This is a living page. It will be frequently updated with links and information from campus partners to address common questions about WE Launch. If you have a question that’s not addressed, please email the EWMBA Program Office at [email protected].
You can also check out the New Admit Tools & Resources page and General Student FAQ for information about topics like bConnected, CalNet ID, Billing & Payments and more!
Schedule
The in-person, mandatory WE Launch 2026 event will take place from Friday July 24 (8:00AM) – Sunday July 26 (2:15PM) at the Haas School of Business.
The detailed WE Launch 2026 schedule will be shared closer to the start of the weekend. Please monitor your email for updates.
For reference, please see the WE Launch 2025 Schedule, for a sample schedule and session descriptions.
Check-in for WE Launch will begin at 8:00 AM on Friday, July 24, 2026 in the UC Berkeley Haas Courtyard.
For any students staying at the Marriott City Center on Thursday night, the EWMBA Program Office will provide a complimentary shuttle service from the hotel to Haas. If you are driving directly to UC Berkeley Haas, please allow enough time to park, drop your luggage in our secure luggage on campus, and be ready to check in at 8:00AM in the Haas Courtyard.
WE Launch is scheduled to conclude at 2:15PM on Sunday, July 26, 2026.
Students are REQUIRED to attend and participate in all sessions during WE Launch (July 24 – 26, 2026) in order to begin the EWMBA Program. Missing a portion of programming will not be an option.
Students will be required to check in with Haas staff each morning during WE Launch.
All pre-work will be available on the learning management system, bCourses. Additional details will be shared in future communications.
Hotel
The EW Program has partnered with the Marriott City Center in Downtown Oakland to provide pre-arranged double-occupancy rooms (shared with another incoming student) for all of our EW students at no cost to you.
Hotel arrangements will be coordinated by the EWMBA Program Office. Additional details will be shared at a later date to begin the hotel rooming assignment process and gather any special accommodation requests.
EWMBA students are REQUIRED to stay at the hotel regardless of where they live. Staying at the hotel will give you opportunities to continue bonding with your classmates even after the official programming concludes.
Hotel check-in for students not staying overnight on Thursday at Marriott City Center will take place on Friday, July 24th from 8:00PM. Shuttle service from UC Berkeley Haas to the hotel will begin at 7:30PM. If you have stored luggage on campus, you will be directed to retrieve your items before boarding the shuttle.
If your luggage is stored on campus, we will direct you to pick up your items before taking the shuttle.
Additional details about the check-in process will be shared closer to the event.
Students who reside ‘Outside of the Bay Area’ (OOBA), defined as the nine counties bordering the San Francisco Bay (San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, and Marin), may request to arrive at the Marriott on Thursday at no cost. Please note that accommodations are the same regardless of arrival day and will be double occupancy with a classmate.
Early check-in is not available.
Students will need to check out of the hotel on Sunday, July 26th at 8:00AM, prior to the start of that day’s programming at Haas.
Please note that there will be no shuttle service from the Marriott to Haas on this day. Students are responsible for making their own way to Haas. Helpful directions will be provided closer to WE Launch.
Logistics
We will provide meals during WE Launch, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, as well as breakfast and lunch on Sunday, July 26.
Please ensure you update your student preferences in the admissions portal to indicate any dietary restrictions.
Yes, we are excited to provide you with Berkeley Haas branded swag, including a Class of 2029 Berkeley Haas t-shirt. You will receive it during WE Launch Registration on Friday, July 24.
A form to indicate your t-shirt size will be sent at a later date. It is important that you submit your preferred size, as exchanges will not be available. If no size is provided, a size large will be ordered by default.
Friday, July 24: Business casual
Saturday, July 25: Casual and comfortable. We recommend wearing layers as the temperature can shift throughout the day.
- Important Note: Please wear the Berkeley Haas t-shirt you receive on Friday July 25.
Sunday, July 26: Casual and comfortable
You will not need your laptop for any of the sessions throughout the weekend.
Suggested items:
- Government-issued ID (required to release your Cal 1 Card)
- A bag/backpack for the day
- Comfortable shoes
- Layers/light jacket
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Pen and paper
- Any pre-work notes
- Enthusiasm!
We will distribute Cal 1 Cards during WE Launch for students who submitted an approved photo on or before the communicated deadline.
Please bring a government issued photo ID (e.g. driver’s license, passport, state ID) to receive your Cal 1 Card.
**Important Clarification: The CalCentral photo submissions deadline is set as a “Matriculation + 7 days” for all graduate students. This serves as an initial prompt to complete the requirement. As a result, deadlines may vary for students with different or delayed matriculation dates
If you require a Letter of Support for your Visa Application, please email the Program Office at [email protected] with the subject line, “WE Launch 2026 Visa Application Letter of Support”.
Yes, students will be required to check in with Haas staff each morning during WE Launch. The anticipated check-in schedule is as follows; however, it is subject to change:
- Friday – July 24 (8:00AM – 9:30AM)
- Haas Courtyard
- Bring your government-issued ID to check in so you can pick up your Cal 1 Card
- Saturday – July 25 (8:30AM – 9:15AM)
- Haas Courtyard
- Bring your Cal 1 Card to check-in
- Sunday – July 26 (8:30AM – 9:15AM)
- Haas Courtyard
- Bring your Cal 1 Card to check-in
Transportation
If you are arriving directly at Haas on Friday, July 24, a secure luggage room will be available on campus. Staff and volunteers will direct you upon arrival.
On Sunday, July 26, the same secure luggage room will be available for luggage storage. Staff and volunteers will again provide directions when you arrive at Haas.
More detailed instructions regarding Marriott City Center hotel and on-campus parking will be shared closer to the event.
Transportation to Haas:
Friday, July 24:
- Students who arrived at the hotel on Thursday will have a shuttle take you from the Marriott City Center to Haas at 8:00AM.
- Shuttles from Haas to the Marriott City Center will be available for students who need to shuttle back to the hotel at 7:30PM.
Saturday, July 25:
- Shuttles will transport students from the Marriott to Haas at 8:00AM.
- Shuttles will transport students from Haas to the Marriott at 10:00PM
Sunday, July 26:
- Check out of the hotel by 8:00AM. Use your room key to get out of the self-parking lot.
- Please note that there will be no shuttle service from the Marriott to Haas on this day. Students are responsible for making their own way to Haas. Helpful directions will be provided closer to WE Launch.
- Please make your own arrangements to get to Haas. Options include Uber, Lyft or grabbing a ride with another classmate.
Parking instructions for the day will depend on the transportation preference listed in the Student Preferences Form. More specific information will follow as we get closer to the event.
Photography
Yes, photos and videos will be taken throughout the weekend and may be used on the EWMBA website and in internal communications. Attendees are also welcome to take their own photos throughout the event.
If you prefer not to appear in close-up images, you can pick up a colored dot sticker at check-in and place it on both sides of your name tag. This will signal to photographers and others not to include you in photos.