The graduate EECS programs at Berkeley are among the best anywhere, ranking first and second in the country. Our graduate students have the chance to study and conduct research with faculty members recognized around the world for their invention and discovery while being immersed in a rigorous intellectual, interdisciplinary, and global environment.
We welcome your application to our competitive graduate programs. We anticipate the variety of perspectives and backgrounds that each new cohort of graduate students will bring to us.
For those interested in pursuing a career in industrial R, Berkeley EECS offers three degrees. The Master of Science (M. S. ), the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D. ) and the combined M. S. /Ph. D.
The Fall 2023 Admission application is now closed
The next opportunity to apply for the EECS M. S. , M. S. /Ph. D. , and Ph. D. Programs will be available in September 2023 for Fall 2024 start dates.
Application Prerequisites for All Graduate Research Degree Programs
The minimum graduate admission requirements are:
- A bachelors degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution. You may submit an application if you are in your final year of school and anticipate receiving your diploma by the middle of August of the following year. If you are accepted, you will have to show evidence of having earned your bachelor’s degree at that time. This documentation is typically in the form of a final official transcript.
- If you attended a university that uses a 4. 0 grade-point scale, a passing grade point average (GPA), and a minimum GPA of 3 0 (B) is required. If you went to a school that doesn’t use the 4 Do not attempt to convert your grades to the 4 GPA scale if you have a 0 GPA. 0 scale for the application.
- Uploading three letters of recommendation as PDFs using the link in the online application Your letters could go into more detail about your objectives, research successes, leadership experience, technical skills, etc. We advise giving your letter writers at least two months to complete your recommendations.
- Please refer to Minimum Degree Requirements for International Applicants and Evidence of English Language Proficiency if you have earned a degree from an institution outside of the United States or are a candidate to do so.
*The GRE is no longer required nor accepted.
You can apply for the M. S. , M. S. /Ph. D. , or Ph. D. program in either Electrical Engineering (EECS) or Computer Science (CS). To apply you will need to choose a division. The following table lists the specialization fields that fall under the EE division, the CS division, and both.
Please take note that EE and CS are referred to as Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) and Computer Science (CS), respectively, on the official Grad Division application page. Candidates for EE must ensure that they apply to EECS, and candidates for CS must ensure that they apply to CS.
The current application period is closed. The next application period will open in early September 2022.
- Open an online application.
- the following files must be uploaded and entered: Evidence of English Proficiency – If your prior degree came from a university in a non-English-speaking nation, you must take the TOEFL or IELTS test by November. TOEFL scores will remain valid for up to two years. Send your scores electronically to Institution Code 4833. Personal History Statement – What in your past led you to choose this field, and how will your past help you succeed in this program and your future goals? Statement of Purpose – Why are you applying for this program, what are your research goals and interests, what do you hope to accomplish in this degree program, what do you want to do after and how will this help you?3 Letters of Recommendation – Letters from professors are highly preferred. You could discuss your objectives, research achievements, leadership abilities, technical skills, and other things in your letters. We advise giving your recommenders at least two months to complete their letters and submit them via the link provided in your online application as PDFs. Upload unofficial copies or PDFs of your transcripts from each higher education facility you have attended. Hard copy or emailed transcripts will not be accepted. Before uploading to the application, transcripts that are not in English or Spanish must be translated. If you graduated from a university outside of the U. S. If your transcripts do not reflect the award of your degree, you should also upload a copy of your degree certificate. If you went to a university that doesn’t use a 4, your GPA Please enter your grade point average (GPA) as it appears on your transcript in the “Other Scale GPA” section. “Resume/CV – List any education, employment, volunteer work, honors, or upcoming coursework”
- Pay the application fee. Application waivers may be requested in advance by qualified US citizens and Permanent Residents.
- Submit your completed application by the deadline. We advise submitting your application well before the deadline to prevent any technical problems. Late applications or materials will not be accepted.
Please review our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Equal Access to Application Assistance Program
All applicants to Berkeley’s EECS Department’s higher degree programs (MS/PhD) will have access to advice on the higher degree application process through the student-run Equal Access Assistance (EAAA) program. Before the deadlines for higher-degree applications in the fall semester, one EECS student (or recent graduate) will give feedback on your statement of purpose, personal history statement, CV/resume, and other application materials. The focus of this criticism will be Berkeley and admissions, not grammar or formatting suggestions.
Participation in EAAA does not guarantee admission or in any way influence the admissions decision-making process; rather, it is a process that must be completed separately in order to be considered for admission to the UC Berkeley EECS Department.
Master of Science (M.S.) Only*
Full-time Commitment: ~2 years
Focus: Leads to career in industrial R&D or Ph.D.
Most UC Berkeley Ph.D. students who are currently enrolled are eligible for the MS-only degree. D. students that want to add the degree. Exceptional applicants with prior research experience are occasionally admitted, but the cohort is typically capped at less than ten. Students who want to pursue a degree that emphasizes research should think about applying directly to the MS/PhD program.
If you want to start working as an engineer right away but don’t want to get a Ph D. , the Master of Engineering (M. Eng. ) is specifically designed as a professional masters degree. If you are a Ph. D. applying to add the M while a UC student at one of the other campuses S. Please be aware that UC Berkeley will charge additional fees on top of those from your home campus if you pursue a degree in EECS.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Only
5–6 years, beginning with a bachelor’s degree; 3–5 years, beginning with a master’s degree.
Focus: Research + teaching experience
A Ph. D. EECS prepares students for a career in academia or industry through coursework, original research, and exceptional faculty mentoring.
The EECS Department offers two types of Ph. D. degrees (EE and CS). The principal requirements for the Ph. D. are:
- coursework (a major field and two minor fields)
- Departmental prerequisites (an oral examination and courses in breadth, which differ for EE and CS)
- the qualifying exam
- the dissertation
*The Master of Science (M. S. The Only Program is a very selective research initiative for outstanding candidates with prior research experience. Because there are so few students in the M.S./Ph.D. program, applicants should think about applying. S. only program.
CS PhD application & planning: How I got into everywhere (MIT, Berkeley, etc.)
FAQ
How hard is it to get into UC Berkeley EECS?
Lastly, across all COE majors the admit rate was 7. 6%. That was in 2021, and I would imagine that 2022 was even worse. EECS is likely sub 4% admit rate.
Is UC Berkeley EECS acceptance rate?
UC Berkeley Electrical Engineering and Computer Science acceptance rate. Acceptance rates for electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley 5%.
Is it hard to get into grad school at Berkeley?
There are only 17 spots available for graduate school admission at UC Berkeley. 5% of applicants being accepted on average. Out of 42,000 applicants, 3,539 international students were accepted into the graduate program. This represents a 19% acceptance rate for international students.
What is a good GPA for Berkeley EECS?
The most marketable undergraduate degree offered by Berkeley is in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EE/CS), which has an average admitted GPA of over 4 in the College of Engineering (although Haas students may disagree). 4.