CBE Grad FAQ

We understand the financial difficulties associated with application to graduate programs and the University offers Fee waivers to US Citizens and current permanent residents. There are two ways in which you may qualify for an application fee waiver:

• You can demonstrate financial need, or
• You are a current participant in certain programs that qualify for a fee waiver.
• For complete information please visit: https://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply/fee-waiver/

Admissions decisions are made independently of financial aid, and students are generally supported by a variety of fellowships and research and teaching assistantships during their time in residence. These appointments pay fees, tuition, and a competitive stipend. Students are encouraged to seek outside fellowships to help finance their graduate studies. Many of our students are supported by NSF, Whitaker, NPSC, Hertz, etc., as well as other governmental and corporate sponsorships.

Admission decisions are made by a departmental committee. Students apply to the department, rather than to a professor, and decisions are made on overall qualifications, independent of research interest. Upon entering our graduate program, the faculty present the research projects that are available, to allow for an informed advisor selection process. Students are also encouraged to meet with a number of faculty members before making a choice of thesis advisor.

In broad terms, research in the department can be divided into the following areas:

• Biochemical Engineering
• Energy Sustainability, Catalysis & Electrochemical Engineering
• Engineering Complex Fluids: Polymers and Colloids
• Materials & Interfaces

List of CBE faculty sorted by subject area

In addition, some of our students choose to work with a broader set of faculty ranging from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories to the Department of Chemistry.

Admission to the graduate program in chemical engineering at the University of California at Berkeley is highly competitive. While an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering is not a formal requirement for admission, we expect students to have completed the equivalent of our own undergraduate required curriculum. This includes (number of semester units in parentheses):

• General Chemistry (8)
• Organic Chemistry (5)
• Inorganic Chemistry (3)
• Physical Chemistry (6)
• Physical Chemistry Laboratory (3)
• Introduction to Chemical Process Analysis (3)
• Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (3)
• Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Engineering (3)
• Transport Processes (6)
• Separation Processes (3)
• Chemical Engineering Laboratory (3)
• Chemical Process Design (3)
• Dynamics and Control of Chemical Processes (3)

As much as we would like to offer pre-screening, regrettably we do not have the resources to offer this service. We recommend that you contact the advising staff at your own undergraduate institution for an evaluation of your current record and suggestions regarding where to apply for graduate school. Your undergraduate record, any undergraduate research experience, letters of recommendation, and your personal statement are all considered in our final decision regarding admission.

Yes, get at least two academic references. You may add one or two professional references if you wish.

As one of the top undergraduate programs in the world, we take pride in nurturing and training exceptional students who go on to contribute to a wide variety of disciplines spanning both research and industry. Additionally, we also feel that it is our duty to encourage our undergraduates to pursue graduate studies in new environments to broaden their intellectual and professional outlook. That said, given the exceptionally large size of our undergraduate cohort compared to most of our peer schools, we are now open to admitting a small number of Berkeley undergraduates in our PhD cohort. Applications from students with extenuating personal circumstances that require them to be in the Bay Area, or students who have graduated from Berkeley a while ago and acquired substantial industry experience are particularly encouraged.

NO. The faculty of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) at UC Berkeley have determined the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) is a proven identifier of race and socio-economic status. Its association with successful completion of the doctorate is minimal, and its fulfillment is an economic burden on applicants. CBE will no longer consider it for admission.

The department welcomes applications from highly qualified and scientifically motivated international students. Based on our experience in recent years, international candidates who are invited for an interview have a grade point average equivalent of 3.7/4.0 or higher and minimum score for the TOEFL is at least a 90 on the (Internet-based test) iBT. Faculty in CBE have diverse backgrounds and research interests, and we welcome students with previous degrees in related engineering and scientific disciplines. Students with two or more majors in spanning engineering, physical sciences, computational sciences or the life sciences are particularly encouraged to apply.

While everyone is welcome to take the Berkeley campus tour, regrettably the department cannot accommodate the many students who wish to make drop-in visits prior to being formally admitted to the department.

The Personal History Statement is required from all applicants and should be 1-2 pages long. Please note that the Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose. Please describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. In this section, you may also include any relevant information on the following:

• How you have overcome barriers to access higher education
• How you have come to understand the barriers faced by others
• 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
• Your research focusing on under served populations or related issues of inequality
• Your leadership among such groups