Campus tours

Free Guided Walking Tours

We offer free 90-minute accessible walking tours of the campus seven days a week, rain or shine. Prospective student or family? Tourist? Nostalgic alum? A campus tour is perfect for you! Our expert tour guides are student ambassadors who cover academics, history of the University, health & safety, athletics, student life, and much more.

The tour outlines our residence halls and...

Answering Questions and Demystifying Negative Stereotypes as a Campus Ambassador at Cal

May 10, 2022
Josephine Lee

As a Campus Ambassador at Cal, a major part of my job working at the Campanile and giving tours is answering all the questions that our visiting guests, alumni, and students have to offer. That being said, having just worked my 18th tour and 18th campanile shift, I’ve started to notice that with each shift comes very similar patterns in the questions being asked. And because of that, I wanted to discuss the five most frequently asked questions that I have received (with some responses of which may make Berkeley an even more appealing school to you:)).

“Is it true that Cal...

New Employee Walking Tours

Are you a new UC Berkeley staff or faculty member? Or maybe you've worked on campus for awhile but have never taken an official campus tour? This tour is for you!

In partnership with People & Culture, we offer one-hour accessible campus walking tours for UC Berkeley current employees only. These tours focus on UC Berkeley's rich history, famous campus buildings, and opportunities around campus specifically for employees. These...

Social Media

Connect with Visitor Services and our student Campus Ambassadors through social media!

Facebook: @VisitUCBerkeley

Instagram: @VisitUCBerkeley

YouTube: @VisitUCBerkeley

Campus Ambassadors

Campus Tours

Sneak Peek: How a Campus Tour is Refined

July 26, 2024
Nichelle W.
Sneek Peek: How a Campus Tour is Refined

If you’ve been on one of our guided campus tours, you’ve heard our tour guides talk about all the facts and statistics and superstitions of Berkeley. But how do they get to the polished final product that they are? Let me walk you through the journey of a campus tour script.

When we’re brand new campus ambassadors, our first step is to read a thousand-page textbook on the history of Berkeley. Just kidding…kind of. We do get a manual with all the information about campus, and we draw from it to write our tour...

Home: My Commute to Berkeley This Summer

July 31, 2024
Esther Y.
Home: My Commute to Berkeley This Summer

My journey from my home to my new home in Berkeley is quite short. Originally from Sunnyvale, CA, located in Santa Clara County of the Bay Area, going home isn't much of a burden. It takes about an hour down Highway 880, and the Orange Line BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) even takes me directly to the Milpitas BART station, which is just 20 minutes from my house.

As a campus ambassador working this summer—all while enjoying the coziness of my childhood room, my mom’s home-cooked meals (nothing beats her Korean...

Socializing Tips from a Campus Ambassador (and Journalism Minor!)

July 24, 2024
Nichelle W.
Socializing Tips from a Campus Ambassador (and Journalism Minor!)

Although I enjoy talking to people, it doesn’t come naturally. To be honest, I’m not the most sociable person in the room. That said, I can articulate the skills I’ve acquired because I’ve had to learn them myself. As a campus ambassador, I get paid to talk to people, and as a journalism minor, I’m required to for my grades. Many tips I’ve gleaned are from books and websites, but I’ve also picked up several just by observing how others socialize. When I’m working, I’ll note how friendly visitors strike up...

What I Love About Being a Campus Ambassador (Other Than Giving Tours)

March 11, 2024
Melina T.

When I was first interested in the Campus Ambassador role, I figured giving tours was the entire job. I had no idea of all the other roles, or as I like to call them, side quests, that tack onto the title. We cover a vast range of operations, ranging from running the Campanile, staffing the Koret Visitor Center, and executing large community events. While I love giving tours, I’ve really enjoyed dabbling in these other roles as well. I’m still pretty new to “campus ambassadoring” but here’s what has stuck out to me so far.

Learning about Berkeley ...