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Skip to sidebarWelcome to the UC Berkeley Visitor Center!
The UC Berkeley Visitor Center is located in 101 Sproul Hall near the intersection of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue. Weekday hours are 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. – excluding holidays and special events. Please feel free to stop by the Visitor Center to pick-up a campus map and literature about the university.
Tours for Newly-Admitted Students: April 2012
Tours
Every year, thousands of people from across the nation and around the world visit the tranquil, wooded 178-acre campus of UC Berkeley. Most of them do so under the expert guidance of a Cal Campus Ambassador, one of the corps of enthusiastic and knowledgeable student tour guides employed by the Visitor Center.
Public tours are offered daily – Monday through Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Weekday public tours begin from the Visitor Center at 101 Sproul Hall while weekend and holiday tours begin from Sather Tower. For more information, and to make a reservation, please visit our Daily Public Tour Page.
Group tours are offered weekdays for visiting school groups, programs, and organizations. Group tours are available on selected dates and times during the spring, summer, and fall semester. Reservations are required; please see our Group Tour Page for more information.
Engineering tours are offered for prospective and admitted undergraduates and their families. Led by campus ambassadors who are engineering majors, the tour covers College of Engineering buildings and includes information on teaching; research; and student projects, services, and groups. The tour will provide some general information about the campus, but focuses on engineering at Berkeley. All spring 2012 engineering tours are fully booked. If you wish to be placed on a waiting list for the March 16, April 6, or April 20 tour, please send an e-mail to tour@berkeley.edu with your name, requested date, city and state of residence, and number of visitors. We will confirm your reservation only if space becomes available.
Self-Guided tours are available for those unable to make a reservation for a campus tour. Please see our Self-Guided Tour Page for a list of possible options.
Cancelling a reservation: To cancel a group or daily public tour reservation, please visit our Reservation Cancellation Web Page. You will need your reservation confirmation number and email address.
Admissions Information Sessions: The Office of Undergraduate Admissions conducts weekday information sessions at 9:00 a.m. for prospective students who have not yet applied. These sessions conclude before the 10:00 a.m. daily public tour. Admissions sessions are not available on weekends, university holidays, or for group tours.
Reservations are not required for the information sessions, but please check-in at 101 Sproul Hall before the admissions presentation.
We highly recommend attending the admissions information session or exploring the online admissions resources because the Office of Undergraduate Admissions is available to the public for just a few hours each week during the application reading period (December-April). Current hours of operation and online admissions resources may be viewed on the Admissions Office Hours Web Page . From January-March 2012, the Admissions Advising Office at 103 Sproul Hall will be open 1:00-4:00 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays only.
Can't attend an admissions information session? Visit Picture Yourself at Berkeley to sign up for a personalized web page offering campus information tailored to your interests.
Cal Day
Cal Day, UC Berkeley's annual open house, is April 21, 2012. Visit the Cal Day website for more information.
Parking
Since UC Berkeley is located in an urban area, parking is limited and can be difficult to obtain. The University recommends using public transportation whenever possible. If traveling by car, please be aware that the University does not offer any public parking, and street parking is limited by meters. To find the most convenient parking locations, please see our parking list of privately owned garages and lots near the Visitor Center. Parking rates will vary depending on the location.