Graduate Application

General Instructions

Proposed Degree Program
Personal Information
Language Proficiency
Exam Scores
GPA
Personal Statements
Recommendations
Academic Interests
Fellowship Application: Domestic Students
Need-based Financial Aid
Fellowship Application:  International Students
Fellowships for Non-US citizens
GSI/GSR/Reader Appointments
Transcript Request Form
Pay Application Fee
Fee Waiver

Application Results
Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
Reactivation

General Instructions

All applications must be submitted through the UC Berkeley campus online application site for graduate admissions.

The application process includes:

1. Submitting the online application for graduate admissions .
2. Mailing the required Supporting Documents*. (Supporting Documents include Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, GRE scores, and TOEFL scores to:

Graduate Assistant, Academic Affairs Office
Civil and Environmental Engineering
750 Davis Hall #1714
Berkeley, CA 94720-1714

* Supporting Documents that arrive at the Academic Affairs Office before the application has been submitted online will be kept on file and later matched with the application when it has been submitted.

CEE’s Academic Affairs Office:  Communications and Notifications

CEE’s Academic Affairs Office (AAO) will send you an e-mail message to verify receipt of your application.  CEE will use the e-mail address provided on your online application. The e-mail message is not instantaneous and may take up to 10 business days to be sent to you.

During December, January, and February, CEE's AAO checks applications for completeness and adds supporting documents to files. Due to the large volume of applications, AAO staff are unable to stop processing applications to look for individual documents. Do not call the AAO to ask whether or not documents have been received as this will delay the processing of your application. We will e-mail you by the end of February to let you know whether we have received all required documents. If you have submitted an application and have not received status updates from us by March 1, send e-mail to aao@ce.berkeley.edu to inquire about the status of your application.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is submitted online and that CEE’s AAO receives all supporting documents by the specified deadlines.

If your chosen courier service requires a telephone number for the delivery, you may use 510-642-6464.  However, do not call this number to ask if your package has arrived. We will not be able to verify whether or not your package has arrived. The post office or the courier service can provide the verification service.

Please review all Admissions and Application information on this site before sending e-mail to the Academic Affairs Office or dropping in with your question. The answer to your question is likely to be on the Web site. We are unable to answer detailed questions via e-mail. The AAO staff is dedicated to processing your application information in preparation for review by the Admissions Committee, and we can do this more efficiently if interruptions are kept to a minimum.

What Not to Mail

Do not mail copies of the Statement of Purpose, GRE and TOEFL scores, publications, resumes or recommendation letters, or printouts of forms that you completed and submitted online. Doing so will result in a delay in the processing of your application.

Do not send more than 3 letters of recommendation.

Do not send theses, dissertations, abstracts, papers, work samples, drawings, portfolios, videos, or diskettes.

Do not send copies of certificates or awards for athletic or other achievements.

Do not send plastic covers, cases, sleeves, or bindings on documents.

Special Mailing Instructions for Concurrent Degree Program applicants

* Note: "Originals" includes official transcripts, original letters, and official ETS score reports. "Copies" includes copies of your transcripts, letters, and ETS reports.

Your application can be reviewed sooner if you request that each recommender submit your letters of recommendation online. 

Although CEE does not require a supplemental application, the departments of Public Policy and City and Regional Planning require a supplemental application, and Architecture requires a portfolio. Review the requirements on these department Web sites.

Proposed Degree Program

Within CIV & ENV ENGR Select the Degree Goal that you wish to pursue.

CIV & ENV ENGR (MS)
CIV & ENV ENGR (PhD)
CIV & ENV ENGR (MENG)
CIV & ENV ENGR  (DENG)
CIV & ENV ENGR  (MS/PhD)
CIV & ENV ENGR (MENG/PhD)
CIV & ENV ENGR (CWO)

The Master of Science is designed to lead to a PhD.  The Master of Engineering is designed as a stand-alone professional degree.  For more information on the requirements and goals for these degrees, see Degree Requirements on the Admissions Requirements page.

The satisfaction of the MS degree requirements is a prerequisite for the PhD degree. Applicants whose ultimate degree goal is the PhD should indicate this on their application by marking MS/PhD as the degree goal. Applicants who already have an MS degree from another institution should apply directly to the PhD program.

