Applying for Graduate Admission
Applying to uc berkeley.
Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! We value and welcome students from a diverse set of backgrounds, nations, cultures, and experiences. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply.
Who is eligible?
You are eligible to apply if you have an undergraduate degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) at an accredited institution or will have completed it prior to matriculating at Berkeley.
We recommend that applicants have a satisfactory average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale. Undergraduate research, training and/or work experience can be helpful.
Application Process
The 2025-2026 Graduate Admissions Application is now open. Please check your program of interest’s application deadline , and submit by 8:59 p.m. PST.
Reminder: Applicants may apply to only one degree program or one concurrent degree program per application term. UC Berkeley does not offer ad hoc joint degree programs or cotutelle agreements with other universities.
Schools with Separate Applications: Haas Business , Berkeley Law , Optometry OD , Public Health On-Campus MPH , Information Data Science MIDS, and Cybersecurity MICS applicants should apply through their respective schools.
Read About the Steps to Apply
Getting started? Read "Steps to Apply" for requirements, a suggested timeline, and application deadlines.
Notice of Availability:
In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the University of California, Berkeley publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report includes current campus security policies plus crime and fire statistics for the previous three calendar years. It also contains contact information for various campus and community resources related to crime prevention, reporting resources, and survivor assistance.
You may use the link below to access a digital copy of the current report. Paper copies of the current report are available free of charge and may be requested by emailing [email protected] .
UC Berkeley Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
Have questions? Read our Admissions FAQ page or contact the Graduate Admissions Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you offer a Master's Degree program?
- How do I apply for the PhD program?
- Is the General GRE exam or Mathematics Subject GRE exam required?
- What are your GRE Score and minimum GPA requirements?
- Does your application require a GPA calculation worksheet?
- My school does not use a 4-point grading scale. Do I need to convert my grades?
- I'm not sure if I qualify for a TOEFL exemption. What are the requirements?
- How do I show that I qualify for a TOEFL exemption?
- Do you accept the IELTS?
- I'm an international student with a 3-year bachelor's degree from my home country. Can I apply for your program?
- How can I enroll in Berkeley math classes if I am not a Berkeley Student?
- Is there a separate deadline for letter writers?
- My letter writer will not be able to submit their recommendation by the deadline. Will my application still be considered?
- My letter writer missed the deadline. Can they still upload their letter?
- Does the department offer financial aid for graduate students?
- Are application fee waivers available?
No, we do not offer a Master's degree program. If you are interested in graduate study at Berkeley you must apply for the Ph.D. program.
We are unable to provide individual consultation on how to get into graduate school or increase one's chance of being accepted. The best way to learn how to apply to our program is to review our website and Graduate Division's website .
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to make the GRE exams optional for the Fall 2022 graduate admissions application. You may still submit GRE scores; however, an absence of GRE scores will not negatively impact your application.
We do not have a minimum GRE score requirement or any type of review cutoff for the subject or general exams. Our admissions committee uses a holistic review process for all applications submitted by the deadline, so all components of the application are reviewed and considered. Our department complies with Graduate Division's minimum GPA requirement so applicants must have at least a 3.0 average on a 4-point scale.
No, we do not require a GPA calculation worksheet on the application.
No, if your school doesn't use a 4-point grading scale, or only provides narrative evaluations, without grades, we do not want you to convert your GPAs; you should simply leave the GPA sections blank. The admissions committee will be able to assess your performance from your uploaded transcripts.
The English language requirement is overseen by Graduate Division's Office of Admissions. You can find the requirements for an exemption here . After reviewing the policy linked above, if you have further questions on whether you qualify, you can contact [email protected] for assistance.
To show that you are exempt from taking the TOEFL, you just need to submit your transcripts in the online application portal, and admissions evaluators will determine that you are not required to submit TOEFL scores.
Yes, Graduate Division accepts IELTS reports. All IELTS scores must be sent electronically from the testing center; no institution code is required. You can find detailed instructions on how to submit scores here .
Applicants must have, or expect to have prior to the beginning of instruction, a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Equivalency is determined by International Evaluators in the Graduate Admissions Office. If you have additional questions on equivalency standards, please contact [email protected] .
Non-Berkeley students can enroll in Berkeley classes via the Concurrent Enrollment program. You can find more information here .
No, all application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be uploaded by the application deadline.
Yes, as long as you submit your application by the deadline your application will be reviewed and considered for admission. If you are missing a letter, the committee will only have limited information to assess your application.
Yes, the unique upload link is still active after the deadline. Your recommender should upload their letter as early as possible. If they upload it after the deadline, there's no guarantee it will be available for the review since the committee can begin reading applications anytime after the deadline has passed.
All PhD students who make satisfactory progress are fully funded for five years. You can find more information on graduate financial aid here .
U.S. citizens or permanent residents who can demonstrate financial need are eligible to apply for an application fee waiver. Please see the Graduate Division's page on how to Request an Application Fee Waiver . For international applicants, we are pleased to offer a limited number of need based fee waivers each year to eligible applicants. The waiver is available in the program page of the online application and must be submitted by December 1st.
After reading the above material and our Admissions page, if you have further questions on admission to our program you can send an email to [email protected] .
IMAGES
VIDEO