UCEAP - How to apply

Before you apply to a UCEAP program, we expect you to complete the following:

• Research the program on the UCEAP website.
• Review the Advising Notes written by the BSA Adviser for your program.
• Determine that you are eligible to apply (GPA, class standing, prerequisite courses, etc.).
• Determine if your program of interest filled before the deadline last year and find the application open and deadline dates.
• If you have questions regarding the program or your eligibility, review our Advising Guide, to get in contact with the BSA Adviser for your program of interest.
• Discuss college or major credit for your proposed study abroad course list with your academic adviser(s).
• Review the UCEAP program budget and get Financial Aid Advising.
• Obtain a valid passport that will be valid through the duration required by UCEAP. Your UCEAP application will state how long your passport must be valid after the end date of the program.

A complete application for a UCEAP program consists of two parts for UC Berkeley students. The Berkeley Study Abroad application found in the BSA Portal and the UCEAP application found in the UCEAP Portal.

The majority of programs accept all eligible applicants who have completed both the Berkeley Study Abroad and UCEAP applications by the deadline. There are select programs that have filled before the application deadline in the prior year and they can be found in the section below.

On the BSA website’s Explore tool, you will find the application open date and application deadline for each UCEAP program.

UCEAP applications for programs in Summer 2025 are now open.

UCEAP applications for programs in Fall 2025, or Year 2025-26 are now open.

UCEAP applications for programs in Spring 2026 open on April 15, 2025 at 9 am.

Please be sure to submit the UCEAP application first, immediately followed by the submission of the Berkeley Study Abroad application (within 24 hours) for all programs.

All applications are open until filled or until the application deadline, whichever comes first. UCEAP application submission is the timestamp for consideration of admission to the program. Students may review the UCEAP application instructions and start preparing any required documents for upload prior to the opening date, but cannot start the application until it opens.

If you are a first year (non-transfer) student, you must wait to apply to UCEAP until your first term grades appear on your Cal Central Academic Summary.

• AUSTRALIA Marine Biology and Terrestrial Ecology (Fall)
• AUSTRALIA University of New South Wales (Fall)
• AUSTRALIA University of Queensland (Spring)
• AUSTRALIA University of Sydney (Spring)
• CHINA Tsinghua University (Spring)
• DENMARK University of Copenhagen (Fall and Spring)
• FRANCE Food History and Culture in Paris (Fall)
• GERMANY Humboldt University Berlin (Spring)
• ITALY Made in Italy, Florence (Summer and Fall)
• JAPAN Global Studies, Japan (Fall and Spring)
• JAPAN Hitotsubashi University (Spring)
• JAPAN International Christian University (Fall and Spring)
• JAPAN Japanese In Kyoto (Spring)
• JAPAN Keio University (Year)
• JAPAN STEM Research in Osaka (Summer and Spring)
• JAPAN STEM Research in Tokyo (Summer Engineering)
• JAPAN STEM Research in Tokyo (Summer Science)
• JAPAN Waseda University (Year)
• KOREA Korea University (Fall and Year)
• KOREA Seoul National University (Fall)
• KOREA Yonsei University (Fall and Year)
• NETHERLANDS Utrecht University (Fall and Year)
• NEW ZEALAND University of Canterbury (Spring)
• SINGAPORE Biodiversity (Summer)
• SINGAPORE STEM Research in Singapore (Summer)
• SPAIN UAB Barcelona Summer School (Summer)
• SPAIN Engineering and Research in Madrid (Summer)
• SPAIN Business in Barcelona (Fall, Spring)
• SPAIN University of Barcelona (Fall, Spring, Year)
• UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND King’s College London (Fall and Year)
• UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND Summer in Oxford (Summer)
• UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND University College London (Fall, Year, and Spring)
• UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND University of London, Queen Mary (Fall and Year)
• UNITED KINGDOM - SCOTLAND University of Edinburgh (Fall, Year, Spring)
• UNITED KINGDOM - SCOTLAND University of St. Andrews (Spring)

If you already have a passport, do the following:

1. Check the expiration date to ensure it will be valid through the duration required by UCEAP to determine if you need to renew at this time. Your UCEAP application will state how long your passport must be valid after the end date of the program.
2. Check to make sure that you signed your passport. If your passport is not in Berkeley, ask someone to send it to you in a trackable manner in case it gets lost. You need to have it in your possession.
3. The application items that you upload to the UCEAP online application may be scanned using a photocopier or smartphone scanning app. If you are taking a photo with your phone, please ensure that your passport is lying completely flat, without other objects (such as a hand) in the image. It is also important that the entire image is in one document intact and no corners or numbers are cut off. If you are having trouble keeping your passport flat, you can place a piece of glass (such as from a picture frame) over it. 
4. If you are a dual citizen, plan to upload both passports, so get them ready.

If you have already applied for your passport, you can check the status of your US Passport application.  

If you do not have a passport, please see the Passport Operations page for instructions about how to apply for a passport and apply as soon as possible.

Obtaining a student visa as a non-US citizen

Contact your host country’s consulate immediately to determine their requirements for you to obtain a student visa for the length of your study abroad program. The visa process may take several months longer than for U.S. citizens. If necessary, check to see if you will need to extend the expiration date on your re-entry permit to return to the U.S. after your study abroad program ends.

UCEAP host institutions or countries with citizenship restrictions and/or advisories:

China, All programs

For all UCEAP China programs, stateless or refugee citizens cannot apply.

