Fifth Year B.S./M.S. Application

Item

Required

Application Instructions

Yes

Program Information

Yes

Biographical Information

Yes

Personal Information

Yes

Educational Background

Yes

Academic History

Yes – Please include transcripts for all higher institutions (Community Colleges, 4 Year Universities, study-abroad, etc.)

Languages

Optional

Yes.  We require three (3).  We prefer that one of these be from a faculty member in MechE.

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 deadline.

Economic Background

Yes

Employment

Yes, if applicable

Test Scores

GRE scores are not required for Fall 2026 admissions.

Statement of Purpose

Yes

Please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study including your preparation for the Mechanical Engineering field of study, your academic plans, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit for you.

Personal History Statement

Yes

Please describe how your background and life experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree at this time. This may include formative experiences, values, or motivations that have influenced your academic and/or professional path.

In this section, you may also include any relevant information on the following:

• Any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences or opportunities that have shaped your academic journey
• Challenges or responsibilities you have navigated in pursuit of your educational goals, and how you responded to or overcame them
• Significant barriers or hardships you have faced, and how they have contributed to your growth and shaped your perspective
• Leadership experiences, community outreach, service initiatives, or research projects you have participated in or plan to pursue that aim to positively impact others or the broader community
• Ways in which your perspectives, experiences, or aspirations have aligned with UC Berkeley’s Principles of Community

Mechanical Engineering Program Page

Yes

Grade Category Definitions

• MechE Cumulative GPA Definition: 
  Your entire GPA, including that from other schools.
• Advanced GPA Definition: 
  GPA for your upper division (100+) technical courses
• Major GPA Definition: 
  GPA for your technical major courses including Math, Physics, etc.
• 2 Year GPA Definition: 
  GPA should include everything after your first two years.

Please only upload a calculation if you are including non-UCB grades

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