How I got into UC Davis, USA for Master’s in Biomedical Engineering

Hello Sahil! Let’s uncover how you got into UC Davis!

Hey! Who are you, what is your background and what are you currently doing?

Hey! My name is Sahil, and I’m an incoming first-year master’s student at UC Davis, pursuing my degree in biomedical engineering. To give you a bit of background, I did my undergrad at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus, where I pursued a dual degree in MSc Chemistry and Bachelors in Chemical Engineering. However, during my studies, I realized my true passion was in biology. I ended up taking numerous bio-related electives and projects, which eventually led me to biomedical engineering—specifically tissue engineering and regenerative medicine—because it combined my interests in chemistry and biology.

Throughout my undergrad, I worked on various bio-related projects. In my third year, I focused on polymers and material science in the chemistry department, particularly their biological applications, like biocompatibility. This hands-on experience made me realize I wanted to apply my engineering and chemistry knowledge to solve real-world biological problems.

In my fourth year, I worked at the UT Lab at IISc. My goal was to upskill in wet-lab techniques, especially instrumentation. I handled advanced equipment like mass spectrometry (LCMS). Later, I took on a project for a second thesis at BITS Pilani under Prof. Dr. Nilanjan. I learned the value of making mistakes early on and growing from them. The six-month thesis honed my skills in experimentation, troubleshooting, and presentation. This experience also resulted in two published papers—one in the American Chemical Society and another in the Royal Chemical Society.

I gained a lot of lab skills, particularly in instrumentation. The more projects I took on during undergrad, the more I learned. Whether it’s operating instruments or learning programming languages, I got many opportunities to build and apply my knowledge. Ultimately, once you’re out of college, it’s all about execution—how well you can use your knowledge to solve problems.

How did you decide that you wanted to pursue a Master’s in the US?

First, I chose a master’s because I wanted to switch fields to something more bio-based. I’ve always had a desire to work in the medical field. I realized my passion lay in bioengineering—specifically, fields that interact with humans daily, like tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and diagnostics. I worked heavily on biosensors during my undergrad, and that became my specialty. Pursuing a master’s would give me a strong foundation, and I saw it as a good opportunity to switch my subspecialty to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

I had two countries in mind: Germany and the US. Both have top universities, and there are some great ones in Switzerland as well, like ETH Zurich and EPFL. However, the problem with Germany was that I didn’t have a great start to my academic career at BITS. My grades really picked up in the second semester of my second year, and while my GPA improved by the time I graduated, it wasn’t outstanding. Germany’s requirements were very strict—subject GREs were a must, and some departments required entrance exams to be taken in person, which wasn’t feasible for me. Also, I felt Germany’s system was too focused on academics. Plus, the job market in Europe, especially in research-oriented fields, is quite slow and extremely competitive. And, of course, the language barrier was a factor; even if they say the courses are in English, not knowing German could make you feel isolated.

On the other hand, I chose the US for two main reasons. First, the labs are extremely well-funded. This allows for a lot of experimentation and research, which is crucial when you’re working in cutting-edge areas like bioengineering. The second reason is that while India has companies working in the bioengineering field, the country still hasn’t caught up to the level of cutting-edge research being done elsewhere. Bioengineering here is still considered a subfield of mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering, and very few institutes focus solely on this kind of advanced research. I felt that by upskilling myself over the next two to five years, I would have a better chance to excel in this field.

How did you start your application preparation; can you throw some light on profile building, GRE, LORs and SOPs?

University Shortlisting

First, I started by checking comparison websites like Shiksha. They aren’t the best, but they help in the process of elimination. I made a list of about 30 to 50 colleges. Once I decided on the country, I started checking which colleges had the specific course I was looking for. After finding the right courses, I was able to narrow my list down to about 25 or 30 colleges. Rule number one: talk to seniors, whether they are in your field or not, but especially those in the colleges you’re interested in.

The next factor to consider was cost. It’s a big deal unless you’re getting a scholarship or external funding and not paying out of your own pocket. I didn’t apply to any private universities except for one—Boston University—because they offered scholarships. The rest of my applications were to public universities like those in the UC system because they’re well-funded.

I then created an Excel sheet with the following columns: college name, department, program name, link to the department, link to the program, courses offered in that program, and the professors who teach those courses—this part is very important. I also included program contacts.

GRE/GMAT and TOEFL

Now, regarding exams, none of the programs I applied to required the GRE, hence I never wrote the GRE. In fact, most of them specifically said not to submit it, though a couple of my higher-reach schools, like Georgia Tech and UIUC, listed it as optional. However, I would definitely recommend taking English proficiency exams like TOEFL or IELTS. Even though my college, BITS, qualified for a waiver in all the programs I applied to, having these scores is important if you’re applying for graduate research or teaching assistantships, as they often look at your speaking and listening scores. It’s best not to skip this step.

SOP and LORs

For SOPs and LORs, think of your application as a pie chart: 50% of your application is within your control, and the other 50% is luck. Out of that first 50%, your SOP and LORs make up about 25%, your grades about 15%, and the remaining 10% includes your TOEFL or GRE scores, resume, and experience. The other half of the equation is luck—so don’t get disheartened. Unlike India, where admissions are based on a clear cutoff, US admissions can be more unpredictable.

There are two approaches to writing SOPs. One approach is to tailor your SOP based on the LORs you expect, making sure the technical section of your SOP complements your LOR. The other approach is to keep your LORs separate and focus on making your SOP as strong as possible.

