At Berkeley, graduate work in chemical engineering emphasizes the excitement of original research in frontier areas of applied science. While formal courses are necessary to provide scientific fundamentals and intellectual breadth, the primary characteristic of Berkeley's graduate experience is to participate in the quest for new knowledge. Graduate students and faculty collaborate as partners in scholarship, in learning, and in intellectual discovery.

Admission is granted by the University's Graduate Division on the recommendation of the department. Applicants generally are required to provide the following: evidence of superior performance in the last 2 years of undergraduate studies; test scores for the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (the advanced GRE or subject test is not required); and 3 letters of recommendation from professors or colleagues familiar with the applicant's academic and professional aptitudes. Foreign students whose native language is not English must take an English proficiency exam (TOEFL). The weight of evidence from all sources determines admission. Students do not need a master's degree to apply for a doctoral degree. Most applicants will have completed a typical undergraduate program in chemical engineering. However, admission may be granted to students with undergraduate degrees in a related discipline. Such students normally are admitted to the M.S. program and the necessary background courses in chemical engineering are taken as part of the program for the first year. A portion of this work may be credited toward fulfillment of the M.S. degree. Students who so desire may be admitted to the Ph.D. program after satisfactory demonstration of their aptitude for chemical engineering studies.

Applications are only accepted for the fall semester. The deadline to apply is January 8.

The online application will be available September 1st at the Graduate Division Website. Mail the paper application and supplementary documents (official transcript and academic records, letter of recommendation) to:

Graduate Office
University of California
Department of Chemical Engineering
201 Gilman Hall
Berkeley, Ca 94720-1462

We welcome applications and inquiries concerning admission to our graduate program. Visits to the department are encouraged after the offer of admission because they provide the best opportunity to become acquainted with our faculty, students, and current research. Many questions can be answered by the Graduate Student Affairs Officer by email at chegrad@cchem.berkeley.edu or by phone at (510) 642-1533.

Related Resources

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)