, 120A and 120B plus laboratories: for fall 2026 admits and later, one physical chemistry lab (105, 125 or C182) and one synthetic chemistry lab (108, 115 or 146); for fall 2025 admits and earlier, 125 (or C182) and one of 105, 108, 115 or 146; students who did not take Chem 4B need both 105 and 125 (or C182). Another 12 units of upper-division chemistry and allied subjects are required, with no more than 4 units of research (192, H194, 196) counted. The degree needs at least 120 units and a 2.0 GPA in all UC courses, a 15-unit humanities and social sciences breadth requirement (including Reading & Composition A and B at C- or better and American Cultures) and a senior residence rule (after 90 units, at least 24 more units in residence in the College of Chemistry across at least two semesters).
• B.S. Chemical Biology course structure: the lower division resembles the chemistry major with Biology 1A and 1AL added; the upper division includes Chem 103, 135 and 120A/120B, Molecular & Cell Biology 110 and the biochemistry lab Chem C110L (or MCB 170L). The page says Chemical Biology majors may not replace Chem 135 with MCB 102 or MCB 100B.
• Thesis, internship year and accreditation: the college pages read do not require a thesis for the B.S. in Chemistry (a thesis belongs to the honors option, below). They do not say whether the degree is accredited by the American Chemical Society, and they describe no internship year; this is not published there, so ask the college. The undergraduate research page says the college has established off-campus internship opportunities with industry partners, arranged through the career counselor.
• Where graduates go (“Chemistry as a Profession” page): the page says holders of a B.A. or B.S. in chemistry or a B.S. in chemical biology may find research or technical positions in industries such as oil, chemical, food processing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and mining, and roles in sales, plant development and quality control; it says the B.A. in chemistry or B.S. in chemical biology is particularly useful for those interested in medicine and medical research, and that a higher degree is essential for those who want chemistry research as a primary occupation. It prints no employment rate or salary figures, which are not published there.

