University of California

The University of California (UC) is an intellectual powerhouse, home to more than 174,000 students and comprising several undergraduate campuses across the entire state: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and San Diego. The UC system is recognised as the foremost public research institution in the world and is one of the most popular destinations for King's students.

Pre-Application Briefing
To be considered for UC, King's students are required to access this information either in person or online. This briefing will take place during Go Global, and students can access the briefing online via our internal pages.

Eligibility for King's studentsStudents in their second, third or final year, should ensure that they have a 60% average by the point of application, as per UC's admission requirements. All students must also meet their departments’ academic requirements to obtain final departmental approval to study abroad (it is usually at least a 60% average prior to departure, however this can vary amongst departments). Students should double check with their Study Abroad Tutor if they are unsure of their academic requirements.

For students in the Bioscience department: A Level Maths (or equivalent) is required prior to applying internally to King's. Good grades in A-level Maths (grade of C or above) and in Higher Level IB Mathematics diploma (grade of 5 or above) have been used in the past to document the calculus prerequisite*. UC have also considered Standard Level IB Mathematics (grade of 6 or above) in the past, but final admission is determined by the UC campus applied for.

*Knowledge of Calculus would include:

Calculus of one variable; derivatives, definite integrals and applications, maxima and minima, and applications of the exponential and logarithmic functions. Differential equations. Functions of many variables. Partial derivatives, constrained and unconstrained optimization.

King’s students that wish to study abroad at this institution should check the ‘Undergraduate options by department' page to see if this institution is indeed an option for them.

Campus selection

Students don't apply individually to specific campuses, but apply to UC as a whole. UC requires all exchange students to choose three campuses where their "major" (i.e.their primary subject, for instance Film Studies or Biochemistry) is taught. The central exchanges office at UC will then select which campus students attend. To see where your major is offered, please click here.

Any student wishing to apply should therefore be open to going to ANY of the California campuses, not just one or two. On acceptance, individual campuses will then write to exchange students with further information, and some may write sooner than others.

Subject-specific information

King's students from the department of Bioscience Education applying for UC will be expected to have Mathematics A-level/International Baccalaureate Higher Level Mathematics, as Calculus is a core pre-requisite for study of science at UC. UC have also considered Standard Level IB Mathematics (grade of 6 or above) in the past, but final admission is determined by the UC campus applied for.

BSc Economics & Management students are also required to have Calculus knowledge, as it is a core pre-requisite. This is satisfied by taking the modules 'Mathematics for Economists' and 'Statistics for Economists' at King's in first year.
Students studying Film should be aware that production classes are in high demand and are therefore not guaranteed at UC.
BSc Politics/ BSc Political Economy students will not be able to take the required macroeconomics modules required by King's, at UC, and so should not select UC as an option.
BA Philosophy students are not guaranteed registration on upper division Philosophy modules (equivalent to King's level 5 and 6), particularly at Berkeley, so should be prepared to be flexible with their modules selections there.
Students who have a joint honours should be aware that UC will prioritise your major. Please discuss this with your Study Abroad tutor if it is of concern.

Academic calendar

Please note some campuses operate on quarters and others semesters. Further information can be found here.

Estimated living costs

Please see here for current estimated living costs, but actual expenses may vary depending on student lifestyle. Students should consider that these costs will not include flights and immunizations (mandatory).

A reminder that King's students on exchange are not required to pay tuition fees to the host university, but you may incur administrative and/or orientation fees at the host. There may also be mandatory insurance costs, and transcripts may incur a fee.

Please note that in order to have their visas sponsored for study in the US, students will need to demonstrate sufficient funds prior to arrival (usually in April for Full Year/Semester 1, and October for semester 2). It is imperative that students discuss this with those who will be funding their time abroad as financial documents will be asked of you.

University of California - San Francisco

The UC San Francisco (UCSF) campus is devoted solely to health and biomedical sciences. Its schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, and its graduate division in the biological sciences, all rank among the nation’s top professional programs. UCSF is known for its scientific discoveries, teaching excellence, and patient care. Surrounded by picturesque neighbourhoods, UCSF is adjacent to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. See here for more information about UCSF.

Please note: the University of California San Francisco is a Pharmacy partner only.