Graduate Admissions

Join us for an info session to learn more about our graduate programs including deadlines and the application process, funding and fellowships, and more.

UC Berkeley begins accepting applications in early September for the following fall term only (no spring admissions). The fall semester begins in mid-August. 

We recommend you start the application process as soon as possible. As a prospective graduate student, you’ll submit your application through UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division. You’ll find lots of useful information on the Graduate Division website, including application instructions and information about funding your education.

Step 1: Explore CED Graduate Programs

Our graduate programs span Architecture, City & Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning, Urban Design, and Real Estate Development & Design.

Step 2: Know Your Deadlines & Plan Ahead

CED application deadlines vary by program (typically falling between December and January). All application materials and fee payments are due by 8:59 PM PST on the deadline date.

Step 3: Gather Your Application Materials

Step 4: Submit Your Online Application

UC Berkeley begins accepting applications in early September for the following fall term only (no spring admissions). The fall semester begins in mid-August. Create an account on the UC Berkeley Graduate Application Portal. Then, complete all sections, upload required materials (including portfolio files), and pay the non-refundable application fee prior to submission.

Step 5: Application Review

Once submitted, the admissions committee within your specific CED department conducts a holistic review. Committees evaluate a range of factors including academic background, letters of recommendation, essays, work/research experience, and design portfolio quality. Track the receipt of your application materials via your online applicant portal.

Step 6: Decision Notifications

Admissions decision letters are released electronically via your applicant portal, typically between late January and April. If admitted, you will receive instructions on how to accept your offer and submit your Intent to Register.

We are committed to recruiting students of outstanding achievement and potential, regardless of ability to pay. Learn more about our financial aid and scholarships. Learn more about our Arcus Social Justice Corps Fellowship for graduate students seeking to make direct and transformational social change in the world through planning, research, and design.

As a UC Berkeley graduate student, you’re part of a diverse community of change-makers known worldwide for innovation and academic excellence. Our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation is informed by a deep commitment to contributing to a better world. We’re consistently ranked the top-ranked public university in the nation, and it shows: among our alums are five Nob

California is also a bellwether of some of this century’s most urgent problems, from housing affordability, social inequities, rising sea levels, extreme heat, and wildfires. At Berkeley, we are committed to harnessing research, creativity, and knowledge to meet these challenges. We invite you to learn more about how a Berkeley graduate education can empower you to be a change-maker.