BETA Physics: Berkeley Experience and Training in Advanced Physics

Students with books, smiling

A Graduate-Level Physics Program for Visiting Students

The Berkeley Experience and Training in Advanced Physics (BETA Physics) Program is a non-degree program that hosts visiting students from around the country (and the world) to provide them with an opportunity to apply for physics research positions at UCB and study advanced graduate-level physics for one or two semesters.

Be A Part of A World-Famous Department

Our Physics Department, on the beautiful UC Berkeley campus, is one of the top-ranked graduate programs in the world. It is home to faculty and students who are devoted to scientific discovery, teaching, learning, and participation in cutting-edge research. Of the 22 Nobel Prizes awarded to UC Berkeley faculty, approximately one-third are from Physics! The UC Berkeley Physics Department is proud to have nine faculty members and seven alumni as Nobel Prize winners.

Current Application Period
Deadlines

Apply Here

Select Your Track

We offer either the General Physics or Quantum Information Emphasis tracks. General Physics is designed for students who are exploring various graduate field options before applying to graduate school or for students who are already in graduate programs and looking to spend a semester or two at another university. Quantum Information Emphasis is designed for students who are interested in quantum computing.

Lecture taking place

Enroll in Graduate-Level Courses

Enroll in our coveted UC Berkeley graduate-level courses that may offer credit transferable to a student’s home university or toward their future graduate degree, upon approval. You may select from any physics graduate or specialized upper-division courses. We recommend three to four classes per semester.

List of Course Offerings

A list of course offerings can be found HERE

Grow Your Professional Network

It's all about who you know... Make academic connections here at Berkeley that will help you uncover opportunities in the US and abroad for research, PhD programs, and more. Events include workshops, Career Exploration Panels, and exclusive faculty/visiting student lunches which allow students in our programs an opportunity to meet and hear from our faculty about their academic experience and research while enjoying lunch in a small and informal setting.

"There are infinite opportunities at Berkeley... But the connections are certainly the most obvious benefit." - Nils C.

Learn About Cutting-Edge Physics Research

Learn about cutting-edge physics research on our campus only offered to Berkeley Physics students and our BETA Physics visiting students.

Explore California

Join us for field trips around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Questions?

You can reach us HERE

student doing research in the Wang Lab

"Every time we made progress on research in the lab... When I made new connections in the get-togethers after seminars... And sometimes just when I grabbed lunch and sit on Faculty Glade seeing the Campanile in front of the clear blue Californian sky I thought... THIS is why I'm here." - Nils C.

Cost of the BETA Physics Program

$23,000 for one semester*
$46,000 for a full year*

Additional Fees

For a comprehensive review on Fees & Payment, including cost of living, please visit the UC Berkeley Extension Concurrent Enrollment webpage.

How To Apply

You Will Need to Provide

  1. A statement of purpose
  2. An official copy of your transcript
  3. Indicate length of study: one or two semesters
  4. A list of courses planned for each term (prerequisites are enforced)
  5. Two letters of recommendation (on official letterhead, when applicable)
  6. For international students: proof of English-Language Proficiency and a copy of your passport identification page
  7. If you are applying from our partner institution, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), please indicate this in your application materials

Apply Here

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Fully conferred Bachelor's degree in Physics or an affiliated field of study
  2. Minimum 3.0 GPA in Physics. Must meet all course prerequisites
  3. Additional English proficiency requirements for international students:
  4. TOEFL: 90 (iBT)/IELTS: 7/Duolingo: 125

See you at Berkeley!