2. Prerequisites, AP/IB credit and first-year courses

• High school (college’s admission page): students preparing for Chemistry, Chemical Biology or Chemical Engineering should include in their high school program chemistry (one year minimum; AP Chemistry strongly recommended or required if offered by the school), physics (one year), mathematics (four years, preferably ending with introductory calculus) and a foreign language (two or three years). This is the college’s advice; the campus-wide requirement for every applicant is the UC A-G subject pattern (see sections 4 and 5).
• First-year courses (suggested B.S. Chemistry sequence): fall of the first year is Chem 4A (5 units), Math 51 (4), Reading & Composition A (4) and a 1-unit freshman seminar; spring is Chem 4B (5), Math 52 (4), Physics 7A (4) and Reading & Composition B (4). The second year is organic chemistry Chem 12A/12B, Chem 96 (introduction to research), Math 53/54 and Physics 7B. The first year for Chemical Biology is the same. The page notes that most College of Chemistry students arrive with exam or transfer credit, so unit totals may differ from 120.
• AP/IB/A-Level credit: the L&S Chemistry B.A. page states: “We do not accept Chem AP credit”, while Math 51, 52 and Physics 7A can be satisfied with AP credit. The B.S. pages say AP, A-Level and IB credit cannot be applied to the 12-unit upper-division chemistry and allied subjects requirement, while AP, IB and A-Level exam credit may be used toward the humanities and social sciences breadth requirement and AP scores of 3 or higher toward the foreign language requirement. How AP or IB Chemistry relates to the required B.S. chemistry courses is not stated on the college pages read; ask the college’s undergraduate student services.
• Honors (undergraduate research page): Honors in the Major requires at least two terms of research in the same group, 8 or more units of H194 accumulated over a minimum of two terms, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4, and an honors thesis written for credit in the final term. Enrolling in H194 requires a 3.4 GPA, otherwise you are moved to 196. For the L&S B.A. in Chemistry, honors at graduation requires at least three units of Chem H194 (or another approved advanced course), a GPA of 3.5 or higher in upper-division major courses and at least 3.3 overall at Berkeley.
• Undergraduate research: Chemistry and Chemical Biology majors may do research for credit under a faculty member, and the college encourages students planning graduate study to start by junior or senior year or earlier. Credit is through Chem H194 or 196 (at most 6 units per term including summer; 1 unit is 3 hours a week in fall and spring), with enrollment by the add/drop deadline (Wednesday of the fourth week). Berkeley students from other colleges can also earn credit with College of Chemistry faculty. Summer research credit and the college’s summer research stipend cannot be received in the same summer.
• Competitions: the college and admissions pages read do not say how chemistry olympiad or similar results are viewed in admission; this is not published there.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• No early admission (admissions “Dates and Deadlines” page; it prints no year, so check it applies to fall 2027 entry): Berkeley does not offer early admission or early decision. The UC dates page for the 2026–27 cycle, which covers fall 2027 entry, shows the application opening August 1 and a filing period of October 1 to November 30; the Berkeley page gives November 30 as the deadline and says receipt is confirmed by early December. First-year decisions are posted at the end of March (the UC page says March 1–31, with some campuses earlier), the deadline to accept is May 1, final transcripts are due by July 1 and official AP and IB results by July 15. Berkeley may also admit some students from the waitlist to start in January.
• Platform and fee: the single University of California application. The UC page for international applicants says the fee is $95 per campus ($80 may apply to international students enrolled in a US institution); the domestic fee is not given on the pages read, so check the UC website.
• Essays: the UC Personal Insight Questions: 8 prompts, of which you answer 4, each up to 350 words.
• Recommendations: UC’s international applicant page says not to submit letters of recommendation with the application, though some campuses or majors may request them in a supplemental review, so watch for email from the campus. The Berkeley admissions pages read do not describe letter arrangements; check the Berkeley admissions website.
• Testing: Berkeley states it is “test-free”: SAT/ACT scores are not used in any part of the application process; any scores submitted are used only for placement or subject credit after admission. Other non-required exam results (AP, IB and so on), grades and course rigor are still assessed.
• Interviews: Berkeley offers no alumni or admissions officer interviews; international applicants may optionally submit InitialView materials by November 30, which cannot replace a required English score.
• How applications are reviewed: holistic review with no pre-assigned weights. Academic factors include weighted and unweighted UC GPA from 10th and 11th grade UC-approved courses, planned 12th grade courses, the pattern of grades, the number of college-preparatory, AP, IB, honors and transferable college courses, and achievement relative to other UC applicants at your school; the review also looks at personal qualities, likely contributions to the campus, academic enrichment programs and other achievements.
• Difference between the college page and the admissions office: the College of Chemistry admission page says the filing period is November 1–30 for the fall semester of the following year, while the admissions office and UC pages say October 1 to November 30; check the application site. The college page also says applicants must meet UC’s minimum eligibility requirements and that the college admits students as beginning freshmen or in advanced standing at the junior level.

4. US domestic applicants

• Minimum requirements (admissions first-year page): complete the A-G subject courses and earn a 3.0 GPA in A-G courses taken in 10th and 11th grade (3.4 for non-residents). The page adds that because Berkeley is competitive, meeting the minimums is often not enough to be selected.
• Residents and non-residents (UC out-of-state page): non-residents meet the same requirements as residents except for a 3.4 minimum GPA in the A-G courses with no grade below C; honors weight is given for AP or IB courses only, not school-designated honors courses; and “As a public institution, we prioritize admission for California residents. However, all of our campuses offer admission to out-of-state students.”
• 2026-27 fees (Registrar fee schedule, per semester, 2026-27 cohort, new student): $11,890 for California residents and $31,525 for nonresidents. The pieces are tuition $7,101, Student Services Fee $693, Berkeley Campus Fee $936, Transit Fee $236, Instructional Resilience & Enhancement Fee $141, Health Insurance Fee $2,533 and a $250 document management fee for new students, with an additional Nonresident Supplemental Tuition of $19,635. The admissions cost page separately prints 2026-27 estimates: tuition and fees of $18,214 (it does not say for which residency), living expenses of $23,640 in a residence hall or $20,500 in an on-campus apartment, and a Student Health Insurance Plan cost of $5,066.
• Aid: the cost page says more than $1 billion in financial aid is awarded annually, 38% of students pay nothing out of pocket for tuition because of grants and scholarships, and around two-thirds receive some form of aid. Federal, state and need-based university aid goes only to US citizens, eligible non-citizens and AB 540 eligible students (financial aid office page).

