Berkeley is a city located on the east shore of San Francisco Bay. With a population of just over 112,000, the city is best known as the home of the University of California, one of the highest ranking universities in the US.
Despite its small size by US standards, Berkeley has good transport links with San Francisco and is one of many US locations favoured by Irish students who spend the summer working under the J-1 visa programme.
More than 8,000 applications were made by Irish students for J-1 visas this year and participants can spend up to 4 months in the US under the terms of the programme.
To avail of the J-1 visa, participants must be third-level students actively pursuing a degree or a full-time course of study at an accredited academic institution and are expected to return home once the visa expires.