The UCB logo most often means the logo of UC Berkeley, the University of California, Berkeley, and that is what this article covers. The mark is a wordmark: the name “Berkeley” set in a customized serif typeface, usually in Berkeley Blue, with the university seal and the Cal script used alongside it. “UCB” is also the name of a Belgian biopharmaceutical company, UCB S.A., which has its own unrelated logo.
The Berkeley wordmark in its current form was re-rendered in 2024 by the typographer MCKL, as part of a two-year project to unify the Berkeley and Cal brands. It builds on a 2013 identity whose letters were based on a typeface that Frederic Goudy designed for the University of California Press in the 1930s.
The university itself was organized in 1868. What follows covers the old logo, the 2024 update, the font, the colors, and what the seal says.
What Is the UCB Logo?
The UC Berkeley logo is a wordmark: the name “Berkeley” in a customized serif typeface based on Frederic Goudy’s work for University of California Press. The current version was re-rendered in 2024 by the typographer MCKL, and it replaced a wordmark introduced in January 2013.
| Symbol | Wordmark “Berkeley” (the primary logo), the Cal script for athletics, the university seal, and a “B” monogram for small social icons |
| Designer/agency | 2024 re-rendering by the typographer MCKL; the 2013 wordmark designer is not publicly credited. The typeface the letters are based on was designed by Frederic Goudy |
| Current version since | 2024 (rollout began in May 2024) |
| Colors (hex) | Berkeley Blue #002676 and California Gold #FDB515 (official, from brand.berkeley.edu), plus white and black |
| Typeface | Customized serif based on Goudy’s University of California Old Style; no exact free match (Goudy Bookletter 1911 is a loose relative). Brand text fonts are Inter and Source Serif 4 |
| Previous major version | The January 2013 wordmark, with “Berkeley” above “University of California” |
How Has the UCB Logo Evolved Over Time?
Berkeley’s identity has had several layers: the seal, the Cal script that athletics uses, and the wordmark that serves the academic side. The wordmark went through two clear stages in the last twenty years, and the 2024 update was the most noticeable one.
The Seal (1910 to Present)
- Years Active: The current design was adopted by the Regents of the University of California on August 9, 1910 and is shared by the whole system
- Design Description: A circular seal with an open book marked with the letter “A,” a five-pointed star with rays of light above it, a streamer carrying the motto across the book, and the rim text “The Seal of The University of California, 1868”
- Designer: Tiffany & Co. The original 1884 artwork, also by Tiffany, was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire
The 2013 Wordmark (2013 to 2024)
- Years Active: January 2013 to the 2024 update
- Design Description: The word “Berkeley” in large serif letters, with “University of California” in smaller capitals underneath. The letters were based on UC Berkeley Old Style, which Frederic Goudy designed in 1938 for University of California Press and which was slightly revised for digitization in 1994
- Context: A campus inventory had found that the brand image was diluted, with many versions of the wordmark, typefaces, and placements in use. The new brand launched in January 2013 with an integrated communications strategy. No designer of the 2013 wordmark was named
The 2024 Update (2024 to Present)
- Years Active: Rollout began in May 2024
- Design Description: The Berkeley logo was re-rendered by the typographer MCKL to be more legible and closer in styling to the Cal logo. MCKL studied the original metal Goudy type and other Goudy works. Berkeley Blue was brightened to match the saturation of California Gold, and the campus seal now appears more prominently
- Context: A task force on the Berkeley and Cal identities worked for two years. A survey cited by officials found that more than a quarter of Bay Area residents did not know Berkeley and Cal were the same university
- Reaction: A “B” monogram used on social media was met with mixed reaction, and a petition asked the university to reverse the change. Officials said the B is not the new logo and is limited to small spaces
The Cal Script (Athletics)
Athletics keeps its own script logo, “Cal,” which the brand site calls the primary athletics logo. Its use alongside the Berkeley logo in athletics is at the discretion of Intercollegiate Athletics. Cal Athletics is not renamed “Cal Berkeley.”
What Do the Design Elements of the UCB Logo Mean?
The wordmark has no hidden symbol. Its message is in the letterforms, which draw on a typeface created for the University of California Press, so the lettering itself links Berkeley to the system’s printing tradition.
