The most competitive business transfer program in the UC system. Based on official Haas admissions data, 10 years of historical trends, and real admitted student profiles. Everything a California community college student needs to transfer into Berkeley Haas.
4.9%
Transfer Admit Rate (2025-26)
3.99
Average Admit GPA
118
Admits per Year
2,413
Transfer Applicants
~2/3
Ruled Ineligible
Jan 31
Supplemental Deadline
Location
Berkeley, CA
Bay Area, upper campus
Program Length
2 Years
Upper-division only (jr/sr)
Min GPA
3.0 (official)
Competitive: 3.9+ (median 3.99)
TAG Available?
No TAG at Berkeley
Direct admit only
Class Size
114 Transfers
Fall 2025 enrolled
Admission Data
Applications have grown 26% over the past decade while admit counts have stayed essentially flat. Haas is one of the few transfer programs where the admit rate has actually declined over time.
| Academic Year | Applied | Admitted | Enrolled (SIR) | Admit Rate | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 1,917 | 107 | 100 | 5.6% | 93% |
| 2017-18 | 1,839 | 106 | 97 | 5.8% | 92% |
| 2018-19 | 1,920 | 104 | 92 | 5.4% | 88% |
| 2019-20 | 1,862 | 107 | 100 | 5.7% | 93% |
| 2020-21 | 2,004 | 107 | 99 | 5.3% | 93% |
| 2021-22 | 2,549 | 111 | 100 | 4.4% | 90% |
| 2022-23 | 2,424 | 111 | 101 | 4.6% | 91% |
| 2023-24 | 2,390 | 118 | 104 | 4.9% | 88% |
| 2024-25 | 2,493 | 118 | 110 | 4.7% | 93% |
| 2025-26 | 2,413 | 118 | 114 | 4.9% | 97% |
The Hidden Reality
The true selectivity of Haas is masked by a brutal pre-review filter. Roughly two-thirds of transfer applicants are ruled ineligible before a human admissions officer ever opens their essay - almost always for a preventable prerequisite mistake.
~2/3
of Haas transfer applicants are ruled ineligible before review. Per independent UC admissions consultant Lindy King (CA College Transfer), "approximately two-thirds of transfer applicants are ineligible right out the gate. Of the remaining one-third, about 18% are accepted."
Haas's own outreach materials confirm this: "Every year a significant number of our transfer applicants are denied because they fail to show planned completion of these requirements." Haas publishes this warning in its Envision Haas outreach deck every cycle.
What this means mathematically: If Haas receives 2,400 applications, only ~800 are actually evaluated. Of those 800 eligible apps, 118 are admitted - a roughly 15% admit rate among the truly competitive pool. The 4.9% headline rate hides that the effective rate for a well-prepared applicant is closer to 15%.
Haas requires 100% of admission prerequisites complete by end of spring before transfer. Missing even one course = automatic ineligibility.
All prerequisites must be taken for a letter grade. P/NP (Pass/No Pass) grades automatically disqualify you from Haas, even if you got an A-equivalent.
Haas uses your FIRST attempt grade for any prerequisite. Repeating courses to raise your grade backfires specifically at Haas.
A common devastating mistake: students assume all CC courses with similar titles articulate to Haas. They don't. You must verify every course on ASSIST.org for your specific CC.
Missing the January 31 Haas Supplemental deadline = automatic denial. The 2016 timezone-glitch rejections are legendary (MAP@Berkeley closed at 9pm PST instead of 11:59pm). Don't submit in the final hour.
Haas requires a minimum 3.0 UC-transferable GPA. Below that = automatic ineligibility. In the 2023-24 cycle, only 1 of 734 sub-3.0 applicants was admitted.