First Emphasis

In the First Emphasis field, select one of the following programs from the pull down menu:

Engineering & Project Management
Environmental Engineering*
GeoEngineering
Structural Engineering, Mechanics & Materials
Civil Systems
Transportation Engineering

Second Emphasis

In the Second Emphasis field, select a second choice from one of the following programs from the pull down menu:

Engineering & Project Management
Environmental Engineering*
GeoEngineering
Structural Engineering, Mechanics & Materials
Civil Systems
Transportation Engineering

Other Emphasis

* Environmental Engineering applicants should use the Other Emphasis field to list one of the following sub-areas:

AQE (Air Quality Engineering)
WQE (Water Quality Engineering)
FMH (Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology)

Concurrent Degree applicants should select the correct dual program in the “Major” field.  You will not be able to select an emphasis, so include one of the programs listed below in the “Other” field: 

Engineering & Project Management
Environmental Engineering
GeoEngineering
Structural Engineering, Mechanics & Materials
Civil Systems
Transportation Engineering

Personal Information

Citizenship and Residency

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and want to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes:

• you must have established your continuous presence in California more than one year immediately preceding the residence determination date for the semester during which you propose to attend the University.
• you must have given up any previous residence.
• you must present objective evidence that you intend to make California your permanent home.

See Office of the Registrar for complete information about residency.  High school graduates from California may also qualify.

Language Proficiency

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of international applicants (including U.S. citizens) who received their undergraduate degree in countries in which the official language is not English. 

Scores may not be older than 2 years. For applications for Fall 2009, tests taken before June 2007 will not be accepted. Take the TOEFL by the end of November 2008 at the latest.

Graduate Division requires an official score report from ETS.  (The institution code for UC Berkeley is 4833. The department code for graduate study in Civil and Environmental Engineering is 65.) Make sure an official report is sent in time to meet the CEE deadlines: January 15, 2009 for fellowship consideration and February 15, 2009 for admission only.

Applicants with a TOEFL score below 570 (230 CBT or 68/120 iBT) will not be admitted. CEE must receive the official TOEFL score report showing that this requirement has been met before an application can be reviewed.  

International applicants who are offered Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions are required to pass the iBT speaking section with a minimum score of 26.  For applicants who have taken earlier versions of the TOEFL, the Test of Spoken English (TSE) can be submitted in lieu of the iBT with a minimum score of 50.  For those who cannot take the iBT or TSE, the SPEAK test will be required (given at Berkeley) with a passing score of 50.  An international student must pass one of these tests before the GSI appointment and duties can begin, prior to the start of the semester.  

For more information about requirements for domestic and international applicants, please see the Graduate Division web page.

Exam Scores

General Record Examination (GRE)

CEE requires all applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. This requirement cannot be waived. GRE scores for tests taken before October 2004 will not be accepted for Fall 2009 applications.

Plan to take the GRE no later than the end of November to make sure that CEE receives your official score report by January 15, 2009 for fellowship consideration and February 15, 2009 for admission only.

An official score report is required. We will accept official scores from computer-based tests or paper-based tests. CEE does not require a GRE subject test and there is no minimum score requirement.

To ensure that your official GRE scores are forwarded to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, give Educational Testing Services CEE’s department code (1102) when requesting official score reports to be sent to UC Berkeley. (The institution code for UC Berkeley is 4833.)

GPA

Applicants who received their undergraduate degree at a U.S. university or college should calculate and list their GPA. Calculate the GPA using all coursework towards the degree after the first two years. Applicants who received their undergraduate degree outside the U.S. will have all coursework calculated on the system used in their country. We do not convert international GPAs to the U.S. system.

Personal Statements

Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statement

You need to fill out both the Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Statement.  Be concise. The statement of purpose should reflect your degree goal. Do not send in a hard copy of the statement of purpose after submitting it online.

Recommendations

We strongly recommend that applicants use the online Letter of Recommendation system. The online system allows for your application to be processed more quickly.

The application states that recommenders use a "Departmental-Online" system. This means that applicants need to enter their recommenders' information onto the application, and then submit the entire, completed application. Once the application is received by CEE, an e-mail message is generated to you. This can take up to 5 business days.

After you submit your online application you will receive an e-mail acknowledgement from CEE. Note that it will take at least one week for the University to transfer the application to CEE.

The e-mail acknowledgement will contain instructions for you to complete your waivers of access to the letters of recommendation online. This step is required—you must log in to verify your recommenders' e-mail addresses and waiver information or an e-mail to your recommenders WILL NOT be sent. We will not consider your application if it is not completed.

Once the electronic waivers are submitted, we will contact your recommenders by e-mail with instructions for providing letters. Fax, e-mail, or telephone recommendations are not acceptable.  CEE will notify you by e-mail as we receive letters from your recommenders.

It is highly recommended that supporting documents be submitted by the application deadlines (December 15, 2008 for fellowship consideration and February 3, 2009 for admissions only).  The absolute deadline for all supporting documents is January 15, 2009, for fellowship consideration, and February 15, 2009, for admission only.

