UC Doctor of Philosophy in ChemistryUniversity of California, Berkeley · Berkeley, California, United States

Program Overview

Dates and tuition are specific to the 2027 intake

Please check the official program website (link below) for specific writing guidelines

Statement of purpose

Research/professional goals and program fit.

CV or resume

Personal history statement

Additional admissions statement required by many Berkeley graduate applications (see Grad Division Writing Your Statements / program instructions).

Recommendation letters x 3

Uploaded as PDFs via the online application; academic recommenders preferred for research degrees.

Unofficial transcript(s)

Official records if admitted per Grad Division instructions

Academic: Bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0/4.0; Minimum when applicable.
Prerequisites: Relevant academic background; Preparation for doctoral chemistry research.
IELTS: 7.0 overall; Graduate Division minimum overall band for applicable applicants. IELTS Online accepted; Indicator and One Test Retake not accepted. Dual-scale Speaking/Writing component floors publish for Fall 2027 tests after 21 Jan 2026.
TOEFL: 90 overall; UC Berkeley Graduate Division minimum for applicable international applicants. iBT and iBT Home Edition accepted; TOEFL ITP and MyBest not accepted. Institution code 4833. Exemptions for degrees from English-primary countries/regions per Grad Division. Page also publishes dual-scale thresholds for Fall 2027 cohorts (new TOEFL scale after 21 Jan 2026).
GRE: Required (no minimum published); Graduate Division program table lists GRE required for Chemistry PhD (confirm department page for subject/general expectations).

Historical admission data is not published.