The GPA Truth
The "minimum 3.0 GPA" is misleading marketing. Real admit data shows Haas is effectively a 3.8+ GPA school. 82% of all admits in the 2023-24 cycle came from a single GPA band: 3.8-4.00.
| UC-Transferable GPA | Applied | Admitted | Admit Rate | % of All Admits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 - 2.999 | 734 | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 3.0 - 3.199 | 489 | 3 | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| 3.2 - 3.399 | 692 | 5 | 0.7% | 1.4% |
| 3.4 - 3.599 | 1,059 | 12 | 1.1% | 3.4% |
| 3.6 - 3.799 | 1,455 | 39 | 2.7% | 11.2% |
| 3.8 - 4.00 | 2,587 | 288 | 11.1% | 82.8% |
Course Planning
Six courses, all with C- or higher, all within 5 years, all letter grades (no P/NP), all complete by end of spring before transfer. Missing even one = automatic ineligibility. This is non-negotiable.
UC Berkeley equivalent: UGBA 10
UC Berkeley equivalent: ECON 1 (combined) or ECON 1 + ECON 2
UC Berkeley equivalent: STAT 20/21, DATA C8, or UGBA 10+88
UC Berkeley equivalent: MATH 16A + 16B, or MATH 1A + 1B
UC Berkeley equivalent: English R1A
UC Berkeley equivalent: English R1B
The Cultural Rubric
Haas carved these into the faculty building walls. 91% of alumni are aware of them; 93% report using them in daily life. They are the primary cultural screen in admissions. Your supplemental essay, PIQs, and video interview must authentically embody them.
01
"We thrive at the epicenter of innovation. We make progress by speaking our minds even when it challenges convention."
How to demonstrate it: A time you challenged conventional wisdom with data, took an intelligent risk after analyzing downside, or improved a process at work/club/school. The key word is "strategically" - rebellion without analysis doesn't count.
02
"We make decisions based on evidence and analysis, giving us the confidence to act with humility."
How to demonstrate it: Ground claims in evidence, credit your team, admit a time you were wrong or learned from someone junior. Haas specifically rejects swagger. Essays showing "paper prestige" bragging get rejected.
03
"We actively seek out diverse perspectives as part of our lifelong pursuit of personal and intellectual growth."
How to demonstrate it: Curiosity-driven behavior (books, podcasts, self-taught skills), learning from failures, active listening. Don't portray yourself as a finished product.
04
"We shape our world by leading ethically and responsibly."
How to demonstrate it: Concrete sustained community impact, ethical decisions where you sacrificed personal gain, social or environmental themes in your career goals. One-time volunteering reads as performative.
The High-Stakes Supplement
Accessed through MAP@Berkeley in early January, due January 31 at 11:59 PM PST. Missing this deadline = automatic denial. The supplemental has four components: self-reported academic record, one essay, an optional activities update, and a video interview.
Component 1
Complete list of every course you've taken with grades. Haas will verify a random sample - misrepresentation = cancellation of your entire Berkeley application. Record the FIRST attempt of any repeated prereq. Winter/spring 2026 grades go here as "IP" (in progress) or "PL" (planned).
Component 2 - 350 Words
"At Haas, we do things differently...How will you put the collective good above personal interests?" A constrained variant of Haas's perennial essay - narrowed to force a collective-good framing, not a personal-goals framing. Applicants who write about personal ambition without a service/impact orientation are the most common rejections at the essay stage.
Component 3 - Required
Not live - you record answers. Photo ID visible at start, 90 seconds prep per question, 6 minutes total recording time, up to 3 attempts (most recent is submitted). You may use notes but NEVER read from a script. Chrome or Safari only. Budget ~1.5 min per question. Watch the official Haas interview information video beforehand - questions come directly from it.
Component 4 - "Optional"
Technically optional but competitive applicants never click "I do not have anything to report." Use it to showcase December-January achievements after the UC app was submitted, or expand on UC Activities entries that were space-limited. Frame bullets through the DLP lens.
Name specific UGBA courses (UGBA 103 Finance, UGBA 106 Marketing), centers (Berkeley Haas Sustainability Program, Centers for Equity Gender & Leadership), clubs, or faculty. Generic "because it's prestigious" gets rejected.