Make certain messages from aao@ce.berkeley.edu can get through your and your recommenders’ SPAM filters.

Academic Interests

Faculty Contact

You are not required to list the faculty who you have contacted.  Master’s students are not required to list faculty whose research is of particular interest.

Faculty Interest

If you are applying to the MS/PhD or PhD program, you should list the faculty in the research program (Engineering & Project Management, Environmental Engineering, GeoEngineering, Structural Engineering, Mechanics & Materials, Civil Systems, or Transportation Engineering) to which you are applying.

Fellowship Application: Domestic Students

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must complete the this Domestic Fellowship Application in order to be considered for multi-year University Graduate Fellowships, Departmental Block Grant Fellowships, Diversity Fellowships, and Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP) Awards.

To be considered for any of these awards, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  The 2009-2010 school year FAFSA may be submitted online after January 2, 2009, and should be submitted before March 3, 2009.  Check the FAFSA Web site.

When completing the Domestic Fellowship Application section on resources for the coming academic year, provide your best estimate of your summer gross earnings. In the "other income" section, only list fellowships that have already been awarded to you. For additional living expenses, give your best estimate for the coming academic year.

All admitted applicants are automatically considered for a fellowship and no special CEE department application is needed.

To be considered for Restricted Fellowship Endowments you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and complete endowment criteria on the Domestic Fellowship Application.

An estimate of living expenses while attending Berkeley can be found at Graduate Division’s Cost and Fees.

Need-based Financial Aid

Graduate students may apply for need-based loans and work-study through the Financial Aid Office (FAO). Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply for funds administered by the FAO. The programs are based on demonstrated financial need and require a separate application, independent of the fellowship application. Low-income students with dependent children will be considered for need-based grant awards if funding permits.

The Financial Aid Office will use the Student Budget for the initial calculation of your eligibility for various programs. If, after reviewing your official offer of financial aid, you decide that your actual expenses are higher, you may then document those expenses, such as medical bills, child care, or research expenses. These extra costs will then be taken into account to increase your loan eligibility. Your eligibility for any federal financial aid program is determined by comparing your resources to your budget.

Questions about financial aid programs should be directed to the Financial Aid Office, Graduate Unit, 201 Sproul Hall #1960, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1960, (510) 642-0485.

Fellowship Application:  International Students

If you need a visa to come to Berkeley, then you must fill out the Fellowship Application for International Students. To receive a U.S. student visa, international students are required to document their financial support for their studies in the U.S. Once admitted to the University, you will be informed of your required minimum annual budget for visa purposes and must be prepared to document financial resources equal to or greater than this budget.

The University will not issue a visa to you unless you provide the international student adviser with clear evidence of your ability to pay all required fees and expenses for the first year. You should also indicate the sources of funding you are likely to have available for the remainder of your program. American embassies and consulates will not grant you a student visa unless you can provide proof of adequate funding for the first year and probable support for subsequent years. Spouses on F-2 visas are not permitted to accept employment.

University resources for international students are very limited. U.S. Federal regulations require that international students be able to demonstrate sufficient financial support for their studies in the U.S. before a student visa (F or J) may be issued for entry into the U.S. The purpose of this budget is not to create obstacles, but to meet the requirement of the regulations and to ensure that international students coming to Berkeley are adequately prepared for the expenses they will face as a student here.

For 2007-2008, the University estimates that you would need a minimum of $45,626 for the 12-month period. This figure includes non-resident tuition and fees and living expenses for 12 months. It does not include professional school fees or additional living expenses for a spouse or child. This estimate includes fees for two semesters and for basic living expenses, books, and other school supplies. Married students should bring an additional $7,000 if accompanied by a spouse and $4,000 for each accompanying child. Opportunities for employment are severely limited, and students holding a student visa (F-1) should not expect to be employed in non-academic positions during the first two semesters. Spouses and children on dependents' visas (F-2) are not permitted to accept employment.

See the Graduate Division’s Fees and Expenses for International Students for more information.

Do not send financial documentation with your application documents.

Further information can be obtained from Services for International Students and Scholars, International House, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-2321, or by e-mail at siss@berkeley.edu.

Fellowships for Non-U.S. Citizens

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must complete the Fellowship Application for International Students to be considered for multi-year University Graduate Fellowships, Departmental Block Grant Fellowships, and Restricted Fellowship Endowments.

GSI, GSR, Reader Appointments

Graduate Student Instructors (GSI) and Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) are selected by the admissions committee of the program to which they have applied. Applicants are notified in their admission letters if they have been selected for an assistantship.

