FAQs

This is a full-time day program; we do not offer part-time studies.

The majority of our students finish the program in 5 years.

No. This is a full-time, in residence program.

All interested applicants for the Berkeley-Haas PhD Program must apply through the Graduate Division website. The online application is available in early September each year. Our deadline for applying is December 10th .

No. We admit only for the fall semester.

To the extent of its resources, the Haas School of Business seeks to provide financial assistance to PhD students in the form of stipends, fellowships, tuition and fee remission, and/or research and teaching assistantships for the first four years of study.

Foreign applicants may qualify for financial assistance offered by the Haas School. However, foreign students should be advised that our resources are limited, and that only the most highly qualified applicants will be admitted with financial aid.

Yes, without exception, all applicants must have taken the GRE within five years of application (no earlier than October 1, 2008).

Applicants interested in Accounting, Operations Management, Business and Public Policy, Marketing Science, Real Estate, or Finance should have a strong background in quantitative content. Please note that not having covered all of these subject areas does not disqualify you from applying.

Applicants are encouraged to have knowledge of multivariate calculus, basic matrix algebra, and differential equations; completion of a two-year math sequence, which emphasizes proofs and derivations. Some knowledge of statistics and elementary probability can also be beneficial, as is additional coursework in algebra and real analysis. For more information please take a look at this PDF handout.

We are unable to determine in advance if an applicant will be admitted to the PhD Program. There are too many variables involved and we do not know the quality of the applicant pool.

There are no special procedures for students who are reapplying. You will fill out the online application the same as any other applicant. Please note that applicants may not reuse documents that were previous submitted.

We do not have a formal interview process, although all applicants being considered for admission will be contacted, usually by phone, for additional information and to learn more about your research interests.

There is no specific requirement imposed by the department. Applicants offered admission in recent years averaged a 3.8 GPA for undergraduate and 4.0 for graduate work.

An offer of admission and financial aid is made for the upcoming academic year only. Acceptance of the offer cannot be deferred. You would need to reapply for the following year without a guarantee of admission.

International students from countries in which the official language is not English are required to take the TOEFL. Your most recent score must be at least a minimum aggregate score of 68 if you take the iBT. The Haas School of Business PhD Program also reviews your scores in each of the four scored sections of the iBT (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing). To be competitive, your scores should be in the Intermediate-High or Fair-Good range. TOEFL and IELTS scores must be taken no earlier than June 1, 2012.

When entering your TOEFL score through the online application please be sure to use your registration number, not your ETS ID number.

No, all international students are required to take TOEFL or IELTS. All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. This requirement applies to applicants from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, Israel, the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, most European countries, and non-English-speaking countries in Africa. If you have a degree from a US institution you may be eligible to waive the TOEFL/IELTS but you will need to submit your previous score. For more information please refer to the Graduate Division website here.

UC Berkeley does not accept transfer credits from other schools. All students are required to take the full two years of coursework. However, you may be able to waive several core courses and take more advanced work.

Most four-year degrees are recognized. A three-year degree coupled with a recognized graduate degree (e.g. a BComm and PGDM from India or a Vordiplom and a Diplom from Germany) is generally accepted. Please contact the Graduate Division with other questions.

No, we do not. However, there are faculty whose research has an international focus. We recommend that you look at faculty webpages and faculty bios on the PhD fields of specialization webpages to identify faculty working in this area. Also, students may take pertinent coursework both at the Haas School and in other departments at the university.

Yes. Students can take electives in other departments at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

For a complete faculty directory, including research interests and publications, go to http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/faculty/.

For complete course descriptions, go to http://sis.berkeley.edu/catalog/gcc_search_menu. Under the "Department Name" drop down menu, select "PhD in Business Administration," and click "Submit Search."

Curriculum information can also be found under Fields of Study on the PhD website. For example, the curriculum for Finance can be found here: http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/Phd/academics/finance/curriculum.html.

The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state law and University policy, prohibits discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access, and treatment in University programs and activities.

Inquiries may be directed as follows: Sex discrimination and sexual harassment: Nancy Chu, Title IX Compliance Officer, 1-510-643-7985 or Campus Climate and Compiance. Disability discrimination and access: Disabled Students Program.

Because the faculty and administration of the Haas School of Business are continually reviewing the PhD program to give its students the best possible educational experience, the school reserves the right to change at any time any of its provisions, statements, policies, curricula, procedures, regulations, or fees.