Campus & community, Events at Berkeley

Thousands of new students arrive at UC Berkeley for move-in, convocation and orientation

During the first week of the fall semester, Berkeley's newest students came together to learn about the university's resources, culture and history.

By Public Affairs

At Golden Bear Orientation, new students split off into small groups led by orientation leaders, who showed them around campus and guided them through days of welcome programming.
Brittany Hosea-Small/UC Berkeley

Berkeley Residential Life staff were on hand during move-in to help new students find their way.
Brittany Hosea-Small/UC Berkeley

Berkeley Residential Life staff help new students get their footing at Golden Bear Orientation.
Brittany Hosea-Small/UC Berkeley

Thousands of parents and loved ones descended on campus to help students get settled in their new digs. — Thousands of parents and loved ones descended on campus to settle students into their new digs.
Brittany Hosea-Small/UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons was in attendance at move-in to greet the university's newest arrivals.
Brittany Hosea-Small/UC Berkeley

Chancellor Lyons took time for selfies with students and parents between introductions.
Brittany Hosea-Small/UC Berkeley

Thousands of students gathered at Haas Pavilion for Fall Convocation.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons speaks to the crowd.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Members of Cal Raijin Taiko, UC Berkeley’s Japanese drumming ensemble, perform during Fall Convocation.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Another view of Cal Raijin Taiko's performance.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Oski the Bear brought his typical antics and laughs to the event.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

Members of the California Straw Hat Band hype up the crowd at Fall Convocation.
Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley

August 25, 2025

Last week marked the official start of UC Berkeley’s fall 2025 term — and with it the arrival of thousands of new students to campus, who took the week before classes to move in, attend fall convocation and get settled before they begin their journey at Berkeley in earnest.

The annual whirlwind of new student events was part of Golden Bear Orientation, a six-day slate of programming designed to help new students make friends, access campus resources and meet faculty and staff. During orientation, arriving students are assigned to small groups led by orientation leaders, who introduce them to Berkeley and the greater Bay Area and help them understand all that the university has to offer them.

During fall convocation, over 9,000 students gathered to hear welcoming remarks by Chancellor Rich Lyons, as well as performances by the California Straw Hat Band, the acappella group DeCadence and Cal Raijin Taiko, Berkeley’s Japanese drumming ensemble. Other speakers included Berkeley dean of students Sunny Lee and Ashley Gallegos of the Othering & Belonging Institute. Campus mascot Oski the Bear entertained and hyped up the crowd, as they participated in rally chants and took a 360-degree gigapixel photo from the center of the pavilion — their very first class photo.

Click through the slideshow above to see photos from this year’s Golden Bear Orientation, move-in and fall convocation.