UC Berkeley Engineering Graduate Admission 2027 for International Students: Ranking, GRE, Funding and Deadlines

UC Berkeley engineering graduate admission for international students is handled by Berkeley’s Graduate Division together with each department. For fall 2027 the key facts are a $155 application fee for non-U.S. applicants, deadlines of 1 December 2026 (EECS and the Mechanical Engineering PhD), 15 December 2026 (Civil and Environmental Engineering MS and PhD) and 6 January 2027 (MEng programmes), a minimum GPA of 3.0, and no Duolingo. The GRE is not required in EECS or ME and is not accepted in CEE.

Berkeley’s College of Engineering is ranked No. 3 (not tied) in the U.S. News 2026 Best Graduate Schools engineering list. As a public university, it charges international students Nonresident Supplemental Tuition, which makes the MEng expensive. PhD students, on the other hand, usually receive multi-year packages that cover tuition and pay at least $34,000 a year. This guide sets out each rule with figures from Berkeley’s own pages.

Berkeley engineering at a glance

1. School: College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley.
2. Ranking: No. 3 for graduate engineering, U.S. News 2026 Best Graduate Schools (Berkeley Engineering news, April 2026).
3. Degrees: MS, MEng and PhD across departments; D.Eng in Mechanical Engineering.
4. Application fee: $155 for applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
5. Minimum GPA: usually 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.
6. English: TOEFL or IELTS only; Duolingo is not accepted.
7. Entry term: fall.

Departments and flagship programmes

Berkeley Engineering has seven departments: Bioengineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences; Industrial Engineering and Operations Research; Materials Science and Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Nuclear Engineering. Most offer three types of graduate degree:

Mechanical Engineering will not offer a standard terminal MS for the fall 2027 cycle. It suggests the MEng for applicants who want a terminal master’s. CEE admits students into one of seven programme areas, each with its own prerequisites, so read the programme area page before choosing.

Berkeley engineering GRE requirement by department

Mechanical Engineering’s supplemental materials table still mentions “all test scores from ETS”. That refers to official score reports such as the TOEFL. If you are unsure, email the department rather than paying for a GRE you do not need.

English language requirements

Berkeley’s admissions requirements page sets these minimums for fall 2027 applicants whose degree comes from a country where English is not the main language:

Tests taken before 1 June 2025 are not accepted, and your most recent score must meet the minimum. TOEFL ITP, MyBest scores, the IELTS Indicator and IELTS One Skill Retake are also not accepted. Departments can set higher bars.

Who is exempt

• Applicants with a basic degree from a recognised institution in a country where English is the main language of daily life and teaching. Berkeley keeps a country list on its site, so check whether yours is on it.
• Applicants who completed a degree at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a U.S. institution abroad, taught in English.
• Applicants who completed at least one year of full-time academic coursework with grades of B or better at a regionally accredited U.S. institution.

Application fee and waivers

The fee is $155 for international applicants and $135 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Graduate Division fee waivers are open only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and Mechanical Engineering states that the department itself does not waive the fee. If you are an international applicant, plan to pay $155 per programme.

Berkeley engineering application deadlines for fall 2027

Mechanical Engineering says late applications will not be accepted for any reason and there is no rolling review. Submit a few days early in case the portal is slow on deadline night.

Documents and transcripts

1. Online application: through the Graduate Division.
2. Statement of purpose and personal history statement: both are part of the Berkeley application.
3. Letters of recommendation: three for PhD applicants in ME; two for the ME MEng.
4. Transcripts: upload a scanned copy of your transcript and degree certificate for each institution after secondary school.
5. Translations: if records are not in English or Spanish, provide a certified translation or a WES ICAP evaluation.
6. English test score: sent officially by ETS or IELTS.

PhD funding at Berkeley engineering

Berkeley’s Graduate Division describes doctoral multi-year funding packages built from departmental fellowships and Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) appointments. In most cases they provide stipends or salary of at least $34,000 a year for five years. For international students, Nonresident Supplemental Tuition is typically covered as well. Packages depend on satisfactory progress.

PhD offers vary by department and adviser, so read your offer letter line by line: what it pays, for how many years, and whether it covers summer.

Fellowships and scholarships

The Fung Institute lists the Dean’s Full Scholarship, Dean’s Grant, Fung Excellence Scholarship and MEng Opportunity Grant for full-time MEng students, and names outside options including the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the I-House Scholarship Program, the GEM Fellowship and Fulbright. Amounts and eligibility are on the linked programme pages. For African applicants, the Mastercard Foundation and Fulbright routes are the ones to check first.

MS and MEng funding reality

Master’s students are generally self-funded. A few MS students find GSR or GSI positions after arrival, but you cannot count on that for the I-20, which needs proof of the full first-year cost.

