Application Process

A non-refundable $275 application fee is required in order to consider your application complete. You may submit payment using one of the following options:

• Credit Card: Preferred method of payment. Available through the online application.
• Check or Money Order: Mail a check or money order made payable to "UC Regents". Please make sure your name appears on the check.

The UC Berkeley Graduate Division requires that all applicants who received their degrees from countries in which the official language is not English submit official evidence of English Language Proficiency regardless of the school's language of instruction.

To satisfy the English Language Proficiency Requirement, applicants must fulfill one of the following:

• Received a degree from an accredited institution in a country where the official language is English.
  • Regardless of the language of instruction, degrees from the following countries or regions do not meet this requirement: Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, Israel, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asian countries, most European countries, and countries in Africa in which English is not the official language.
  • U.S. citizens who received their undergraduate degrees in these countries or regions also do not meet this requirement.
• Completed at least one year of full-time coursework with grades of B or better at a university located in the U.S.
  • The following courses do not fulfill this requirement:
    • Courses in English as a Second Language.
    • Courses conducted in a language other than English.
    • Courses that will be completed after you apply.
    • Courses of a nonacademic nature.
• Have taken and met the score requirements for one of the following standardized tests (for Spring 2025 entry, exams must be taken on or after November 1, 2022):
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): You must score at least 90 for the Internet-based test (iBT). To have your exam results sent to the Berkeley MFE Program, list institution code 4833 and department code 82. TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted.

  • We accept the internet-based (iBT) and iBT Home Edition. We do not accept the TOEFL ITP or Duolingo.

  • UC Berkeley Graduate Division does not accept MyBest Scores.
    

     

    For detailed information, please see: http://www.toefl.org
    
  
  
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System): While TOEFL is preferred, you can submit scores from the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Your overall BAND score must be at least 7 on a 9-point scale. For detailed information, please see: http://www.ielts.org/

You must send scans of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs you have attended or are currently attending.

Degrees need to have been completed at an accredited institution before the start of the MFE program. Applicants should have sufficient training to undertake graduate study in the chosen field and a satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum of 3.0 in upper division work.

Candidates who already hold an advanced degree, please note that the university policy prohibits awarding duplicate degrees. If you have questions, contact the MFE Office.

Applicants need to demonstrate a strong quantitative background including linear algebra, multivariate calculus, differential equations, numerical analysis, and advanced statistics and probability. Check the Prerequisite Course List for details.

You should also have prior exposure in computer programming (C++, Python) and familiarity with computers as a computational and management tool.

In some cases, applicants may be admitted conditionally on the successful completion of one or more recommended courses before enrollment in the program. For more information please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.

Students will be asked to answer a series of essay questions in their application. Please answer the essay questions carefully and honestly. All responses should be prepared by the applicant without help from third parties. Application essays will be screened through anti-plagiarism software; please note that plagiarism may result in the denial of admission. 

The Supplemental Information questions are intended for you to give us further information on areas that might not be covered elsewhere in the application. Please be sure to answer all of the questions. If a particular situation does not apply to you, you can enter "N/A" or "Not applicable" for your response. 

If you have submitted an application to the Berkeley MFE program within the last two years, you are considered a reapplicant and should review special instructions on the Reapplicants page. 

A webcam and microphone are required for this section. Please be sure you are in a quiet and well-lit environment before you begin. You are allowed two attempts to record your Video Essay, and your response can be no longer than two minutes.

We require either the GMAT, GMAT Focus, or GRE. All GMAT and GRE scores are valid for five years and should not be older than April 1, 2020 for Spring 2025 entry. When ordering GRE scores, use institution code 4833 and department code 4399. For GMAT scores, use program code N2V-PT-87. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

When selecting score recipients on the day of the test or sending additional score reports through the GRE website, test takers should type the name or partial name of the department, e.g. "Business%", and the computer will list all department codes that match alphabetically. Test takers should NOT enter a department code number because the computer does not conduct a numeric match.

Test takers are asked to enter the four-digit department code only if they are sending scores through the automated phone service. When sending scores online or on the day of the test, they should type in the name of the department, not the numeric code.

The GRE/GMAT is optional for prospective students who meet the following criteria:

• Have earned or will earn a Ph.D. degree before starting the MFE program at Berkeley.

OR

• Have a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution with a GPA of 3.70:
  • Have earned a four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. Please note that an undergraduate degree from an institution outside of the U.S. is not eligible.
  • Have earned a final undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher on a four-point scale at the time of degree conferral. Degrees from undergraduate institutions that do not grade on a 4.0 scale are not eligible. (GPAs cannot be rounded up to meet the minimum 3.70).
  • Applicants who are applying prior to the completion of their undergraduate degree must have earned the required GPA at the time of application to be eligible. Applicants must maintain the required minimum GPA through the completion of their undergraduate degree.

If you meet the above criteria but would still like to submit a GRE or GMAT score, you may do so and the admissions committee will consider it along with the rest of your application materials. Additionally, while a test score is not required to submit an application, the admissions committee reserves the right to ask for a valid GMAT or GRE score to further assess an applicant's candidacy for admission. 

We require two letters of recommendation. Letters should come from individuals who are familiar with your training in quantitative methods, and their remarks should address your ability to apply your quantitative skills. Recommendation letters should be written by an individual in a position to evaluate you either professionally or academically (e.g., a supervisor, project leader, or instructor). Recommendations from co-workers, tutors, friends, or family members are inadmissible.

Interviews are conducted on an invitation-only basis. Please refrain from contacting the office to request an interview. You will be contacted by the MFE program office if an interview is necessary to make a decision on your application.

The purpose of the interview is for the admissions committee to gain a better understanding of your skill set and to understand what you may need to do in order to better prepare for the program should you be offered hold or admit status.

The interviewers are not members of the admissions committee, nor do the interviews determine the admissions decisions.

Interviews can cover a range of topics, but please note that if a subject is part of the prerequisite skill set for the MFE program, or if it is noted on your resume, then it may be covered during the interview.

Sometimes we interview a candidate more than once. This is because, at times, the admissions committee has further questions and wishes to know more about a candidate than was covered in the interview.

We ask that you do not contact the interviewers with questions about your admissions status or about "how the interview went," as the interviewer will not be able to answer these questions.

If you do have questions, you are encouraged to send them to the admissions committee at mfe@haas.berkeley.edu.