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MEng Application

Online Application

Application Deadline: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 8:59 PM PST. Late submissions will NOT be accepted under any circumstance.

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.

Note: The application fee is waived for UC Berkeley undergraduate applicants.

Application Requirements

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
Recommendations	Yes. We require two (2). 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 1/14/2026 deadline.
Economic Background	Yes
Employment	Yes, if applicable
Test Scores	GRE scores are not required for Fall 2026 admissions. International Students should refer to Graduate Division Requirements regarding the Evidence of English Language Proficiency requirement.
Statement of Purpose	Yes Please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of concentration, including your preparation for this field of study, 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
MEng 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: 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-UC Berkeley grades. *International students should refer to the following references to help them calculate this: GPA Conversion Sheet World Education Services (WES)
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, but the application fee is waived for UC Berkeley undergraduate applicants.
Signature	Yes

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 Areas

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 the Fall 2026 Admissions Cycle.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Notes

TOEFL/IELTS Scores DEADLINE: Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 8:59 PM PST.
For Fall 2026, tests taken before June 1, 2024 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

Two (2) Letters of Recommendation Notes

Due Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 8:59 PM PST.
Letters of Recommendations will be gathered electronically as part of the Online Application.
Having more than 2 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.