Entry-Level Writing and the Berkeley Writing Assessment
The UC Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) is a reading and writing proficiency requirement. It is a prerequisite to the Reading and Composition (R&C) requirement. R&C is a two-part (A & B) college-level reading and writing requirement assigned to all Berkeley undergraduates. Check the Berkeley Guide to review information from your college for more details.
All first-year students entering UC should fulfill the Entry Level Writing Requirement by the end of their first year of enrollment at Berkeley. The ELWR may be satisfied with a qualifying test score, a college-level English composition course taken before starting at Berkeley, or a passing score on the Berkeley Writing Assessment.
The next BWA will be offered May 10, 2025, from 2-4 pm Pacific Time. Students will receive information about the BWA on the CalCentral dashboard upon accepting their offer of admission to Berkeley.
All assessments take place online. You may complete the assessment only once.
Upon completing the BWA, a $196 fee will be charged and applied to your Billing Summary account under My Finances in your CalCentral dashboard. Payment is due by Friday, May 30, 2025. If you previously qualified for the UC Application fee waiver, an automatic fee waiver will be applied.
Please read through the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below for answers to your general questions.
I have another question about the Assessment. Who do I contact?
You can email College Writing Programs at collegewriting@berkeley.edu or call the front desk at 510-642-5570.