Every year, thousands of international students arrive at the University of California, Berkeley with a plan. Many leave with a different one.
For example, Xuan Su arrived from China with a background in economics and an interest in artificial intelligence. After just one semester at the US’s #1 public university, she had a clearer picture of how the two intersect and where she wanted to make her mark.
That’s the experience the Berkeley Global Access (BGA) program is designed to offer. It sees students from all over the world spending a full academic year or semester alongside full-time Berkeley students. Together, they enjoy the perks of learning at a top-tier research university – world-class facilities, expert faculty, hands-on classes, and more.
Your agenda starts before your arrival with a specially prepared online orientation course that covers the basics like housing, transportation, safety, health insurance, and the course enrollment process. This is the time to answer all of your burning questions. With academic breadth being another UC Berkeley advantage, there’s surely lots to cover.
As a BGA student, you can choose from thousands of credit-bearing courses across disciplines like computer science, humanities, business, and engineering. And since the program allows you to pursue a minimum of 12 units and a maximum of 18 units, you’ll truly build a semester around your interests.
Xuan Su did exactly that, combining business, mathematics and technology into an interdisciplinary schedule that reflects where the finance industry is heading. Machine learning. Data analytics. Multivariable calculus. Artificial intelligence in business. Each course added another piece to the puzzle, revealing how emerging technologies are transforming financial services and challenging her to think beyond traditional economic models.
“UC Berkeley was the bridge between my past studies and my future career,” she says.
UC Berkely is about a half hour drive from San Francisco, which gives you access to the world’s best-known hub for technology, innovation and startups. Source: University of California, Berkeley
The classroom experience plays a major role in helping students connect dots. Small class sizes encourage discussion, while faculty encourage you to apply theory to real-world problems.
Application-driven learning helped Xuan Su strengthen her technical skills and her confidence to tackle complex questions. The best part? Learning never stopped when lectures ended.
UC Berkeley sits at the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, placing students within one of the world’s most influential centers for technology, entrepreneurship and research. This is your chance to grow your network alongside learners from over 119 countries while gaining exposure to the wider Silicon Valley ecosystem.
Beyond your studies, you’ll explore new cultures and activities. Aside from orientation, staff members often host trips to various UC Berkeley facilities and the best parts of Northern California – imagine your version of winding down being touring the oldest Chinatown in the US, hiking the trails of Yosemite National Park or photographing historic Victorian architecture.
The BGA team often hosts immersive trips around local attractions and on campus, allowing you to explore new areas and build friendships. Source: University of California, Berkeley
The BGA program is all about building a stronger foundation for your future self — whether that means securing an internship, pursuing a graduate degree or jumpstarting your career. The program provides personalized coaching sessions and career development workshops designed to take you where you want to go.
After completing the BGA program, Xuan Su secured a finance internship that revolved around applying machine learning and data analytics to real business challenges. Today, she is pursuing a Master of Finance at Johns Hopkins University, building on the direction she first discovered during her single semester at Berkeley.
Her advice to future students looking to follow in her footsteps is simple: “Step outside your comfort zone, explore new disciplines, and take advantage of the opportunities around you,” she says. “Most importantly, enjoy the journey!”
Applications for Berkeley Global Access Spring 2027 are now open, with a priority deadline of Aug. 28, 2026 and a final deadline of Oct. 30, 2026. So, if you’re ready to broaden your academic horizons while experiencing life in sunny California, click here to learn more about the BGA program today.
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