See how many students apply and are admitted to bioengineering.

Can I schedule a visit to campus?
Please check the College of Engineering’s page to find out to find out about engineering tours, or Berkeley Visitor Services. Virtual online tours are available.

Can I talk to you about my application for admission? 
The department is not involved in individual admissions decisions. Applications for undergraduate admissions are handled by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

I was admitted to another major/department/college. Can I change to bioengineering?
It is possible to change majors to bioengineering from another major on campus, but only after attending Berkeley in your admitted major for an entire semester. There is no advantage to applying to Berkeley in a different major and planning to change majors to bioengineering after arrival. This is not a back door into the program. Change of major is not guaranteed and we do not recommend planning it in advance.

Do I need to pick my concentration now? 
First years do NOT need to pick a concentration immediately, but if they are very interested in one area or pre-med they should consult with their advisor to see what courses are recommended for them.

Can I double major with something else?
In addition to our joint major with Materials Science & Engineering, simultaneous majors with other departments are possible, but students need to start early to plan out courses so they will graduate on time.

How large are BioE classes?
Class size for BioE upper division courses averages between 30 and 35. Lower division lectures in other departments and fundamental courses may be over 100, but large classes always include smaller discussion sections.

Will I be taught by graduate students?
Our faculty always teach our classes, not graduate students. Faculty hold weekly office hours for further help; graduate student instructors may run discussion sections and labs for more small group help.

How do I know which classes to take?
There is a lot of assistance available to plan your course of student. Every student has many advisers available to help them. For 1st-year admits, you'll receive help during Golden Bear Orientation and Advising.

It is very difficult to get into classes at Berkeley?
Not if you plan your schedule in advance, and follow the advice of other students and staff advisers. If you experience issues with enrolling into any BioE classes, reach out to Marisela, who can help troubleshoot (sorry, BioE courses only!)

I’m interested going to medical school. Is BioE a good major for that?
Many bioengineers plan to apply to medical school, and many alumni are successful doctors or clinical researchers. The most popular concentration for premeds is Cell & Tissue Engineering. Students should keep an eye on medical school requirements and select the recommended courses.

Do a lot of students drop out of BioE? Do you make students compete to stay in the major?
Bioengineering does not make students compete or reapply to remain in the program. We do not lose a significant number of students to major change, transfer, or withdrawal between admission and graduation. There is always a certain amount of in and out due to personal issues and the nature of young adults finding the path that works for them, but bioengineering tends to be a popular major for students to stay in their entire time or change majors to, rather than away from.

What is it like in BioE? Is it cutthroat and competitive?
BioE students tend to be collaborative, cooperative, and enthusiastic. Most of our students are involved in some sort of extracurricular activity. The department faculty are known for being approachable, and our department is very strongly committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Everyone is welcome in bioengineering, and we're working together to improve our world.

Will I get to do research outside of class? How soon can I start?
We strongly encourage it, and have some advice.

What about after graduation? Will I be able to get a job?
Our students do very well after graduating, check out more information on alumni outcomes.

Why aren’t you ABET accredited?
ABET is a traditional engineering organization, which requires a fairly narrow program of courses to allow them to benchmark a standardized set of skills. Bioengineering is a very interdisciplinary and diverse major, and we prefer to allow our students to specialize in their areas of interest.

Is ABET accreditation important?
Not in BioE. Bioengineering is a very diverse field with a range of relevant skills that would be difficult to standardize. The quality and reputation of the school are much more important for future employment success, and our students have had no trouble finding employment or graduate school admission due to ABET.