A specific story that reveals character. One moment, deeply told, beats three stories briefly mentioned. Show, don't tell.
Weave at least one or two principles naturally through your story. Don't list them explicitly - embody them.
Concrete future plans. Specific clubs you'd join. How your career goal creates collective good. This is the hardest part - vague "make an impact" language sinks essays.
UC Application
Transfers answer 1 mandatory PIQ plus 3 of 7 optional prompts, each capped at 350 words. The mandatory major-prep PIQ is the single highest-leverage essay for Haas applicants because Haas weights coursework heavily.
Strong responses open with a specific moment that sharpened your business focus, walk through completed prerequisites with skills built (not a laundry list), name specific upper-division Haas courses you're ready for (UGBA 103 Finance, UGBA 106 Marketing, UGBA 104 Analytics), mention relevant internships/clubs/case competitions, and weave in at least one DLP.
Gold-highlighted PIQs are the ones most recommended for Haas applicants specifically.
Direct Confidence Without Attitude showcase. Positively influenced others or resolved disputes.
Direct Question the Status Quo showcase - if you have an innovation or problem-solving story.
How you've developed it. Works if your skill is business-adjacent; otherwise skip.
Strong if you're first-gen, low-income, or non-traditional. Frame CCC path as strategy.
Works if the story reveals character growth. Strong for Students Always principle.
Excluded for transfers - covered by required major-prep prompt.
Direct Beyond Yourself showcase. Concrete sustained impact on a specific community.
Catch-all if other prompts don't capture your story.
What Gets You Rejected
Based on Haas outreach materials, admissions consultant patterns, and College Confidential trends. The typical Haas rejection isn't a close decision - it's a preventable one.
01
~2/3 of applicants ruled ineligible before review. Prereqs older than 5 years must be retaken.
02
Automatic ineligibility. No exceptions.
03
Haas counts the first attempt. D to A retake = still a D for Haas.
04
Thinking it's UGBA 102A - it isn't. This is a common and devastating error.
05
Not possible for transfers. Haas is direct admit only.
06
Haas does not receive UC's TAU updates. You must file a separate Haas Transfer Update for any spring schedule changes.
07
The 2016 timezone-glitch rejections are legendary. Submit days early.
08
In the major-prep PIQ, treating Econ and Business as the same is a known rejection signal.
09
Without referencing specific UGBA courses, centers, faculty, or clubs. Read the Haas website deeply.
10
Violates Confidence Without Attitude. The #1 tone-based rejection. Brag humbly or not at all.
11
Officially prohibited. Admissions can spot it immediately. Use bullet-point notes only.
12
Applications that don't reference or embody any of the DLPs are dead on arrival.
Key Dates
Missing a single deadline can cost you an entire year. Haas has a unique two-phase application process with the Haas Supplemental adding a second hard deadline beyond the UC application.
August 1
Begin drafting PIQs and the required major-prep prompt. You can save progress until November.
October 1 - November 30
Submit UC application with Berkeley selected and Business Administration as major. Aim for early November. Do not wait until the 30th.
Early January
You receive an email from Berkeley's Office of Undergraduate Admissions with MAP@Berkeley login info. The Haas Supplemental becomes available.
January 31 - 11:59 PM PST
Hard deadline for all four supplemental components. Missing this = automatic denial. Also TAU priority deadline. Submit days early to avoid timezone issues.
Mid-March
Haas does NOT pull your TAU updates. If your spring schedule changes after January 31, you must file a separate Haas Transfer Update via MAP@Berkeley.
March 2
FAFSA/CADAA must be filed by this date. Missing this forfeits Cal Grant, Middle Class Scholarship, and Blue and Gold.
Late April
Haas releases transfer admission decisions. ~118 admits of ~2,400 applicants.
June 1
Statement of Intent to Register due with $250 deposit. Also housing application deadline. Select "any room size, any location" to preserve the transfer housing guarantee.