5. International applicants (including those from China)

• Basic requirements (admissions international page): finish secondary school and earn a certificate of completion that allows admission to a university in your home country or country of graduation. If your curriculum requires further certification (French Baccalaureate, IGCSE, A Levels, ATAR and so on), you must submit those results as part of the official record once admitted. Students who have only completed IGCSE or O-level have not yet met the requirements and need further study: the two-year A-level program with at least three academic exams, the IB diploma, or a similar curriculum. Students from countries with required military service should not apply until it is met; Berkeley will not guarantee deferred admission.
• Entering records: do not convert your grades; fill in the educational history exactly as on your school records and choose your school’s grade scale. There is no pre-approved course list outside California. UC’s international applicant page asks for 15 year-long academic courses with a 3.4 GPA: 2 years of history (your country’s history in place of US history), 4 years of composition and literature in the language of instruction, 3 years of college-preparatory mathematics, 2 years of college-preparatory science (covering two of biology, chemistry and physics), 2 years of a second language, 1 year of visual and performing arts and 1 additional course, plus any country-specific requirements and English proficiency.
• English proficiency: Berkeley’s international page lists these ways to demonstrate it, to be satisfied by January 31: TOEFL minimum 90 / 4.5, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115; AP English Language or Literature 3–5; IB Standard Level English (Language A only) 6 or 7, or Higher Level 5–7; ACT English Language Arts 24 or higher; SAT Writing and Language 31 or higher; or three or more years of English as the language of instruction (mixed instruction languages do not count). Scores must be valid for two years from the enrollment date; the ETS code is 4833. The UC English proficiency page reads differently: TOEFL iBT minimum 4.5 from January 2026 and 80 before that, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, with the exam completed by December of your final year of secondary school. Berkeley’s page says 90 / 4.5 for the TOEFL and January 31, so the two pages differ; check the application site. UC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake or TOEFL MyBest, and the digital SAT Reading and Writing section score has not been approved to show English proficiency.
• Credentials and transcripts: you self-report academic records when applying and do not submit transcripts; if admitted, each institution must send an official academic record listing dates attended, course and examination titles, grades and credits (UC international applicant page). The pages read describe no required third-party credential evaluation; this is not published there.
• Funds and visa: the Berkeley International Office handles visa and funding documentation after admission. You must prove sufficient funds for all expenses and explain the source; admitted students complete a Non-immigrant Information Form, and a financial sponsor’s guarantee of first-year funds is required before the office issues the visa document.
• Scholarships: the financial aid office says international students are ineligible for federal, state and need-based university aid and suggests researching private scholarships in the US and home country and asking the department of interest about awards for incoming students. A second page says the university has scholarships for undergraduate international students that need no separate application, with all admitted undergraduate international students considered automatically: the Regents’ & Chancellor’s Scholarship; the Robinson International Scholars Program (for refugees or stateless students from Sub-Saharan Africa and developing nations as defined by the United Nations, or graduates of secondary schools there, with a need-based scholarship of up to four years); and the International Leaders Scholarship (need-based, up to four years, with priority consideration for students of Peruvian residence).
• International students on a visa cannot be classified as California residents for tuition purposes (admissions international page).

