<p>At Berkeley, I am fairly sure that they only allow you 4 semesters unless you are some kind of Engineering (5). If you need more, you have to file an appeal (or you can request to be a part time student or take a leave of absence in which case the 4 semester limit wouldn’t count) and have to have adequate reasoning for it - kids, illness, family circumstances, military situations etc. During CalSO, the undergraduate Dean of CoC addressed this and said that they strictly enforce it because someone was asking about a requirement that we must take 12 units towards our major completion every semester (to ensure that students are on track for graduating). I can’t speak for the other colleges and other UCs seem more lenient.</p>
<p>On the other hand, when you apply to Cal, the admissions people I have spoken to said that they wouldn’t generally accept a student that “couldn’t” realistically complete the sequence of classes they needed within 4 semesters. AKA, if you’re missing too many pre-reqs/reqs, they wouldn’t accept you anyway.</p>
<p>Apply this year, and if you don’t get in where you want for a major you want, apply again next year.</p>