Skip to content
  1. Home > Campuses > UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley

Founded in 1868, UC Berkeley is ranked #1 for public universities by U.S. News and World Report. Boasting 63 Nobel Laureates (faculty, researchers, and alumni), UC Berkeley has contributed to improving the human condition through pioneering efforts in nuclear medicine, insect control, bionic exoskeleton robotic legs, CRISPR gene editing, disability education efforts, and treating global malaria, etc. Its discoveries (earthquake science, cyclotron, biofuels, atomic physics, and open source coding) demonstrate UC Berkeley’s history of creativity and innovative research. Our UC LEADS Program is well positioned in the Cal NERDS umbrella of STEM programs. This rich academic landscape will amplify opportunities and activities for UC LEADS Scholars by focusing on STEM core competencies to enhance their scientific career trajectory, such as faculty mentored research, computational literacy, data science fundamentals, graduate school application training, and business skills.

Visiting Scholar Program Dates:

Summer Dates: June 13th to Aug 7th, 2027, 8 weeks

  • Move in: Sunday, June 12th, 2027
  • All Day Orientation: Monday, June 13th, 2027
  • First Day in Research Lab: Tuesday, June 14th, 2027
  • Mandatory UC Davis Graduate School Visit: TBD in July
  • Research Poster Showcase: Thursday, August 5th, 2027
  • Last day in research lab: Friday, August 6th, 2027
  • Move out: Saturday, August 7th, 2027

The Cal NERDS UC LEADS Visiting Summer Application is available through your home campus director.

Please note: a visiting scholar's home campus coordinator/director will need to pay in advance for lodging  and associated food directly via ihouse, https://ihouse.berkeley.edu/ or other lodging/meal entity.  Visiting scholars' labs must physically be part of main UC Berkeley campus at Berkeley, CA (not LBNL, LLNL, MRSP, etc.). We do not provide parking - those arrangements will have to be made on your own. Your research stipend should be organized by your home campus. If applicable by your UC Berkeley UC LEADS research lab you should plan on taking your home campus research safety course before you come to UC Berkeley. Your lab may ask you to take additional safety training and acquire additional identification. In addition, you will need to work with your UC Berkeley lab to obtain a Cal1 card if needed for access into your research lab (if applicable).

UC LEADS is housed in the Cal NERDS program along with a few other STEM programs and initiatives. Please text or call Director Lizarraga at #510.778.5165 if you are interested. Our website is http://calnerds.berkeley.edu

UC Berkeley Graduate School Information and Resources

  • UC Berkeley Graduate Division Admissions
  • UC Berkeley Graduate School Application Fee Waiver for  UC LEADS Fee Scholars (update August 2016)
    • The UC Berkeley Graduate Division at has let us know that current UC LEADS Scholars can receive a free fee waiver to apply to UC Berkeley graduate program. Please select the box on the application that says "UC LEADS." The Graduate Division may ask to you to verify your participation after you have applied..
    • If the student is no longer an undergraduate then they may not be eligible at this time for a fee waiver.
  • UC Berkeley Undocumented Student Services
    If you would like to learn about UC Berkeley's efforts to help support Undocumented Students, please consider visiting our Undocumented Student Services website.
  • UC Berkeley Graduate Diversity Program