Applying to the PhD Program in Political Science

Application for fall 2010 admissions will be available in mid-September

Applying to the PhD Program:

Thank you for your interest in our PhD program!

Below, you will find a checklist of steps to take in order to complete our application for admission to the PhD program in Political Science. You may also want to browse through our Frequently Asked Questions page, where you will find more detailed information.

Please contact us at pscadmit@berkeley.edu if you cannot find the answer to your question. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Create your user account for the Graduate Division Online Application. Make note of your "Doc ID/App ID" found in the upper left-hand corner after you have logged in to the online application system.
Create your user account for the Political Science Department Supplemental Application (available mid-September) . The ID# from your Graduate Division Online Application will be required when you register in the department supplement. NOTE: It is essential that you use the "Doc ID/App ID" from the Graduate Division online application in order to match your application materials to the departmental supplement.
Complete the Graduate Division Online Application, paying special attention the following sections:
1. Areas of Specialization: Choose your top two subfields AND your top geographic region of interest. You may note additional interests in your Statement of Purpose.
2. Faculty Interest: Which of our faculty are you particularly interested in working with? This list, along with your statement of purpose, will help the admissions committee determine your fit with the department
3. Recommendation Letters: Fill out the names and email addresses for each of your three recommenders, choose whether you waive your right to access the letters, and whether the recommenders will use the online system to submit letters. Save your recommenders, then click "send email" for each recommender. Follow the directions in the system closely to ensure that your professors will receive the email with instructions on how to submit their letters online.
4. GRE Scores: We require current (from within the past five years), official GRE scores for ALL applicants, no exceptions.
5. Fellowship Application: Fill out completely to be sure you are considered for all fellowships.
6. Personal History Statement and Statement of Purpose: There is no limit to the length of either of these essays. Focus on answering the questions completely in a concise, well written manner.
Submit your supplemental documents (the online Department Supplemental Application will be available October 1, 2008).
1. Official Transcripts: You must submit one of each official transcript for ALL courses you received academic credit for toward a degree. If a transcript lists the course name, number of credits, and grade for transferred coursework, then you do not need to submit a transcript for the transferring institution. If your institution does not award grades until after the December 2 application deadline, please submit a current transcript as well as an updated transcript once one becomes available.
2. Recommendation Letters: In order to ensure that your application is complete on time, please ask your recommenders to submit their letters online (this can be done through the graduate division online application system) before the December 2 deadline.
3. Departmental Application Supplement, Including a Writing Sample: You must submit a a previously written social science research paper, including a 250 word abstract. You may also submit a CV or other writing samples, though we cannot guarantee the admissions committee will have time to review any non-required materials.