The seal carries the explicit symbolism: the book, the letter A, and the star with rays.
What Does Fiat Lux Mean?
“Fiat Lux” is the University of California motto and appears on the seal’s streamer. It is Latin for “Let there be light.” The University of California describes the open book as gathering and sharing knowledge, the letter A as the beginning of wisdom, and the star with rays of light as the discovery and spread of knowledge.
Why Did UC Berkeley Choose These Specific Colors?
Berkeley Blue and California Gold are the university’s official colors. The brand site names four colors in total: California Gold, Berkeley Blue, white, and black. Approved pairings are gold on blue, blue on gold, white on blue, and blue on white. The brand pages do not give a symbolic meaning for either color.
The psychology behind the color is less relevant here than the pairing: a deep blue next to a warm yellow, two very different hues, gives strong contrast. In 2024 the blue was brightened to better match the saturation of the gold.
What Are the UC Berkeley Logo Colors?
The university’s brand site lists these values:
- Berkeley Blue: #002676, CMYK 100/91/22/14
- California Gold: #FDB515, CMYK 0/32/100/0
The page does not list an RGB breakdown, and the CMYK values are the university’s own. It also lists Pantone “rollback” colors for older materials: PMS 282 for the navy and PMS 123 for the gold. Black-only versions of the logo are for black-and-white or grayscale use. Among blue logos, Berkeley’s stands out for pairing the blue with a warm gold.
What Typography Style Is Used in the UCB Logo?
The logo uses a customized serif inspired by Frederic Goudy’s Californian typeface, created more than 85 years ago for University of California Press, and by its sibling font, Deepdene. Berkeley’s news office calls the original University of California Old Style, a custom typeface Goudy made in the 1930s. The 2024 version lowers letterform contrast for better reading on screens.
The brand site says the logo should never be recreated or typeset, so there is no font you can type it in. For the rest of the identity Berkeley’s brand site now lists two free families: Inter, an open-source sans-serif, and Source Serif 4. If you need a loose relative, Goudy Bookletter 1911 shares the old-style feel, but it will not match the wordmark. The lowercase letters have the moderate x-height typical of old-style faces. For deeper reading, see this typeface primer and our look at the font basics.
What Are the Hidden Meanings in the UCB Logo?
Very little is hidden. The wordmark is meant to be plain, and the brand site says nothing about concealed symbols. The most interesting point is the history of the typeface itself, which Goudy made for the University of California Press and which then quietly became the lettering of the campus.
On the seal, the date 1868 is the year the university is recognized as organized. It is not the date the Berkeley campus opened.
How Does the UCB Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?
Among major public universities, Berkeley is unusual for putting a serif wordmark at the center of its identity instead of a crest. Many American universities keep a shield or seal as the visible logo.
The UCLA logo, from another University of California campus, uses bold sans-serif capitals in a blue box. Stanford also uses a custom serif wordmark, in red. Berkeley’s blue and gold distinguish it from both.
Is There Another UCB Logo?
UCB is also the name of a Belgian biopharmaceutical company, UCB S.A., headquartered in Brussels. It began in 1928 as Union Chimique Belge, founded by Emmanuel Janssen, and became a pure biopharma company after acquiring Celltech in 2004 and Schwarz Pharma in 2006. Its logo is separate from the university’s. If you want to compare it with other pharmaceutical logos, see Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Novartis, Sanofi, Bayer, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Merck, and Amgen.
What Cultural Impact Has the UCB Logo Had?
The wordmark appears on campus websites, merchandise, and event signage. On a gold wall, as in the image above, the blue-and-gold pairing is obvious.
The 2024 update was widely discussed, especially the “B” monogram, and some alumni objected to it online. That reaction shows how attached people are to Berkeley’s established look. The change was framed around legibility and unity with the Cal brand, not around replacing tradition.
How Does the UCB Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?
The wordmark is the center of a wider identity. The brand site lists the Berkeley logo, an expanded version that adds “University of California,” the Cal script, supporting marks such as “California” and “Golden Bears,” and the seal as a “supergraphic” graphic element. Academics and athletics now share a common palette and typography.
