There is no separate application for our competitive merit-based fellowships. We ask applicants to indicate whether they would like to be considered for a fellowship. Note that only applicants in Rounds 1 and 2 of the application cycle are eligible for admissions fellowships. If awarded a department fellowship, we will notify recipients.
Abbey MRED+D Admissions FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- CAN I APPLY FOR FALL OR SPRING ADMISSION?
- ARE THERE CONCURRENT DEGREE OR DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS WITH THE ABBEY MRED+D?
- HOW MANY STUDENTS WILL BE ENROLLED?
- WHAT TYPE OF QUANTITATIVE BACKGROUND SHOULD ABBEY MRED+D APPLICANTS HAVE BEFORE STARTING THE PROGRAM?
- HOW MANY HOURS PER WEEK DO ABBEY MRED+D STUDENTS SPEND ON THE PROGRAM?
- CAN STUDENTS GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO A SPECIFIC ASPECT OF REAL ESTATE?
- CAN I APPLY IF MY WORK EXPERIENCE IS NOT IN REAL ESTATE?
- DO I NEED A DEGREE IN A SPECIFIC FIELD TO APPLY?
- CAN I ATTEND THE ABBEY MRED+D PROGRAM PART-TIME? ONLINE?
- CAN I WORK FULL-TIME WHILE PURSUING THE ABBEY MRED+D?
- IS THERE A STRICT REQUIREMENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK EXPERIENCE ONE MUST HAVE IN ORDER TO APPLY?
- WHO ARE THE FACULTY FOR THE ABBEY MRED+D PROGRAM?
- WILL THE ABBEY MRED+D PROGRAM SPONSOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISAS ADMITTED TO THE PROGRAM?
- HOW DO I APPLY FOR DEPARTMENT ADMISSIONS FELLOWSHIPS?
The Abbey MRED+D program only starts in the summer, and all students must begin during the summer term. We do not admit students for the fall or spring semesters.
No concurrent degree programs have been developed for the Abbey MRED+D. UC Berkeley does not offer ad hoc joint degree programs and applicants may only apply to a single degree program per admissions cycle.
We expect to welcome a cohort of about 35-45 students for the next Abbey MRED+D class.
The Abbey MRED+D program includes a rigorous quantitative curriculum. To ensure success, applicants should be well versed in using Microsoft Excel and have a foundation in finance. If you are accepted to the Abbey MRED+D but the Program thinks you would benefit from additional Excel and Finance training, you will be asked to complete short online courses before your arrival.
The Abbey MRED+D program is a full-time on-campus program. Students can expect to dedicate significant time to the program during the 12-week summer term with a rigorous load of coursework – this includes 18 hours per week of class time plus 36 hours of outside class work. During the fall and spring terms, students can expect to spend a minimum of 12-16 hours of in-class time per week and a minimum of 24-36 hours per week of work outside the classroom. In the case of a semester that includes a studio (typically Spring), students should anticipate more hours in class since studio courses involve extensive studio work. The Abbey MRED+D usually does not run classes one day per week, often Fridays or Mondays.
Absolutely. Because students will come from varied educational backgrounds and have a range or work experience, students can opt to focus their electives on finance, law, and other technical aspects of real estate transactions, for example, or concentrate on more in-depth training in aspects of design, housing, or urban development. In addition to the core curriculum, students in the Abbey MRED+D program are able to choose from among the rich offerings of the academic disciplines and professional programs on the Berkeley campus as electives.
Students in the Abbey MRED+D program come from diverse backgrounds with a range of different levels of experience in the real estate field and in related industries such as architecture, construction, commercial real estate finance, law, city planning, and commercial real estate brokerage. Some students have no formal education in real estate, but have pivoted into a real estate-related field professionally. Successful applicants demonstrate a passion for and exposure to real estate, whether through their studies, work experience, a family business, or internships and external projects.
No. We welcome applicants from a variety of prior undergraduate and graduate fields of study (see above and our Class Profile).
The Abbey MRED+D does offer a part-time program. We do not offer an online option; both the full-time and part-time programs are on-campus and in-person.
The Abbey MRED+D part-time program is designed to facilitate working full-time or near-full time — part-time students take half the coursework each semester, stretching the program over two years, and classes meet primarily in the late afternoon. Please see the Courses page for more information. Working full-time while pursuing the full-time Abbey MRED+D program is not feasible, as a typical term will involve between 48 and 64 hours of work per week. Many students do pursue part-time work or internships while completing the degree (fall and spring only). We recommend about 10 hours of work per week for those exercising this option, and we can provide course credit for internships.
The Abbey MRED+D curriculum is designed to build upon your work experience. As such, we look closely at your career progression when making admissions decision. We also consider the combination of education, training, and work experience together. We typically look for a minimum of two years post-undergraduate experience; extraordinary candidates with less than two years of post-graduate full-time work experience may apply through our Emerging Development Leaders program (see Admissions page).
Abbey MRED+D Faculty include both College of Environmental Design professors and professionals including some of the most widely recognized real estate and urban development professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. See our Faculty page for a full listing.
Yes. If an offer of admission is extended, then UC Berkeley will assist you in obtaining a student visa. We are also a STEM-designated program–students attending on an F-1 visa qualify for a two-year extension of the typical one year of Optional Practical Training awarded to graduates, for a total of three years of post-program work authorization.