6. Applicants from China

• UC’s “additional information by country” page treats China in three cases. If you follow the IGCSE/GCSE/GCE curriculum, you must complete at least 5 IGCSE/GCSE/GCE O-Levels and at least 3 academic GCE A-Level exams, reported on the International Exams page of the application. If you follow the Chinese national curriculum, list all courses and marks from grade 9 through grade 12 exactly as on your official records, and be prepared to submit your upper middle school graduation certificate and official lower and upper middle school academic records (grades 9–12) if admitted. IB students follow separate instructions (report grades exactly as on the transcript and the IBO exam report; enter predicted scores if your school releases them).
• Whether the Gaokao is used: the Berkeley and UC pages read do not mention how the Gaokao is used; this is not published there, so ask the Berkeley admissions office.
• Huikao records: the pages read do not specifically address the huikao (high school proficiency exams); this is not published there.
• English, funds and scholarships are covered above.

7. Transfer applicants

• Who counts as a transfer applicant: anyone who has completed coursework in a regular session (fall, winter, spring) at a college or university after high school; the summer session immediately after graduation does not count. Berkeley accepts transfer applications for the fall term only. California community college applicants have priority, but applicants from other institutions are also accepted.
• Unit limits (admissions transfer page): up to 70 semester (105 quarter) units are granted for lower-division coursework at any institution or combination; AP, IB and A-Level units are not counted in this limit. Applicants whose transferable units exceed 80 semester units (89 for Engineering) are ineligible; coursework completed entirely at two-year community colleges would not normally run into the excess-unit problem.
• International transfer students: same requirements as other transfers, with no TOEFL or IELTS required because English proficiency is satisfied by the UC 7-course pattern. Your institution must be recognized by your country’s Ministry of Education or a US regional accreditor, and courses must be university-level, comparable to a US associate’s or bachelor’s program. UC’s international applicant page adds that it does not accept English composition courses from international universities where English is not the language of instruction toward the two English composition courses. All post-secondary coursework must be reported on the application.
• Deadlines (admissions dates page; it prints no year, so check): transfer applications are also filed October 1 to November 30; the Transfer Application Update has a January 31 priority deadline; transfer decisions are posted at the end of April; the deadline to accept an offer is June 1.
• College of Chemistry (B.S. Chemistry, B.S. Chemical Biology): the admissions “by college” page requires Reading & Composition completed before admission, at least 60 UC-transferable semester units (90 quarter units), the major preparation courses advised on ASSIST, and a UC-transferable GPA of at least 3.0 by the end of the fall term when the application is submitted; completing additional major prerequisites is strongly encouraged. The college’s admission page lists the transfer prerequisites for Chemistry and Chemical Biology: Chemistry 1A-1AL-1B and 3A-3AL-3B-3BL, Math 51-52-53, Physics 7A (7A or 8A for Chemical Biology), English R1A-R1B, and for Chemical Biology also Biology 1A-1AL; Math 54 and Physics 7B (8B for Chemical Biology) are encouraged. A year of organic chemistry with lab and grades of B or better satisfies Berkeley’s Chem 12A-12B; IGETC/Cal-GETC is not required, though when completed before transfer it satisfies the Reading and Composition requirement. The college says transfer applicants need grades of B or A in math and science courses, and that coursework taken the summer before enrollment is not considered in selection. Up to 70 UC-transferable semester units may be transferred from a community college.
• Junior-year course plan (chemistry transfer program page): transfer students normally begin the upper-division chemistry program after completing the equivalents of Chemistry 1A, 1AL, 1B, 3A, 3AL, 3B and 3BL; Math 51, 52 and 53; Physics 7A; English R1A and R1B; and most of the breadth requirement. Math 54 and Physics 7B are prerequisites for the Chem 120 series (Physics 89 can substitute for Math 54), so students who did not complete them before transferring take them at Berkeley.
• L&S B.A. in Chemistry: L&S transfer requirements are the UC 7-course pattern, at least 60 transferable semester units, the major preparation courses on ASSIST, and a transferable GPA of at least 3.0 by the end of the fall term when the application is submitted. The admissions office states that effective fall 2027 all transfer students offered admission to L&S are admitted directly into the major selected on the application, and the L&S Chemistry B.A. page likewise says that from fall 2027 transfer students who select the Chemistry B.A. will be automatically declared, with any missing preparation courses taken in the first semester. However, the admissions office’s L&S direct-admission page lists 30 participating majors and Chemistry is not among them; check with the admissions office or the college which applies.
• Second bachelor’s degrees: the admissions office says the colleges do not accept second bachelor’s degrees except the College of Chemistry’s Chemistry and Chemical Biology majors. The college’s page requires a prior degree with an overall GPA of at least 3.3, completed lower-division requirements for the proposed major with excellent grades, and a demonstrated need for the new major; it says the college admits very few such students each year.