Berkeley’s brand guidelines and brand style guide sit on brand.berkeley.edu, which describes the strategy, colors, and typography. The system also uses a restrained color palette and a short list of typographic elements. Because the identity is built from a few strong pieces, it follows the logic of minimalist design.
The wordmark gives each school a clear focal point, and the white space around it keeps it legible. These are the same graphic design principles that guide most corporate logos, applied here to an institution.
How Should the UCB Logo Be Used?
This is generic advice, not Berkeley’s own rules. The university’s name and marks are trademarks, so they should not be used to imply endorsement or on commercial products without permission. Editorial uses such as news coverage, school reports, or commentary are usually fine. Berkeley’s own brand site says the logo should never be recreated or typeset, so do not retype it in a lookalike font. If you need artwork for print, ask the university for the vector files instead of using a screenshot. A small pixel or JPEG copy will look soft when enlarged.
FAQ on the UCB Logo
What does the UCB logo look like?
The UC Berkeley logo is the word “Berkeley” in a customized serif typeface, normally in Berkeley Blue. An expanded version adds “University of California” underneath, and the athletics logo is a script “Cal.”
What does UCB stand for?
UCB most often stands for University of California, Berkeley. It is also the name of the Belgian biopharma company UCB S.A., which was originally Union Chimique Belge.
What are the UC Berkeley logo colors?
Berkeley Blue (#002676) and California Gold (#FDB515), plus white and black, according to the university’s brand site. The blue was brightened in 2024.
When was the current Berkeley logo introduced?
The current version was re-rendered in 2024, with the rollout beginning in May of that year. It replaced a wordmark launched in January 2013.
Who designed the Berkeley logo?
The typographer MCKL re-rendered the logo in 2024. The 2013 wordmark was based on a typeface by Frederic Goudy, and no designer of the 2013 version has been named.
What font does the UC Berkeley logo use?
A customized serif inspired by Frederic Goudy’s Californian typeface (known at Berkeley as University of California Old Style). It cannot be typed out as a font. Inter and Source Serif 4 are the identity’s standard text fonts.
What does Fiat Lux mean?
“Fiat Lux” is the University of California motto on the seal, Latin for “Let there be light.”
What does the seal of UC Berkeley show?
The seal is the University of California seal: an open book with the letter A, a star with rays of light, a streamer with the motto, and the rim text “The Seal of The University of California, 1868.” Tiffany & Co. designed it, and the regents adopted it on August 9, 1910.
What is the B logo for UC Berkeley?
A “B” monogram that the university uses as a social media icon in small spaces. Officials say it is not the new logo.
Is the UCB logo the same as the UCB pharma company logo?
No. UCB S.A. is a separate Belgian biopharma company with its own identity. The university logo described here belongs to UC Berkeley.
Conclusion
The Berkeley logo is a wordmark with a long typographic pedigree. Its letters trace back to a typeface Frederic Goudy made for University of California Press, were adopted for the 2013 identity, and were redrawn by MCKL in 2024 to read better on screens and sit closer to the Cal script.
The blue and gold, the seal with its “Fiat Lux” motto, and the wordmark together make a recognizable identity without a crest. The mixed reaction to the 2024 changes, and the logo design principles behind them, show how closely people watch a university’s look.
If you came here for the Belgian pharma company, it has its own separate logo and history. For Berkeley, the key point is simple: a serif name, two colors, and a seal that has been in place since 1910.
Sources
- UC Berkeley Brand, Logos – https://brand.berkeley.edu/visual-identity/logos
- UC Berkeley Brand, Colors – https://brand.berkeley.edu/visual-identity/colors
- UC Berkeley Brand, Overview – https://brand.berkeley.edu
- Berkeley News, Inside the two-year project to unify the UC Berkeley and Cal brands – https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/05/28/inside-the-two-year-project-to-unify-the-uc-berkeley-and-cal-brands/
- California Magazine, Elements of branding – https://alumni.berkeley.edu/california-magazine/spring-2014-branding/elements-branding/
- University of California Brand Guidelines, The University Seal – https://brand.universityofcalifornia.edu/guidelines/seal.html
- ABC7 News, What’s happening with the UC Berkeley logos? – https://abc7news.com/post/mixed-reaction-confusion-uc-berkeleys-rebrand-new-logos/14859232/
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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