End of Spring
100% of Haas prereqs must be done by end of spring 2026 with letter grades. Summer courses after this point do NOT count.
July-August
Two 6-week, 3-unit courses before fall, with weekly guest-speaker workshops. Transfer integration tool. ~$5,000 cost.
What Admits Actually Look Like
Beyond the 3.9+ GPA floor, admitted Haas transfers share a consistent profile. Here's what we've observed from College Confidential admitted student reports and Pacific Admissions Group case studies.
IGETC complete, 97 units, three associate degrees (Math, Business Admin, Business), manager at a small business 3-4 years, MESA, Alpha Beta Gamma business honor society, photography business for ethnic events, Indian American Heritage Club president. Accepted to UCSD, UCD, UCI, UCB.
IGETC complete, 80 units, T5 research assistant (6 months), Student Government Finance Committee, co-founded and led largest campus business club running Big 4/national finance recruiting events, Real Estate Group intern (top 1.5%), VC intern, Big 4 intern with return offer.
3.93 UC GPA, 4.0 major GPA, 26 years old, Financial Data Manager at Ericsson for AT&T client, security supervisor at HP/Applied Materials/Varian, Phi Theta Kappa, English tutor, SPMP mentee, DSS note-taker, multiple merit scholarships.
Diablo Valley College is the #1 documented Haas feeder. In 2013, 22 DVC students were admitted to Haas - representing 24% of the entire admit class that year. DVC business professor Carolyn Seefer noted admits "all excelled in their business courses, and almost all of them are members of one or both business clubs (Enactus and Phi Beta Lambda), several serving as officers."
Other strong feeders: De Anza, Santa Monica College, Pasadena City College, Berkeley City College, Foothill, CCSF, Los Medanos. Haas does not publish admits by CC, but club leadership at Phi Beta Lambda or Enactus shows up in nearly every admit profile.
Paying for Berkeley
2025-26 cost of attendance: ~$47,289 for CA residents, ~$79,177 for nonresidents. But 38% of Berkeley students pay nothing out of pocket for tuition. Average gift aid exceeds $27,500. UC Berkeley awards over $1 billion in financial aid annually.
$15,978+
Covers 100% of tuition and fees for CA residents with family income under $100,000, assets under $500K. Two years for transfers. Automatic with FAFSA/CADAA.
Varies
A covers tuition (2.40 GPA min). B adds living stipend for low-income students. Can be reserved up to 2 years at CCC. FAFSA + Cal Grant GPA Form by March 2.
Varies
Supplements aid for families up to ~$217K income on sliding scale. Two years for transfers.
Included
Berkeley now guarantees one year of on-campus housing for incoming transfers starting 2026-27, matching UCLA. Helen Diller Anchor House is the flagship transfer residence (772 beds, 2024).
$1B+
Berkeley awards over $1 billion in financial aid annually. ~two-thirds of students receive some aid.
Free
Covers full tuition for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes across all UC campuses.
Pacific + Haas
Our team has placed students into Berkeley Haas - one of the most selective transfer programs in the country. Here is what we bring to your Haas transfer application.
Detailed audit of your current coursework against Haas prereqs using ASSIST.org articulation. We catch the mistakes that rule two-thirds of applicants ineligible before they're even reviewed.
We audit your story, experiences, and activities for authentic DLP alignment. We help you find the moments that genuinely embody Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself.
Multiple drafts of the 350-word Haas essay with a service/collective-good framing. We help you avoid the "personal ambition" trap that sinks most first drafts and craft an essay that stands out from 2,400 applications.
Mock video interviews using the actual Haas question bank. Recording review, body language coaching, script-avoidance strategy, and practice with the 90-second prep window.
Coordinated narrative across the required major-prep PIQ and three optional PIQs, designed to complement (not duplicate) your Haas supplemental essay.
Strategy for building the Haas-style profile: business club officer roles, case competitions, internships, and community service that demonstrate all four DLPs by application time.