PhD Program
Ranked No. 3 in the Nation
Applications for Fall 2026 admissions to the IEOR MS and PhD programs are now closed!
Fall 2026 Deadline To Apply: Monday, December 15, 2025, 8:59 p.m. PST
FAQ
Before I apply...
If you are looking for a professional degree program, apply for the MAnalytics or MEng program. For more information about the differences between the MAnalytics and MEng programs, please see the FAQ on either program’s page.
The MS and PhD programs are considered academic programs. The MS is a technical and full-time master's degree program. The PhD is a research-oriented academic program for those who have a clear research goal in mind. If you apply for the PhD without an MS degree, you will earn an MS degree while progressing to the doctorate degree.
Note: The MAnalytics, MEng, and MS programs are considered terminal degree programs, and students in these programs will not be allowed to continue on for the PhD. Prospective students who are interested in earning a PhD degree should apply to enter the PhD program even if they do not yet have a master’s degree.
For a breakdown of the similarities and differences between the Master’s degree programs, please see below:
Our student ambassadors are available to share their insights and experiences, providing valuable information and a unique perspective into what life is like at UC Berkeley, and what fueled their decision to join the IEOR PhD program.
Feel free to reach out and connect with them. Their contact information can be found on our website.
The admissions committee does not assess the chances of admission. A complete application must be submitted before an application can be evaluated.
IEOR PhD students are currently fully funded: first-year students are currently fully funded without work expectations and students in years 2-5 are currently guaranteed teaching assistant positions within IEOR.
Additionally, all PhD applicants who submit their admission application before the financial aid deadline are considered for university funding. In addition, research assistantships may be available to eligible incoming students if there are open positions. If you are interested in a research assistantship position with a faculty member, contact the faculty member individually after (not before) you are admitted. Please note that Graduate Student Academic Appointments (including research assistantship positions) are not guaranteed.
Students can also apply for graduate fellowships and awards if they are eligible. For more funding resources, please visit Berkeley Graduate Division's Financial Support page. For funding resources for international students, please visit Berkeley International Office's Financial Aid for International Students page and Berkeley Financial Aid & Scholarships Office's International Students page. For student parents, please visit the Support for Student Parents and Caregivers page.
Many organizations offer financial aid to US citizens and permanent residents. We encourage you to apply for all financial aid that you are eligible for. Please see UC Berkeley Graduate Division's list of financial aid sources.
We would encourage you to look at the information about our faculty on our website to see if a faculty member's interests align with your own. Feel free to reach out to the faculty directly to ask questions or set up a meeting. However, keep in mind that if you are admitted, this does not guarantee that this faculty member would be your advisor.
If you have faculty preferences and/or have met with faculty and are interested in working with them, this is helpful information to include on your application. However, it doesn’t hurt your application if you do not list specific faculty you are interested in working with or have met with. Note that if you have met with and/or indicated preference for working with a faculty member, you would not be required to work with that faculty member if admitted.
Essentially, if you look into the backgrounds/research of our faculty, this could help you decide if you have similar research interests, which could help you narrow your research area. It may also be helpful in your search for program alignment.
No. All IEOR graduate programs begin in the fall. We do not offer spring admissions.
Please see the UC Berkeley Housing website for information about housing options for graduate students. Please note that housing is an additional cost and students are responsible for finding housing.
Unfortunately, we cannot expedite application review for individual applicants.
During my application process...
If you received your bachelor's degree from a domestic institution, please report Cumulative GPA (CGPA) and Advanced GPA (all courses completed after your second year for your bachelor’s degree) from the degree granting institution. All other GPAs listed on the online Graduate Application are not required.
If you received your bachelor's degree from an international institution, please report only the Cumulative GPA (CGPA) from the degree granting institution. For international institutions that did not grade on a 4.0 scale, please include the Cumulative GPA as it reads on the transcript in “Other Scale GPA”; you may ignore the CGPA field. All other GPAs listed on the online Graduate Application are not required.
*Note: The IEOR department doesn’t require a GPA calculation worksheet; however, we require the transcript grading scale.
The GRE is required for all applicants except for those who:
- have earned their University of California (UC) degree with a 3.5 or higher cumulative or advanced GPA; or
- are current University of California (UC) students who have, at the time of application submission, a 3.5 or higher cumulative or advanced GPA; or
- are/were transfer students to a University of California (UC) with a 3.5 or higher advanced GPA
Once your application is submitted, you may check the status of your GRE and TOEFL scores on your online application status page. When the scores are received and matched they will show as “verified.” Scores must be verified by the application deadline in order for the application to be considered complete.
*TIP: Ensure the name and email used for the GRE matches the name used for UC Berkeley’s application.
GRE and TOEFL score reports typically take up to 5-15 days to be received and verified in UC Berkeley’s application system after they are sent to UC Berkeley. If it has been over 15 days and your status still shows “awaiting,” please contact us at gradadmissions-ieor@berkeley.edu, and we will conduct a manual search for your score report.
In your email, please include 1) the email address you used to register for the exam, 2) your full name as it appears on your exam and your application, 3) the date when your test score was sent, and 4) confirmation that your score was sent to institution code 4833 for Graduate Organizations (the department code is not needed and may be ignored).
*Note: the IEOR department will not take requests to verify GRE and TOEFL score reports after Monday, December 15, 2025.
Letters of recommendation provide the admissions committee with third party, qualitative accounts of your potential for success in our program.
Please select individuals who know you well and who will take the time to write thorough and thoughtful letters on your behalf. The title of those you select is not important. What does matter is how closely your letter writers have worked with you and whether they can attest to your value as an employee or student, your professional accomplishments, and your personal qualities. We have found the most helpful letters to be recent, relevant, and written specifically for this application. We discourage letters of recommendation from subordinates, family, or friends.
*Note: We require three letters of recommendation.
You can send your letter writer reminders by logging into your application and selecting "Send Again" under the "Recommender Information" section. Please note that once you send them a reminder, you will not be able to send the reminder again until 5 days have passed.
Your resume provides the admissions committee with a more in-depth understanding about your academic and professional experiences. We value a diversity of backgrounds and accept candidates with a wide range of experiences. The admissions committee is not looking at quantity but rather the quality, range, and substance of your experiences.
Treat your resume like a snapshot of your experiences, and then use your essays to delve deeper. Here are some tips for writing your resume:
- Be organized: Remember to be clear and concise with your resume. A resume should not exceed 1-2 pages and should be organized, ideally chronologically.
- Be to the point: Outline your experiences in a well-written (no acronyms) and succinct way that accounts honestly for your accomplishments. You do not need to elaborate on each position held on your resume. Your Statement of Purpose will allow you to dive deeper into these experiences and where you plan to go from here.
- Show clear advancement towards your goals: Your resume should highlight your career progression. Showcase a timeline from the beginning to now. Remember, your Statement of Purpose will fill in where you plan to go from here.
No. Do not be alarmed if you are not invited to interview. If the admissions committee needs more information from the applicant, they will recommend an interview; however, it does not guarantee admission.