8. Costs, scholarships and career information

• Costs and aid are in section 4; funds documentation for international students is in section 5.
• Department scholarships: the College of Chemistry’s undergraduate student services menu lists an “Awards & Grants” section whose content was not read here; the research page mentions a college summer research stipend without an amount, which is not published there.
• Career data: the college prints only the industries and graduate-study paths quoted in section 1, with no employment rate or salary figures; these are not published there. The career counselor is booked through Handshake.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Submit the UC application by November 30 and choose Chemistry or Chemical Biology in the College of Chemistry (applying is declaring), or L&S for the B.A. in Chemistry; answer 4 Personal Insight Questions; no SAT/ACT is needed
• High school preparation: at least a year of chemistry (AP Chemistry if offered), a year of physics, four years of math and two or three years of a foreign language; start with Chem 4A/4B, Math 51/52 and Physics 7A and keep C- or better in Chem 4A, 4B and 12A

International applicants (including those from China):

• Meet the A-G-equivalent course pattern and country-specific rules, show English proficiency (TOEFL 90 / 4.5 on Berkeley’s page and 80 before 2026 on UC’s page, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, among other options); enter grades exactly as on your transcript
• No need-based aid is available, so prepare funds documentation; ask admissions whether the Gaokao is used

Transfer applicants:

• Apply by November 30; the College of Chemistry asks for Chem 1A-1B and 3A-3B with labs, Math 51-53, Physics 7A, Reading & Composition and a transferable GPA of at least 3.0
• The L&S B.A. in Chemistry needs the 7-course pattern and a 3.0 GPA; confirm with the admissions office whether Chemistry is on the direct-admission list

Sources: UC Berkeley and the University of California, Chemistry: undergraduate degrees; Chemistry: B.S. in Chemistry; Chemistry: B.A. in Chemistry; Chemistry: B.S. in Chemical Biology; Chemistry: Materials Chemistry concentration; Chemistry: lower division courses; Chemistry: upper division courses; Chemistry: minimum academic requirements; Chemistry: degree requirements; Chemistry as a profession; Chemistry: transfer program; College of Chemistry: prospective undergraduates; College of Chemistry: admission; College of Chemistry: change of college; College of Chemistry: other enrollment options; College of Chemistry: undergraduate research; Admissions: first-year applicants; Admissions: first-year policies; Admissions: international students; Admissions: dates and deadlines; Admissions: transfer students; Admissions: transfer information by college; Admissions: majors; L&S direct admission to major (transfer); L&S high-demand major policy; Admissions: cost; Registrar: 2026-27 fee schedule; Financial aid: international students; Financial aid: international scholarships; UC: international applicants; UC: additional information by country; UC: English language proficiency; UC: out-of-state students; UC: personal insight questions; UC: first-year dates. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 rates; the Berkeley dates page prints no year, so check). Check UC Berkeley for the latest details.