Deadline dates: Submission of applications for admission and fellowship consideration must occur by the posted deadline date which is always in early December. Mailed applications must be postmarked by the posted deadline date. Admission decisions and fellowship awards are mailed starting early March through mid-April.
 
Codes: GRE recipient code: 4833-0616
Institutional code for the University of California: 4833
TOEFL recipient code: 4833-50
 
What is the difference between the Group in Biostatistics and the Division of Biostatistics?
 
The Interdepartmental Group in Biostatistics is composed primarily of faculty from both the School of Public Health and the Department of Statistics on the Berkeley campus. The Group is responsible for administration of the MA and PhD degree programs in Biostatistics and also administers its own fellowship competition for students in Biostatistics academic degree programs.
 
Both the School of Public Health and the Department of Statistics offer many amenities to Biostatistics students such as computing, office space and opportunities for employment as GSIs and GSRs. Individuals interested in the Biostatistics MA or PhD degree program apply to the Group in Biostatistics.
 
The Division of Biostatistics is an administrative unit within the School of Public Health. The Division does not offer a degree program but is responsible, with the Division of Epidemiology, for oversight of the Masters of Public Health degree program in Biostatistics/Epidemiology. Individuals interested in the Epi/Biostat MPH program apply to the School of Public Health.
 
Must I take an advanced GRE test for admission to the Biostatistics MA or PhD program?
 
An advanced GRE test is not required. We do ask that all applicants, domestic and international, complete the general GRE test.
 
Must I take the TOEFL (or IELTS) exam?
 
All students applying from non-English speaking countries or those who have received their undergraduate education in a non-English speaking country, must take the TOEFL or the IELTS. Minimum TOEFL score for admission is 570 on the written test; 230 on the computer-based exam. TOEFL scores may not be more than two years old.
 
HOWEVER, if you have completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better at a U.S. university, you do not need to take a standardized test. Instead, you must submit an official transcript from the U.S. university. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement: (1) courses in English as a Second Language, (2) courses conducted in a language other than English, (3) courses that will be completed after you apply to Berkeley and (4) courses of a nonacademic nature.
 
What is the average GRE score or GPA for a successful applicant?
 
Based on the last few years of experience, successful applicants completed the GRE exam with median scores: verbal ~90%; quantitative 86%. The quantitative score is weighted most heavily; verbal scores tend to vary due to the international composition of our applicant pool.
 
A GPA is computed for courses completed after the first two years of work toward the baccalaureate. A second GPA is computed for any graduate work completed. Successful applicants have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5 in the junior and senior years (3.8 in any graduate work undertaken) and have a distinguished record of achievement in mathematics and statistics coursework.
 
How many students are admitted each year?
 
The total number of students that may be recommended for admission each year varies from approximately 10 to 17 (admission targets for each year are determined by the campus and made available to admitting units in December). Typically Biostatistics receives about 90 applications from which 3 are selected for admission to the PhD program and 7 to 14 recommended for admission to the MA degree program. During the current academic year, there are 29 students enrolled: 16 of these are female and 16 are international with 8 students pursuing an MA program and 21 working toward the PhD
 
What courses should I complete as an undergraduate to be eligible for admission?
 
Minimally, successful applicants to the MA degree program have completed a year or two of calculus (with a grade of at least B) and a course in linear algebra. We expect those applying for admission to the PhD degree program to have a strong quantitative background exceeding the minimum requirements for admission for the MA. Basic courses completed as an undergraduate will offer adequate background in the biological sciences although some students may choose to enhance this aspect of their training by enrolling in some biology classes during the course of the graduate program. Typical applicants to Biostatistics have undergraduate degrees in a quantitative field such as statistics or math. This does not preclude applicants who have degrees in other fields so long as course work completed includes a quantitative element.
 
What types of financial assistance are available?
 
All successful applicants to Biostatistics degree programs are considered for financial support regardless of degree goal. A number of students are offered the opportunity to serve as a GSI (teaching assistant) in either the first or second year of the program (note that international students from non-English speaking countries must pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE) in their home country or the SPEAK test administered on campus before a GSI position may be offered). Service as a GSI offers partial fee remission and payment of the health insurance premium during the semester of employment. Biostatistics students are often hired as GSIs by the Department of Statistics as well.
 
Although there few GSR (research assistant) positions available in-house, Biostatistics students are very successful in finding this type of employment in other departments and at the San Francisco campus. Those with SAS programming and data management skills are in particular demand.
 
Fellowships available from the campus are limited to those students applying to doctoral degree programs. Only one applicant may be nominated each year for a campus award and the competition for these awards is very keen at the campus level. Biostatistics Block Grant Awards are available to all regardless of degree goal and are merit based. Awards are limited to tuition and/or fees.
 
What type of career can a Biostatistics graduate expect?
 
Those who graduate with MA degrees in Biostatistics find positions in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry, state and county health departments, university campuses, hospital research centers. At the MA level, a graduate will typically participate as a member of a research team and will usually be expected to do some data management/analysis in addition to providing biostatistical support.
 
Doctoral graduates most often accept faculty positions in Schools of Public Health and Statistics and/or Math departments at colleges and universities here in the US and abroad although some PhD graduates have taken research positions in pharmaceutical companies or hospital research units and the like. The market is very good for individuals with Biostatistics degrees at both the masters and doctoral level.