Tuition and cost of attendance, 2026-27

The Registrar’s 2026-27 fee schedule gives these per-semester totals for nonresident (international) students, including the $4,103 health insurance fee:

The MEng total includes Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition of $17,843 a semester for nonresidents. On top of fees, the Fung Institute’s 2025-26 estimate for living costs was $36,774 a year (housing, food, transport, personal and books); the 2026-27 figure had not been posted when I checked. The Registrar describes its figures as estimates that may change.

How to contact potential PhD advisers

Berkeley’s admissions committees make the decision, but a professor who wants you can make a difference, especially in GSR-funded groups. Before writing, read the lab website and at least two recent papers. Write briefly and specifically.

For illustration: “Dear Professor X, I am a civil engineering graduate of the University of Nairobi working on flood risk mapping for informal settlements. Your group’s recent paper on urban stormwater modelling uses methods I would like to extend to East African cities. I am applying to the CEE PhD for fall 2027 and wanted to ask whether you are considering new students.” Attach a one-page CV, and follow up once after two weeks at most.

How to write the statement of purpose for Berkeley

1. State your research interest in the first paragraph: the problem, the field and the method you want to use.
2. Describe your preparation: research, final-year projects and work, with your role and results.
3. Explain why Berkeley: name faculty, labs or centres, and for CEE, the specific programme area you are applying to.
4. Finish with goals: what you will do with the degree.

Berkeley also asks for a personal history statement. Use it for context the statement of purpose cannot carry: obstacles you overcame, community work, teaching or mentoring. Keep the two documents distinct so neither repeats the other.

Common mistakes international applicants make

• Sending Duolingo scores: Berkeley will not accept them.
• Applying to the ME terminal MS: it is not offered for fall 2027; apply for the MEng or PhD instead.
• Sending GRE scores to CEE: CEE does not accept them.
• Misreading the 3.0 GPA rule: Berkeley evaluates grades on your own system. Report a Nigerian 5.0 scale or a Kenyan class of degree as printed, and do not convert it yourself.
• Missing the degree certificate: international applicants must upload the certificate as well as the transcript.
• Assuming a three-year degree is equivalent: Berkeley requires a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s and keeps a country list. Check yours before paying $155.

Costs not covered by funding

• The $155 application fee per programme and test fees.
• SEVIS I-901 and U.S. visa fees.
• For master’s students, the full tuition, Nonresident Supplemental Tuition and PDST.
• Bay Area rent, deposits and furniture; housing is the largest living cost here.
• Summer living costs if your PhD appointment covers only the academic year.

STEM OPT after graduation

Engineering degrees fall under CIP codes on the Department of Homeland Security STEM Designated Degree Program List, so Berkeley MS, MEng and PhD graduates on F-1 status are normally eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm the CIP code on your I-20 with Berkeley International Office.

Who should apply

• Apply for the PhD if you have research experience and want a funded doctorate with a five-year package.
• Apply for the MEng if you want a one-year industry-focused degree and can cover about $74,000 in fees plus living costs.
• Look at the CEE MS if you want an academic master’s in civil or environmental engineering at a lower fee than the MEng.
• Skip Berkeley if your only English score is Duolingo and you cannot sit TOEFL or IELTS in time.

How Berkeley compares with peer engineering schools

For undergraduate entry, see our UC Berkeley admission requirements for international students. For funding ideas, see our scholarships for African students list.

Frequently asked questions

Does UC Berkeley accept Duolingo for engineering graduate admission?

No. Berkeley’s Graduate Division accepts only TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition) and IELTS Academic (including IELTS Online), taken on or after 1 June 2025 for fall 2027.

What is the UC Berkeley engineering graduate application deadline for 2027?

EECS and the ME PhD close on 1 December 2026, CEE MS and PhD on 15 December 2026, and MEng programmes on 6 January 2027.

Is a Berkeley engineering PhD funded for international students?

Usually yes. Doctoral packages typically pay at least $34,000 a year for five years, and Nonresident Supplemental Tuition is typically covered for international students.

How much is the Berkeley MEng for international students?

The 2026-27 fee schedule lists $37,002.25 per semester for a new nonresident MEng student, about $74,000 for two semesters before living costs.

Sources and updates

Checked on 29 October 2026 against Berkeley’s own pages: the Graduate Division admissions requirements, EECS programme page and doctoral funding packages pages; Mechanical Engineering graduate admissions; CEE graduate admissions; the Registrar’s 2026-27 fee schedule; and the Fung Institute’s MEng tuition and financial aid page. The ranking comes from Berkeley Engineering’s April 2026 news release and VnExpress International’s report on U.S. News 2026 Best Graduate Schools. Berkeley does not publish a college-wide graduate acceptance rate, so none is given. We will update this guide when 2027-28 fees and deadlines are posted.

Jude Chinecherem

I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.