Students interested in pursuing the Biology+Business Program must be admitted to UC Berkeley. Eligible candidates will apply to the Program during the fall semester of their sophomore year.
The Program application is available each November. Admissions interviews will be conducted in late-January, and admissions decisions will be available in mid-February. Information Sessions with additional details about the application process will be held in early fall. Students may only apply to the Program once.
Course planning for the program begins in the fall of freshman year, and all prerequisite courses for MCB and Haas should be completed by the end of your sophomore year. You should discuss your goals and interest in the program with the Biology+Business Program advisor as early as possible.
The admissions committee selects individuals who demonstrate promise for academic success as well as excellence in non-academic endeavors. The goal of the admissions review process is to holistically evaluate an applicant’s overall fit for the program. Additionally, we seek applicants who embody the Berkeley Haas Defining Leadership Principles:
- Question the Status Quo
- Confidence Without Attitude
- Students Always
- Beyond Yourself
Characteristics of Successful Candidates
- Academic achievement including grades, course load, consistent academic excellence, and high academic performance in all required prerequisite courses for both MCB and Haas
- Consistency and impact in extracurricular activities
- Personal attributes and life experience suggesting leadership, maturity, ethical character, teamwork and goal orientation
- Communication and analytical skills as demonstrated by responses to essay questions
The following factors are evaluated and weighted as listed below:
50% – Grades & Coursework
35% – Essays
15% – Resume
Admission Interviews
All Biology+Business Program applicants will be invited for an interview at the end of January. Interviews are conducted virtually by faculty, staff, and industry experts in fields like biotech and healthcare.
2020-2021 Timeline
| Date | Admissions Event |
| November 1 | Online application opens at 9:00am https://haasug.berkeley.edu/apply/ |
| November 30 | Application Deadline 4:00pm PST |
| January 2021 | Admissions Interviews |
| February 10 | Admission decisions available |
| TBD | Final admission decision for conditionally admitted students available |
| Late August TBD | Biology+Business New Student Welcome |
| August 25 | Fall classes begin |