US holisticUnited States · Master’sResearched 0d ago

Data Science

University of California, Berkeley

PortPath researches criteria from public sources and can be incomplete or out of date. Always verify against the program’s official announcement before relying on it. PortPath never predicts admission chances.

Overview

UC Berkeley’s online Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) uses holistic review. The strongest signals are academic readiness, a focused statement of purpose, and required English proficiency where applicable; GRE/GMAT are optional and no portfolio is listed.

Admission criteria

PortfolioLow

No portfolio or work-sample requirement is listed for MIDS; the program does not appear to evaluate a creative/technical portfolio as a formal admission input.

Bar to clear: Not used by this program

Statement of PurposeHigh

A required essay used to judge your motivation, preparation, goals, and fit with Berkeley and the data science curriculum; the program explicitly cites essays in holistic review.

Bar to clear: 1-2 pages, specific fit and career goals

Academics & GPAMedium

The program looks for a strong academic record and quantitative ability, including relevant coursework or experience; a GPA of 3.0+ is the typical baseline.

Bar to clear: 3.0+ GPA typical

Test scoresLow

GRE/GMAT are optional, but TOEFL or IELTS Academic is required unless exempt; English scores are the only standardized test requirement for many international applicants.

Bar to clear: IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 90 minimum; GRE/GMAT optional

Application components

Transcripts from all educational institutions attendedStatement of Purpose and additional admissions statementsTOEFL or IELTS Academic score report, if applicableOptional GRE or GMAT score report

How to stand out

→Write the statement of purpose around concrete data science goals and why Berkeley MIDS fits them.

→Show quantitative preparation clearly through transcripts and relevant coursework.

→If you need English testing, target above the minimum to avoid a borderline file.

→Submit optional GRE/GMAT only if the score strengthens the academic story.

Source confidence

97%Well sourced

Sources

UC Berkeley iSchool Online Admissions

ischoolonline.berkeley.edu/admissions/

Official admissions requirements, holistic review, GPA baseline, required essays, optional GRE/GMAT, and TOEFL/IELTS rules.

UC Berkeley iSchool Online Master's in Data Science (MIDS)