About the Fall Program for First Semester (FPF)
For more than 43 years, the Fall Program for First Semester (FPF) offered incoming UC Berkeley students a small, collaborative learning community within the larger university. Established in 1983 at the request of Chancellor Michael Heyman, the program was originally created to accommodate students admitted for the spring semester while expanding access to UC Berkeley for California residents.
Over time, FPF evolved into a distinctive first-semester experience open to all incoming College of Letters & Science students admitted for the fall term. More than 40,000 students began their Berkeley journey through FPF, benefiting from small classes, dedicated academic advising, and a close-knit learning community while remaining fully matriculated UC Berkeley students with access to the same resources and opportunities as their peers.
Throughout its history, FPF adapted to meet the changing needs of the campus community. In 2015, after Berkeley discontinued spring admission for freshmen, the program expanded beyond its original purpose. It briefly operated in San Francisco during the 2016–17 academic year before relocating to the Golden Bear Center located at 1995 University Avenue in Berkeley in 2020. In 2022, the program was renamed the Fall Program for First Semester (FPF).
FPF concluded following its final Fall 2025 cohort. As Berkeley continues to strengthen first-year advising and student support across campus, many of the personalized practices pioneered by FPF are being incorporated into broader services designed to benefit all incoming students.
The university is grateful to the thousands of students, faculty, advisors, and staff who made FPF an important part of Berkeley's history. Its legacy lives on through the generations of students whose first Berkeley experience began within its supportive community.
Former FPF student testimonials
"FPF is a great program that helped me transition into college easier. It connected me to advisors, instructors, and peers in a way that was not very stressful and on a more intimate level to where I was able to interact with them and get to know them. FPF supported me in a time where uncertainty overpowered many other emotions, and I am very grateful for it all."
