Tsinghua vs UC Berkeley: Complete Comparison 2026
Side-by-side look at Tsinghua University and University of California, Berkeley: QS 2026 ranks 17 vs 17. Acceptance, tuition, language tests, and typical IB/A-…
→ Tsinghua University profile → University of California, Berkeley profile
Summary comparison
Figures come from the GlobalAdmit dataset — always confirm on each university’s official admissions site.
| Metric | Tsinghua University | University of California, Berkeley |
|---|---|---|
| QS rank 2026 | 17 | 17 |
| Country | CN 🇨🇳 | US 🇺🇸 |
| Acceptance rate | 2% | 11% |
| Tuition (intl / yr) | $19,000 | $48,000 |
| Language (summary) | IELTS 6.5+ · TOEFL 90+ · Duolingo 105+ | IELTS 7+ · TOEFL 100+ · Duolingo 120+ |
| IB typical | IB ~42 | 40/45 |
| A-Level typical | — | A*AA |
Strengths
Tsinghua University
- Top 30 global recognition in QS World University Rankings 2026.
- Highly selective admissions profile.
- Major research university scale with broad programme choice.
University of California, Berkeley
- Top 30 global recognition in QS World University Rankings 2026.
- Highly selective admissions profile.
- Major research university scale with broad programme choice.
Popular majors (overlap)
Where both profiles list the same popular major label (case-insensitive).
- computer-science
- economics
- mathematics
- law
- medicine
- engineering-science
- philosophy-politics-economics
- biochemistry
- history
- psychology-philosophy-linguistics
Which is right for you?
If budget is the deciding factor
All-in signals favour Tsinghua on tuition plus living costs in our dataset — re-check official fee schedules because currency, programme, and visa rules move yearly.
If you are coming from IB / A-Levels / US high school
Compare the admission tabs on each profile: Tsinghua vs UC Berkeley can invert depending on whether you are optimising for IB typical offers, A-level expectations, or US-style testing. Use the evaluator after you narrow your list.
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