Five tips for crafting your best MEng application
Interested in a high-impact engineering leadership roles in tech? Prepare your best application for the Master of Engineering program at UC Berkeley!
We believe that guiding the brightest minds in engineering and technology starts with a strong and exceptional community of students, faculty, industry partners and staff. Are you are an engineer looking to take the next step in your career or an established professional wanting to play a role in developing the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders? Read on for our application tips to learn more.
Before you apply, make sure to:
1. Sign up for our mailing list. Not sure which MEng program is for you? Sign up for our mailing list to receive program news and updates including information sessions, class visits, and opportunities to connect with an admissions advisor. The best way to know if a program is right for you is to research ahead of time. Our admissions team is here to answer your questions.
2. Decide which department and concentration would be a good fit for you. From here, you can decide on the department and concentration of your interest. We offer a Master of Engineering in the following departments: Bioengineering (BIOE), Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE), Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences (EECS), Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR), Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), Mechanical Engineering (ME), and Nuclear Engineering (NE). If admitted, you’ll strengthen your technical expertise with coursework in your specified engineering concentration, chosen from over 35 fields in new and emerging technologies taught by world renown faculty. You will then apply your technical expertise to a real world issue through the Capstone project.
3. Prepare. Review our How To Apply and Frequent Asked Questions pages to understand our application requirements and selection criteria. Once you’ve checked that you have completed the necessary requirements, received your GRE score, and seen how your individual profile stacks up against our class profile, you can get ready to compile your application.
Top five tips in crafting your best Berkeley MEng application:
See below for our recommended steps when applying to be a Master of Engineering student at UC Berkeley:
1. Consider submitting applications to various schools.
Apply to a fair amount of programs to ensure that you don’t miss out on opportunities and to make sure that you have back up options. You don’t have to go overboard, but generally, it’s recommended to apply to your top choices, target schools that you have a fair shot of getting into, and safety schools where you are confident that you would get into based on meeting their criteria.
2. Showcase your accomplishments and best qualities.
While we’re sure you’re amazing, we receive countless applications from students. When many students have similar stats in terms of their grades, GRE scores, etc., anything that will set you apart from the crowd and showcase your strengths is your greatest asset. Do you have valuable work experience or have you taken on leadership roles? What significant research or volunteer work have you taken part in? This is your time to show off a bit.
3. Visit in person.
If possible, stop by and explore the campus in person to learn more about the program. Our staff happy to answer any questions you have and guide you through the admissions process. Email our advisors ahead of time to ensure you’ll be seen. You can also arrange for a classroom visit and get a taste of what our curriculum has to offer. Don’t forget to ask around and find out what advice students in the program would offer, because they were in your shoes not too long ago!
4. Apply to schools as if you’re applying to jobs.
Just like you would tailor your resume to the different jobs you apply to, you should tailor your application to each school you choose to apply to. By aligning yourself and your application with the values and culture of each program you apply to, you’ll improve your chances.
5. Edit, edit, edit!
Take the time to carefully craft your admissions essays. Admissions officers have to go through countless applications, so make sure that yours is engaging, free from error,and accurately represents who you are and what you have to offer. Make sure you get started ahead of time so that you can give yourself plenty of time to edit your essays to perfection. It may be tedious, but it’ll be worth your while in the long run.
Now that you’ve gone through these steps, it’s time to…
Apply!
Once you’ve obtained the checklist of instructions from your desired department, visit the UC Berkeley Graduate Division for your online application. We accept applications once per year for a fall semester program start. The Berkeley MEng application opens in September and is due in early January for Fall enrollment. Best of luck!
