New students

Congratulations on your admission to Berkeley’s College of Engineering — and on your new status as a Berkeley Engineer! You’re joining a dynamic community of leaders, thinkers, and dreamers who are making a world of difference. Whatever you hope to do in life, your journey starts here.

We know it can feel overwhelming to get oriented, registered, and moved in. Engineering Student Services, along with our partners across campus, offer a variety of resources to help you.

Use the College of Engineering Undergraduate Guide to review the curriculum for your major and to see which requirements you may have satisfied with your Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or A-Level exams. If you’ve completed college-level coursework at a California Community College, check assist.org to see if your credits can be transferred.

After you have accepted your offer of admission you will complete Golden Bear Advising (GBA) in June. GBA is an interactive online program that will introduce you to life at UC Berkeley, provide you with information about campus-wide activities, and walk you through CalCentral, which is your online portal to course registration, financial aid information, and more.

As part of GBA you will also complete the College of Engineering Online Orientation where you will meet your Engineering Student Services Adviser, learn about your college and major requirements, and choose your first semester courses in preparation for class registration that starts July 12 for transfer students and July 14 for first year students.

Between August 18 and August 22 you will participate in Golden Bear Orientation (GBO), a comprehensive orientation program to welcome all new students to the Berkeley campus. Throughout GBO, the College of Engineering will host many events, and details about GBO and the College of Engineering events will be sent to you in the coming months.

You will find plenty of support as you navigate your way through your undergraduate career. The Engineering Scholars as Engaged Scholars program offers Berkeley Engineers a chance to combine their scholarship with an interest in community outreach and social justice. In addition to these great programs, Engineering Student Services also offers free tutoring and workshops throughout the year to ensure your success as a Berkeley engineering student.

For more information and support resources, contact Engineering Student Services by emailing or stop by 230 Bechtel Engineering Center on campus. We’re here to help!

Please note: New students are not able to make an appointment with their ESS Adviser until they have completed Golden Bear Advising.