Berkeley Global Computing and Data Science Program Enrollment Application

As part of your application to the Berkeley Global Computing and Data Science Program, you may be invited to submit a short video essay in place of a written essay. This video allows us to understand your academic interests, motivation and readiness for study at UC Berkeley. We review your video essay to assess whether the program is a good fit for your goals and to better advise you on courses and opportunities during your semester at Berkeley.

Video Guidelines

• Length: 1-2 minutes
• Format: Simple recording using your phone or computer camera
  • The video will be recorded within the application system during the application process.
  • You will have three attempts to record the video.
• Language: English
• This video will not be used to evaluate your English ability.
• Example prompts (may vary):
  • You will be provided the prompt before you begin recording. The following are examples only. The actual prompt will be provided in the application.
  • What do you think about the future of artificial intelligence?
  • How do you see AI shaping your field of study, your career or society as a whole?

In your video, we encourage you to:

• Introduce yourself and share what draws you to studying computing and data science at Berkeley.
• Reflect on how this program connects to your academic or professional goals.
• Speak authentically and in your own words. We value clarity of thought over production quality. The production quality of your video response will not be considered in any evaluation.

Academic Integrity and Originality

Your video essay must be entirely your own work. While you are welcome to prepare notes, we ask that you do not use AI-generated or prewritten content. This video reflects your genuine thoughts, experiences and goals in your own voice.

Using AI-generated scripts or content undermines the integrity of the admissions process. We take this policy seriously to ensure a fair and equitable evaluation for all applicants.

GPA Requirement: While there is no minimum GPA requirement for this program, the typical admitted student has a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Students must have successfully completed at least one year of undergraduate study to be eligible to apply for this program.

You must upload your complete academic transcripts (official version). Your academic transcript is an official record of all the courses that you have completed, along with your grade or score for each course. Your transcript should be issued in your institution's language of instruction.

• If your institution's language of instruction is not English, you must also upload an official transcript in English or an English translation of your original transcript (usually prepared by a school administrator or agentusually prepared by the school or an official translator). In this case, you will submit two transcripts: one official transcript in the original language of instruction and one English translation.
• If you have attended multiple institutions, please upload a transcript for each institution. Please include English translations for each transcript, if necessary.
• If you have completed a course of study, please upload the corresponding certificate or diploma.
• If you attend(ed) an institution or program where English is the primary language of instruction, please make sure this is apparent on the transcript.

To succeed in the Berkeley Global Computing and Data Science Program, students should have prior coursework (or equivalent experience) in the following areas:

• Data & Statistical Foundations
  Experience with probability, basic inference, data analysis and working with data in a programming environment.
  (Comparable to UC Berkeley's DATA C8 or STAT 20.)
• Programming & Computational Thinking
  Ability to write and understand code, work with basic algorithms and solve problems computationally.
  (Comparable to UC Berkeley's COMPSCI 61A or DATA C88C.)
• Multivariable Calculus
  Understanding of parametric equations and polar coordinates, partial derivatives, multiple integrals and vector calculus concepts.
  (Comparable to UC Berkeley's MATH 53.)
• Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
  Familiarity with vector spaces, matrix algebra and determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, orthogonality, least squares and ordinary differential equations
  (Comparable to UC Berkeley's MATH 54.)
• Intermediate Statistics/Inference
  Understanding of descriptive statistics, maximum likelihood estimation, non-parametric methods, optimality, goodness-of-fit tests, analysis of variance, bootstrap and computer-intensive methods and least squares estimation.
  (Comparable to UC Berkeley's STAT 135.)

Upload a copy of your passport biographical page or government-issued photo identification that shows your full name, photo and birth date.

You must have a passport that is valid for travel to the United States. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements).

After admission to the program, you will be invited to request your Certificate of Eligibility Form I-20 or J-1 DS-2019. In most cases, an I-20/DS-2019 and an F-1/J-1 visa are required to attend this program as an international student. Learn more about applying for your I-20 and student visa. Questions? Email visiting-intl@berkeley.edu.

If your application is selected for further review, you may be invited to complete an online video interview with the program department in order to assess your foundation and interest in the subject matter.