China does not recognize dual citizenship. A Chinese citizen who gains citizenship of another country automatically loses Chinese citizenship under Chinese law (Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China, Article 9). If you are a dual citizen of the United States and China, the Chinese government will usually not permit the U.S. Embassy to provide consular assistance to you unless you entered China on a U.S. passport with a valid Chinese visa. Regardless of your travel documents, if you are a dual citizen, or otherwise have ethnic or historical ties to China, it is possible that Chinese authorities will assert that you are a Chinese citizen and deny your access to U.S. consular representatives if you are detained.

If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen or have a possible claim to Chinese citizenship and are traveling to China, inform yourself about Chinese law and practices relating to determination and loss of Chinese citizenship. Chinese authorities generally consider a child born in China to at least one Chinese parent to be a Chinese citizen, even if the child was issued a U.S. passport at the time of birth.

China, All programs associated with Fudan University

Students with PRC, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passports are allowed to apply but cannot stay in Fudan University dormitories and should be prepared to live off campus. 

China, All programs associated with Peking University

PKU does not accept students who only have a PRC, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan passport. Students with dual citizenship passports can apply.

China, Tsinghua University

Tsinghua does not accept students who only have PRC, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan passport or ID. Students with dual citizenship passports can apply.

Hong Kong, All Programs

Due to Hong Kong immigration policy, nationals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Nepal and Vietnam are not allowed to study abroad in Hong Kong.

Japan, All Programs

Due to Japanese regulation, if you have Japanese citizenship you must apply for this program as a Japanese citizen, even if you have dual nationality with another country. You will need to submit a copy of your valid Japanese passport.

Korea, Semester/Year programs

Students who have American citizenship but whose parents were born in Korea will be considered Korean citizens by the Korean Embassy. Students should contact the Korean Embassy regarding their ability to obtain a Korean visa. Start the process right away as it can be lengthy.

Students with Korean citizenship must apply for this program as a Korean citizen, even if they have dual nationality with another country. Male students who have Korean citizenship either by birth or blood can be conscripted into the Korean military if they are 18-36 years old and have not satisfied their Korean military service requirement. Check with the Korean Embassy for more information.

Singapore, Summer Global Internship, Singapore

Due to Singapore Immigration visa requirements, students must be between the age of 18 and 25 for the duration of the program.

Singapore, All programs

Notify your Berkeley Study Abroad Adviser (Gigi Estilo, gestilo@berkeley.edu) immediately if you currently hold or have ever held Singaporean citizenship. You may be required to submit additional paperwork.

All male citizens and permanent residents of Singapore are required to register for military training (National Service) upon reaching the age of 16. Contact the Singaporean Embassy for more information, if you fall into this category. 

Sweden, All programs

Certain non-US citizens will need to travel to the Swedish Embassy in Washington DC to have their biometrics taken in order to finalize their residence permit applications prior to departure.

Taiwan, National Taiwan Univ. (NTU)

NTU does not accept students who only have a Taiwanese passport or ID. Dual passport holders are okay. PRC citizens may only apply for the fall or spring program.

Taiwan, All Programs

If you currently hold or have ever held Taiwanese citizenship, there are important considerations for this program. All male citizens between the ages of 18 and 36 who were born in Taiwan or who have ever held a Taiwan passport are subject to compulsory military training by the Taiwanese government. This policy applies to dual citizens even if you enter Taiwan on your non-Taiwanese passport. If applicable, you may be required to submit paperwork to prove you are exempt or have completed the training.

Thailand, All Programs

If you currently hold or have ever held Thai citizenship, there are important considerations for studying abroad in this program. The Thai government requires all male citizens to under go a military conscription process. Thai men can be drafted into military service at the age of 21. Meet with a study abroad advisor on your campus if you fall in this category and are considering this program. The Thai Consulate can also provide more information.

If any of the circumstances below apply to you, contact the BSA Adviser for your UCEAP program using the Advising Guide.

Leave of Absence

If you will not be enrolled in classes at Berkeley the semester prior to departure for your UCEAP program, you must obtain approval from the BSA Adviser for your UCEAP program. You are expected to be on-campus during the Spring semester prior to Summer/Fall/Academic Year programs, and during the Fall semester for Spring/Calendar Year programs.

Back-to-Back Study Abroad Programs

If you wish to participate in consecutive UCEAP programs (i.e. “back-to-back” programs), you must obtain approval from the BSA Adviser for EACH of your UCEAP programs.

Bringing a Family Member Abroad

If you have family members (e.g. a spouse, children, parent) that you wish to bring on the program, first review the I am a Student Parent page, UCEAP Guide to Study Abroad section for Students with Dependents and these Study Abroad Options for Student Parents Traveling with Family Members. It is highly recommended that you meet with the BSA Adviser for your UCEAP program to discuss the viability of bringing a dependent abroad.

Berkeley students must submit two study abroad applications.

• UCEAP application by the program deadline.
• The Berkeley Study Abroad application within 24 hours of submitting the UCEAP application:  

Need to Know Information and Resources:

Please refer to the Explore grid for application deadlines. 

You will access the Berkeley Study Abroad application through CalNet authentication. 

Please be sure to submit the UCEAP application first, immediately followed by the submission of the Berkeley Study Abroad application (within 24 hours) for all programs. 

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered without pre-approval from a Berkeley Study Abroad Adviser.

 If you are looking for Berkeley Global Internships or Berkeley Summer Abroad, click on the “Program Provider” tab in the Explore grid to locate. 

Contact studyabroad@berkeley.edu to request assistance with accessing the application if you are unable to access the Berkeley Study Abroad application through CalNet. Do not attempt to create an account within the application system, it will create a duplicate record.