UCB Students

Cal Performances is one of the world’s premier performing arts presenters for music, dance, and theater. Each season (roughly in line with the school year), we bring approximately 80 of the very best music, dance, and theater performances from all over the world right to the UC Berkeley campus—with great deals exclusively for UC Berkeley students to every single event!

Tickets to the 2026-27 season on sale August 21!

Access to your exclusive UCB student discounts for the 2026-27 season begins August 21! Sign up for our Email Club—and mark yourself as a student—to be the first to know when the discounts are live.

Want to attend live performances, but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered!

  1. Discover approximately 80 music, dance, theater, and interdisciplinary performances happening during the school year.
  2. Review your UC Berkeley student discount options.
  3. Join our Email Club—and mark yourself as a student—so you’re notified when you can begin accessing your exclusive UCB student discounts for the 2026–27 Season.
  4. Check out more ways to get involved!

Discounts for Every Occasion

The variety of Cal Performances’ UC Berkeley student discounts allows you to prioritize what matters most to you when purchasing tickets—flexibility in choosing performances, seat selection, price, and more!

An image depicting the words: UC Berkeley 50% Off Discounts

UC Berkeley students get 50% off single ticket prices for all Cal Performances events, without exception. Tickets can be purchased in person with your current student ID at the Zellerbach Hall Ticket Office or online with CalNet authentication.

All UC Berkeley student tickets require authentication with your current UC Berkeley student ID. Until you authenticate, you will not see your 50% off discounted ticket price. Please note: one ticket per student, per event at the 50% off discounted rate. Authenticate via CalNet

Authentication for the 2026–27 season will be available August 21.

An image depicting the words: UCB Student Flex Pass

Student Flex Pass:
4 performances for only $60
6 performances for only $90
8 performances for only $120

Buy in bulk and you can get four, six, or eight tickets to world-class performances for just $15 per ticket! Tickets can be redeemed at any point during the season, so you can find shows that fit your schedule.

2026–27 Flex Passes will go on sale August 21, 2026.

Performances not available for Flex Pass redemption and Group Sales are subject to change. 2026–27 Season performances ineligible for Flex Pass redemption to be announced.

An image depicting the words: UCB Student Golden Bear Circle

For just $10 per ticket, UC Berkeley students can secure some of the best seats at approximately half of the events across our full 2026–27 season. Come solo or bring a friend (limit two tickets per student).* These specially priced tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check back in August for the full list of applicable performances and ticket-onsale dates, or sign up for our free Email Club to get the schedule announcement direct to your inbox.

*A UC Berkeley student may purchase up to two tickets per performance through Golden Bear Circle, online only. If you purchase two tickets, your guest does not need to be a UC Berkeley student.

An image depicting the words: UCB Student Group Discounts

Whether you want to add enrichment to classroom learning, or create a memorable night out for members of a club, fraternity, or sorority (or even a large group of friends!), there’s nothing like experiencing live art together. For select performances, we offer UC Berkeley student groups of 10 or more a special rate of $15 per ticket.

You can work with our Ticket Office to create a promotion code so that those in your group can individually order their tickets, or, alternately, make arrangements to purchase tickets all at once for direct distribution to your group. Limit two tickets per student (at least half of your group must be UC Berkeley students; any guests do not need to be students).

For an added social dimension to your experience, Cal Performances can help make arrangements for groups of 25–125 people to get together in the hall during intermission or following the performance (space availability permitting).

To purchase UC Berkeley Student Group tickets, start by filling out the request form. UCB student group tickets are available for limited events and in limited quantities and are available for requesting groups on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note: a full list of attendees’ names and email addresses will be required by Cal Performances in advance of the performance.

An image depicting the words: UCB Student Rush

For select performances, UCB students can purchase $15 tickets beginning an hour before the performance at the Cal Performances Ticket Office.

To find out if rush tickets will be available for a particular show, join our “UCB Student Discounts” Instagram Channel or call 510.642.9988 beginning three hours prior to the performance.

More Ways to Get Involved

Want to get deeper into the programming and the community at Cal Performances?

An image depicting the words: UCB Student Rush

Each season, we host four post-performance receptions to celebrate the UC Berkeley students in our Cal Performances community and to provide a space for you to connect with other students who share a love for live performance! Free light refreshments are served on the Zellerbach Hall Mezzanine (second floor) for all UCB student ticket-holders and their guests.

Reception dates will be announced closer to the start of the 2026 fall semester. An RSVP is not required; simply secure a ticket to that day’s performance (See student ticket discount options above.).

An image depicting the words: Become a UCB Student Worker

Cal Performances employs student workers in a variety of departments, including the ticket office, front-of-house, marketing and communications, and education! All work is paid and part-time, and open to all currently enrolled students, including those participating in work study programs. Additional benefits of working at Cal Performances include:

  • Enjoying free access to the world’s finest music, dance, and theater performances
  • Gaining experience and insight into what it takes to present live performances of the highest caliber
  • Joining a community of other students and staff with your shared interests
  • Developing transferable skills and growing your responsibilities over time
  • Work hours are flexible and typically align with UC Berkeley’s academic year.

See current student job openings

An image depicting the words: Become a UCB Student Volunteer

Want to be part of the magic, but need a bit more flexibility with scheduling? Cal Performances relies on the generosity of more than 200 volunteers each season to serve as ushers at all of our performances. Volunteer for as many performances as you’d like and gain free entrance to see world-class talent while you’re already onsite!

Find more information about volunteer openings

An image depicting the words: Learn with Illuminations

Cal Performances’ Illuminations—a series of performances, lectures, and conversations—connects extraordinary artistry with groundbreaking scholarship to explore pressing topics of today. You may even see your professors onstage!

The 2026–27 season explores “Innocence & Experience” as intertwined forces that transform one another and influence our understanding of the world. Join us for poignant stories—youthful idealism facing power, beauty shadowed by vulnerability, bodies carrying the weight of history—and walk away with a deeper understanding of the forces shaping our humanity.

Learn more about Illuminations “Innocence & Experience”