Founded with the mission of learning more about ourselves, the world, and our places in it, the University of California has become a leader in research in agriculture, medicine, technology, and the environment.

In 1869, the University of California opened with only 38 students and 10 faculty members. Since that time it has grown into the University of California system, comprising over 209,000 students, 124,000 staff and faculty, and over 1.4 million graduates worldwide. The university has also expanded to include campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz - as well as a variety of extension programs around the state that serve approximately 500,000 people.

These diverse locations benefit students in a number of ways. Not only does the University of California have world-class labs and classrooms, it also is home to dozens of concert halls, museums, art galleries, botanical gardens, observatories, and marine centers that serve as both academic resource and gathering places for the public.