Online Application
All applications must be submitted through the Berkeley campus’ Online Application for graduate admissions. Please take care to ensure all email addresses, as well as your own email address, are entered correctly. Applications that are incomplete by the time of review will not be competitive for admission. Making sure an application is complete is solely the responsibility of the applicant and should be done in a timely manner. The application process is ENTIRELY ONLINE. Please DO NOT mail copies of essays, transcripts, GRE AND TOEFL scores, publications, resumes or recommendation letter.
Please note that the Department of Mechanical Engineering does not offer a standard Master of Science terminal degree option for the application cycle. Students who are interested in a terminal master’s program may wish to consider our Master of Engineering Program.
Application Requirements
| Item | Required |
| Application Instructions | Yes |
| Program Information | Yes |
| Previous Application | Yes |
| Biographical Information | Yes |
| Personal Information | Yes |
| Contact Information | Yes |
| Academic History/Transcript Upload | Yes – Please include transcripts for all higher institutions (Community Colleges, 4 Year Universities, study-abroad, etc.) |
| Languages | Optional |
| Recommendations |
Yes. We require three (3). We recommend that you send your recommenders notifications through the application system long before you submit your application so that they can submit their letters by the 12/2/2024 deadline. |
| Economic Background | Yes |
| Resume/CV | Highly recommended |
| Professional Experience | Optional |
| Test Scores/Exam Requirements |
GRE scores are not required for Fall 2025 admissions. International Students should refer to Graduate Division Requirements regarding the Evidence of English Language Proficiency requirement. Self-Reported Exam Scores: optional |
| Statement of Purpose |
Yes Question: Please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit for you. Essay should be a maximum of 1-2 pages, double-spaced. |
| Personal History Statement |
Yes Question: Please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include information on how you have overcome barriers to access higher education, evidence of how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others, evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education, evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality, or evidence of your leadership among such groups. Please note that the Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose. Essay should be a maximum of 1-2 pages, double-spaced. |
| Mechanical Engineering Program Page |
Yes Grades: Please complete the form according to our definitions, not the ones provided to you by campus. International students are required to provide the categories that are marked with an asterisk. For them, the other categories are not mandatory but recommended. Cumulative GPA Definition: Advanced GPA Definition: Major GPA Definition: 2 Year GPA Definition: Please only upload a calculation if you are including non-UC Berkeley grades. *International students should refer to the following references to help them calculate this: |
| Domestic Fellowship | Yes |
| FLAS Fellowship | Not Required |
| International Fellowship | Yes |
| Degree-Specific Page(s) |
Yes This will appear as ONE of the following: D.Eng. Information, M.Eng. Information, Masters of Science Information, M.S./Ph.D. Application Information, Ph.D. Application Information, or Concurrent Program Information. |
| Major Field & Research Focus Area |
Yes |
| Courses Planned or In Progress |
Yes |
| Honors & Awards |
Optional |
| Publications & Presentations |
Optional |
| Financial Support |
Yes |
| Faculty Preference |
Yes |
| Web Links |
Optional |
| Survey Questions |
Optional |
| Supporting Materials | This section is optional, but we prefer a CV/Resume to be uploaded. We do not require a writing sample. |
| Information Agreement | Yes |
| Payment | Yes |
| Signature | Yes |
Uploaded Official Transcript Notes
We require you to upload, in PDF format, one (1) Unofficial Transcript and/or Academic Record from each college or university you have attended. Please note that even if you have not yet finished your coursework when you apply, we still require a current transcript from you. Document policies:
- Only one PDF per school will be allowed to be uploaded to the site.
- PDF files should include both the front and back side of pages. Grading legends should be included.
- International Students must provide English Translations of their Academic Records as well as documents in their original language. For more details, please visit the Graduate Division website.
- English Language Grades should appear at the beginning of the file. Translations, Legends, Degree Certificates and other material, should be towards the end of the file.
- All Social Security numbers need to be either blacked out by pen before scanning, or redacted in Adobe before you upload the documents, to protect your privacy. Please refrain from highlighting the numbers in black or changing the font color to white, as the information would still remain in the document.
- Unofficial transcripts from Bear Facts will be accepted (for UC Berkeley Students).
- Once you have submitted your Online Application, you will not be able to update these materials, and unfortunately, due the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to upload them for you. Please do not email or mail us updated transcripts as they will not be reviewed. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
For more information about transcripts, please visit the Graduate Division website.
Major Field and Research Focus Area
As part of the online application, you will be asked to provide your Major Field and Research Focus Area. These will represent your primary areas of study and research during your graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Berkeley. The Research Focus Areas have been determined by the faculty as current major themes of research in the department. As these categories do not include all of our research activities, you are encouraged to examine faculty webpages for additional research topics. To further understand your interests, we also ask that you provide us with your preference, if any, of research method.
Your selections of major field and research focus area, along with your preference of research method, will be used during the admissions process to guide us both in determining which faculty members are best suited to review your application and in the selection processes for various kinds of financial support.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Notes
The GRE is not required for Fall 2025 Admission Cycle.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Notes
- TOEFL/IELTS Scores DEADLINE: Monday, December 2, 2024, 8:59 PM PST.
- For Fall 2024, tests taken before June 1, 2023 will not be accepted.
- For more detailed information, please see visit the Graduate Division website.
- IELTS tests should be sent directly to:
Graduate Admissions Office – UC Berkeley
Re: IELTS Test Score for the Department of Mechanical Engineering
318 Sproul Hall #5900
Berkeley, CA 94720-5900
Three (3) Letters of Recommendation Notes
- Due Monday, December 2, 2024, 8:59 PM PST.
- Letters of Recommendations will be gathered electronically as part of the Online Application.
- Having more than 3 letters, though we allow it, is not recommended. Due to the volume of applications we receive every year, there is no guarantee that additional letters will be read. Also, please note that we may verify the authenticity of the letters submitted for you.
- It can be a good idea to ask your recommenders if they can write you a good, detailed letter. The best letters gauge your ability and potential for research and graduate study as well as your leadership capability, often citing examples from the recommenders own experiences with you.
- For more advice, please visit the Career Center website.
Faculty Preference Notes
Applicants are required to provide at least 3 specific faculty members they have a strong preference to work with. You may list up to nine selections in rank order, with your strongest interest listed first. The page will refresh after each entry. To learn more about our department’s faculty members, please see our Faculty list.