Applicants not selected for an assistantship at the time of admissions are still eligible to apply for GSI, GSR, and reader positions.  They will be selected based on their qualifications.  See GSI and Reader Application Forms and GSR Appointment Form.

International applicants who are offered GSI positions are required to pass the iBT speaking section with a minimum score of 26.  For applicants who have taken earlier versions of the TOEFL, the Test of Spoken English (TSE) can be submitted in lieu of the iBT with a minimum score of 50.  For those who cannot take the iBT or TSE, the SPEAK test will be required.  The SPEAK test is given at UC Berkeley, and a passing score is 50.  An international student must pass one or these tests before the GSI appointment and duties can begin, prior to the start of the semester.

For more information about GSI appointments, see the Graduate Division academic appointments Web site.

Transcripts

CEE requires one official transcript from each college or university you have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. Send sealed original transcripts of all university work. Read Graduate Division Web site on required records of academic work.

Transcripts not in English should include translations from the school that issued the original transcripts. Read Graduate Division Web site on  required records for international students.

Transcripts should arrive no later than January 15, 2008 for fellowship consideration, and February 15, 2008 for admission only. You will receive an e-mail notification when your transcripts arrive.

Transcripts should be mailed to:

Graduate Assistant, Academic Affairs Office
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department
750 Davis Hall #1714
Berkeley, CA 94720-1714

Pay Application Fee

After submitting your online application, go to Pay Application Fee and click on "Pay Application Fee" menu item. To pay by credit card, click on the "Pay Fee by Credit Card" button. To pay by check, print the fee payment form and submit it with a check following these instructions:

Make the check payable to UC Regents. The application fee for residents of California is $70.  The application fee for international applicants is $90.  Mail the form and check to:

Graduate Admissions
309 Sproul Hall #5900
Graduate Division
UC Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-5900

The check must be drawn on a United States branch or bank. Write your Online ID number (shown on the fee payment form) and name on the check to help correctly credit your application fee payment. Do not send traveler's checks, international postal money orders, postal coupons, UNESCO coupons, or Eurocheques.

You may skip this step if you have an approved application fee waiver.

Fee Waiver

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and can demonstrate financial need, you may be eligible for a waiver of the application fee. See Graduate Division’s Request for Waiver of the Graduate Application Fee. International applicants are not eligible to have the application fee waived. 

Application Results

We e-mail acceptance and denial of admission notification letters to applicants beginning in February.  All applicants will receive an e-mail notification by the end of April. Admission to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is extremely competitive.  Unfortunately, we are unable to admit all qualified applicants.

If your application is successful, the admissions officer of the program you have applied to will notify you that you have been recommended for admission. Only the Dean of the Graduate Division can offer admission and send the official admission letter. You have not been officially admitted until you have received the official admission letter from the Dean.

If you have applied for admission only, you will be advised as soon as possible after a decision has been reached. Normally, "admission only" letters will be issued by April 1. If you have not received a response by April 1, you may e-mail aao@ce.berkeley.edu to inquire about your status. Do not call to ask for your admission decision; that information cannot be released by phone.

If you are to receive funding, you should be notified by April 1.  Additional funding may become available in April or May.

Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)

The admission letter to new (including reactivating) graduate students contains a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) that must be submitted online. Only the submission of the SIR to the Graduate Admissions Office indicating an intention to register will reserve the registration slot allocated to you. If you decline the offer of admission, complete the SIR online declining our offer as soon as possible so that others may have a chance at admission.

Reactivation

If you have applied for admission within the past two years but have not registered, you may reactivate your application by submitting the UC Berkeley campus online application for graduate admissions by the established deadline. 

Reactivating applicants must submit supplementary or updated transcripts covering any academic work and/or degree completed since the last application. The required standardized test scores must be within prescribed time limits.   Your previous letters of recommendation will be on file in the department, but if you believe you need additional or updated letters of recommendation, then please see that these are sent to the department.  (On the online application, you must indicate for what semester and year you have previously submitted an application, so we can find your previously submitted documents to complete your current application file.) It is highly recommended that reactivating applicants submit a new Personal Statement. 

U.S. citizens who wish to be considered for a fellowship should complete a new Fellowship Application for Domestic Students.  International applicants must complete a new Fellowship Application for International Students. 

All applicants must submit the $60 (or $80 for international applicants) fee payment with each reactivation of an application.

A previous offer of admission does not guarantee admission at a later time. Your new application and the required supplementary materials listed above will be reviewed along with those of all other applicants for the current application period.