Undergraduate Program

Foreign Language Requirement

You may satisfy this requirement in one of several ways:

In high school: by receiving a grade of C- or higher in courses comparable to the third year level of any language other than the language of high school instruction.
In college: by passing a course comparable to the second semester of a foreign language as taught at Berkeley. This course may be taken P/NP and may also be used to satisfy a breadth requirement. Students attending a California community college should visit www.assist.org for courses at each school that fulfill the language requirement.

Continuing UC Berkeley students applying in November 2008 and beyond will not be allowed to take the foreign language requirement off campus during the academic year in which they apply. For example, students applying in November 2008 will not be allowed to take the foreign language requirement off campus during Fall 2008 or Spring 2009.
By exam: by passing one of the following exams, in a language other than English, with the grade or score indicated:
- 550 on the SAT II, if taken before May 1995; 590 on the SAT II, if taken May 1995 or later;
- 3,4 or 5 on an AP Exam. This exam may also be used to satisfy a breadth requirement;
- A, B, or C on a GCE "O" or "A" Level, HKCEE or HKALE; or 5, 6, or 7 on an IB Higher Level Exam.
- Passing score on a foreign language proficiency exam offered by some departments at Berkeley or at other UC campuses.