Applying for Admission

Is it possible to apply for two departments?

The University does not allow applicants to apply to two departments simultaneously unless there is an established concurrent degree program between the two departments or schools (http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/programs/concurrent.shtml). Statistics does not have a concurrent degree program

Can the TOEFL be waived?

If you have completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better in residence at a recognized U.S. institution, you do not need to take a standardized test.  Instead, you must submit an official transcript from the recognized U.S. institution. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement:

• courses in English as a second language
• courses conducted in a language other than English
• courses that will be completed after the application is submitted, and
• courses of nonacademic nature. For more information follow this link.

Can I be accepted to the MA program with only a three-year bachelor’s degree earned outside the U.S.?

Normally, UC Berkeley requires applicants to have obtained the recognized equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree by the time they start graduate school. However, if you only have a three-year bachelor’s degree earned outside the U.S., you can still apply for admission. If admitted, the department may request an exception to the four-year degree requirement.

For more information regarding admissions please see the Graduate Admissions Page.

Where do I send the application fee?

Please follow the Graduate Division instructions. Applicants must pay the fee online by credit card when they submit their application. Please do not mail your fee payment to the Statistics Department. This will delay crediting the payment to your application.

How many students are admitted each year?

The Department of Statistics receives approximately 550-600 applications for the MA program. For the MA program, we usually recommend for admission 80-90 students per year to achieve an incoming class of 40

 When will applicants be notified regarding the admission decisions?

All applicants will be notified via email by the end of March. 

Does Statistics admit applicants for the Spring semester?

No, we only admit students for the Fall semester.

Can I transfer from another institution?

We do not have a separate application procedure for applicants who wish to transfer to our program from another graduate program at another institution. Applicants should follow our normal application directions. A link to the graduate application can be found here: https://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply/

How do I reactive my application?

If you applied for admission in a previous year, your application cannot be reactivated for this year. You will have to start a new application and pay the application fee. This is true of all previous applicants without exception.

What are the minimum admissions requirements?

• Background in mathematics, statistics, or a quantitative field
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts from each school at which you have completed college-level work. Transcripts not in English should be accompanied by translations from the university that issued them.
• Descriptive list of upper division math courses: Please include department, course number and course title; Instructor; Grade: School; Test used and subject matter covered
• Applicants from countries in which English is not the official language are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum score: computer based: 230; paper based: 570; internet based (iBT): 90.
• The GRE is NOT required and will NOT be accepted.

What are the average GRE scores obtained by those who were admitted to the MA Statistics program?

The GRE is NOT required and will NOT be accepted for Fall 2023 admissions.  While there was no minimum requirement for the GRE, admitted applicants generally score in the high percentiles especially on the quantitative section of the exam. The following are the average scores of those admitted in Fall 2021 in which the GRE was optional and not all applicants who were admitted submitted GRE scores:

MA admitted applicants (in percentiles): Verbal 86%, Quantitative 91%, Analytical Writing 70%

What is the Department's code to have official GRE scores sent?

Official scores must be sent directly from ETS.  The institution code for Berkeley is 4833 and the Department code is 0705 for Statistics. 

Is the Math Subject test required?

We do not require the Math subject test but if the scores are available you may submit it as part of your application.

Can I submit test scores before I apply?

You can self-report your scores in the online application.  Once we receive your official scores, they will be matched to your application.

Does the Department of Statistics require that I calculate and list my grade-point average (GPA) on the application?

Yes. Applicants who received their undergraduate degree at an American university or college are required to list their cumulative GPA, major GPA (all courses completed in their major area of study), and advanced GPA (all course work excluding the first two years of study). If you attended a university that does not use the 4.0 system, please do not try and convert your grades to our system--just leave that section blank.

Does the Department require applicants to contact faculty before submitting an application?

No, this is not required

Does the Department require applicants to list faculty in the department whose research is of interest to them?

No, we do not require this of our applicants.

Can I apply if I already have a MA degree?

For more information, please see the Graduate Division website for their policy on the Duplication of Degrees.
http://grad.berkeley.edu/policy/admissions-policy/#b13-evaluation-of-applicants

About the MA Stat Program

Do you offer Part-Time, Distance, and/or Evening Programs?

We do not offer any part-time, evening or distance learning degree programs. All our degree programs are full-time

Can I study towards a graduate degree in Statistics part time?

The Department does not allow part-time graduate study. All students are required to maintain a full-time load of 12 units. There are no evening or weekend courses. However, the UC Berkeley Extension offers evening and weekend classes in locations throughout California.