General Information
Thank you for your interest in the Applied Mathematics/Mathematics PhD Programs! The Math Department admits new graduate students to the Fall Semester only. The graduate admissions application for Fall 2027 admission is now open! The deadline to apply is Tuesday, December 1st, 2026 at 8:59pm Pacific Time. Access the Graduate Division's Online Application. Please read the information on Graduate Division requirements and information required to complete the application.
Copies and "unofficial" transcripts are accepted via the online application system if the name of your institution and your name are on the transcript. Please do not mail original transcripts for the review process.
We require three letters of recommendation, which should be submitted online. We do not accept mailed letters of recommendation. Letters should be received online by the admissions deadline.
*For the Fall 2027 Admissions Cycle, the Mathematics Subject GRE will be required. Please see below and our FAQ for full details.
Admission to the Ph.D. Program
The Department of Mathematics offers 2 Ph.D. degrees, one in Mathematics and one in Applied Mathematics. Applicants for admission to either Ph.D. program are expected to have preparation comparable to the undergraduate major at Berkeley in Mathematics or in Applied Mathematics. These majors consist of 2 full years of lower-division work (covering calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and multivariable calculus), followed by 8 one-semester courses including real analysis, complex analysis, abstract algebra, and linear algebra. These eight courses may include some mathematically based courses offered by other departments (e.g., Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, or Economics).
Applicants for admission are considered by the department's Graduate Admissions Committee. The number of students that can be admitted each year is determined by the Graduate Division. In making admissions decisions, the committee conducts a comprehensive review taking into consideration letters of recommendation, level of mathematics preparation, performance in courses, broader impacts (community contributions), research experience, etc.
A Note on the GRE Exams
The GRE Subject exam in Mathematics will be required for the Fall 2027 graduate admissions application. You may still submit other GRE results, such as the General exam; however, only the subject test in Mathematics is required. Note: Your Math Subject GRE score will be one factor amongst many considered by the admissions committee. While we have no rigid rules on the weighting of these factors, it is very unlikely that an applicant with a low GRE score will be admitted. A score below the 70th percentile would be considered low.
To ensure timely reception of official score reports, we recommend you take both exams no later than October; official score reports are due by the admissions deadline. The Educational Testing Service will send your scores to the institutions you specify when you take the exams, please consult their website to see how long it takes for ETS to transmit score reports to institutions. The institution code for all graduate programs at UC Berkeley is 4833; there is no program/department specific code for reporting. Additional information about the GRE exams, and how to register, can be on the ETS website (hyperlinked)
A Note on GPAs
If your undergraduate institution does not use a 4-point grading scale please do not convert your GPA to match the 4.0 scale. Instead, leave the section blank, or write in 0.00. The faculty review committee will be able to see your true academic performance from your uploaded unofficial transcripts. For the "Advanced GPA," our program does not require a GPA calculation spreadsheet.
Statement of Purpose and Personal History Essay Structure
Our application requires two essays, the Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Essay. To help our applicants, we provided some tips on the structure and content for the Mathematics and Applied Mathematics PhD programs.
Additional information can be found on the Graduate Division website here: https://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/application-process/writing-your-st...
Statement of Purpose (SOP) Template & Structure
The statement of purpose should demonstrate to the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with four different parts.
Length: Typically 1,000 to 1,500 words (2–3 single-spaced pages).
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Paragraph 1: Introduction
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State your broad field of interest and specific research questions (i.e. Algebra, Geometry, etc …)
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Communication skills and cross-cultural abilities to maximize effective collaboration with a diverse cross-section of the academic community;
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Paragraphs 2–4: Research & Academic Background
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Demonstrated significant academic achievement by overcoming barriers such as economic, social, or educational disadvantage;
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Potential to contribute to higher education through demonstrated understanding of the barriers facing individuals, such as economic, social, and/or educational challenges and/or disadvantages in higher education, as evidenced by life experiences and/or educational background.
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Research interests focusing on underserved populations and/or issues of inequalities within a US context.
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Paragraph 5: Future Research Goals
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Describe what you plan to study during your PhD.
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Connect your past experiences to your future trajectory.
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Paragraph 6: Program Fit & Conclusion
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Name specific faculty members whose research aligns with yours and explain why.
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Mention unique departmental resources, labs, or courses.
Personal History Statement Template & Structure
The personal history essay should tell the admissions committee more about who you are as a person and how you will contribute to our academic community. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with three different parts.
Length: Typically 500 to 1000 words (well-selected words are better than more words with less clarity and poor organization)
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Paragraph 1: The Personal "Why"
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Open with a concise, formative anecdote or moment of pivot that sparked your love of the discipline and drive for graduate school.
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Paragraph 2: Context & Lived Experience
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Discuss significant cultural, familial, educational, or socioeconomic backgrounds (e.g., first-generation student, non-traditional path) that have shaped your identity and future aspirations.
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Highlight how you navigated or overcame systemic barriers, personal hardships, or structural challenges.
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Paragraph 3: Community & Contribution
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Detail leadership roles, volunteer work, or community engagement. Examples need not be directly related to Mathematics or STEM education.
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Explain how your unique perspective will enrich the academic community or diversity of the institution.
International Students
All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. Please refer to the Graduate Division's admissions page for information on the English language requirement.
*For the Fall 2027 Admissions Cycle, the Mathematics Subject GRE will be required. Please see below and our FAQ for full details.
Application Fee Waivers
We will be unable to accommodate requests for application fee waivers for international students for the Fall 2027 admission cycle. Domestic students interested in an application fee waiver should refer to the Graduate Division website
The M.A. in Math
The Department of Mathematics no longer accepts applications for the Master's in Mathematics Program. If you are interested in graduate study at UC Berkeley, please apply for the Applied Mathematics or Mathematics Ph.D. program. The MA application is only available to current Ph.D. students at Berkeley interested in a simultaneous MA in Mathematics.
Current Ph.D students at Berkeley outside of the Mathematics department will need to adhere to the following deadlines:
Fall 2027 application: Tuesday, December 1st, 2026
Spring 2028 application: Monday, May 17th, 2027
Decisions
We expect to make final decisions by the end of February.
Email Math Graduate Admissions
After reading the above material and our FAQ page, if you have further questions on admission to our program you can send an email to grads-math@berkeley.edu.