Your SOP should have three key sections. First, the introduction—tell your story, why you’re pursuing a master’s, how you got interested in the field, and give a brief background about yourself. Next is the technical section, where you detail the professors whose research interests you and how it aligns with your goals. This part shows you’ve done thorough research. Tailor your resume to reflect the professors’ work if possible.

Finally, end with a strong conclusion. Clearly state why you want to attend that college, what you can contribute, and your post-graduation plans. Mention something unique about the university, like its motto or vision, and explain how you align with that culture for a memorable finish.

What colleges did you apply for and what was the result?

I had 14 universities—about five were ambitious, five were safe, and the remaining four were mid-tier. I was really banking on my research papers to help me because my CGPA is good, but not great. I knew some universities might reject me outright based on my CGPA, especially since bioengineering and biomedical engineering are hyper-competitive fields. 

Ambitious Choices: UCLA, Georgia Tech, UIUC, Boston University, UCSD

Mid-range Choices: UC Davis, UC Irvine, Tufts

Admitted: UC Davis, UC Irvine

During the application process, there are a lot of incoming student seminars and Q&A sessions. It’s important to attend these and make your presence known—ask questions if you have any. Also, reach out to the graduate program coordinators via email and put yourself out there. I did this for about six colleges, and fortunately, within the UC system, I applied to four of the top five: Berkeley, LA, Davis, and San Diego. 

If you’re applying for the fall, keep in mind that most West Coast colleges have deadlines at the end of November or the first week of December. Midwestern schools tend to have deadlines up until mid-January, and East Coast schools might give you some leeway until the end of January. But I would say, once applications open, aim to submit everything within a month. As for the timeline, I was a bit late in starting. I began in October, and the process took about three and a half to four months, finishing around February. By the end of January, I started receiving acceptances and rejections.

Can you tell us more about the course and what the learning outcomes are?

Yes, so my course basically covers a lot of sub-disciplines. As I mentioned, bioengineering and biomedical engineering have a lot of areas, like neuroengineering, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and genomics, which is the computer science side of things. There’s also a strong focus on mechatronics and electronics because the latest trend is wearable diagnostic devices, and that’s mostly handled by core electronics people. It’s a heavily interdisciplinary field, and there’s a lot of materials engineering done by chemical, mechanical, and material science engineers. 

These courses aren’t bookish; graduate courses are heavily assignment-based and focus on practical application. Professors design the courses so that you’re not just studying from a textbook—you’re doing research, finding solutions to problems, and working hands-on.

Then you have a wide range of elective courses depending on your interest. For example, if you’re into neuroengineering, you can look into machine learning (ML) applications for transcribing neurotransmitters, which is huge for CS and electronics folks since they’re the ones who create the devices. There are also a lot of biomaterials courses, especially if you’re going into fields like electronics engineering, and biosensor courses that people from hard sciences like chemistry, chemical engineering, and biology contribute to. We work with electrical engineers to develop these sensors.

You also have informatics and big data courses like genomics, bioinformatics, evolutionary genomics, and in vivo drug discovery, which are largely simulation-based. It’s a big field for CS people, and if you have those skills, you’re in high demand. One of the most important areas, in my opinion, is disease detection and prevention. A lot of research is focused on diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s, and if you go into these fields, you’ll be working on engineering applications, learning programs and languages designed to compile clinical trial data from studies on cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and more. You’ll be analyzing this data to help determine whether the experiments are working or not.

What is the cost of tuition and cost of living, and how are you planning to fund your studies?

Generally, the UCs have a lower cost of tuition compared to other colleges because they’re public universities, but they are still considered “public Ivies”. Luckily, the tuition cost isn’t as high as some private universities. I’m paying $11,000 per quarter, and since the UCs follow a quarter system, it comes to about $66,000 for two years, including tuition and insurance. Insurance in California is very expensive—I’m paying about $6,000 a year for it—but it’s a comprehensive plan provided by UC Davis. Since UC Davis has a medical center and med school, we’re covered very well. 

So, the total cost for tuition and insurance over two years is around 50 lakhs, which is significantly less than private universities like USC, Columbia, Johns Hopkins, or CMU. Those schools charge about $65,000 a year, which is almost 50 lakhs per year.

For living expenses, if you’re willing to share an apartment or live in grad housing like I am, where you split costs with others, it comes out to about $1,100 to $1,200 a month. California is an expensive place, but I’ve managed to keep my living costs under control. So, I’d say it’s about 10 lakhs a year. It’s pretty reasonable compared to living in bigger cities like New York, LA, or San Francisco, where I would end up spending more—just the rent alone would be around $1,500 to $2,000.

As for funding my studies, I’m mostly relying on a loan. There are many banks that offer good interest rates, especially if you know how to negotiate. You should visit multiple banks and pitch them against each other when negotiating; they often reduce the interest rate. For example, I managed to get my rate reduced by about 1.75%, which made a big difference for me.

How was your experience with the visa process, finding accommodation and travel?

The visa process can be quite tedious due to the backlog for people traveling to the US. My advice is not to delay getting your I-20 from the college—do it as soon as possible. Fill out your DS-160 and just wait for the slots to open. Use a script if you have to in order to get a slot. Be determined, because if, unfortunately, your visa gets rejected on the first attempt, you’ll have to wait about 15 to 20 days before reapplying.

That said, visa rejections generally don’t happen if your university is well-ranked. I was fortunate since my university is in the top 20 or 30, so the interviewers understood that I was genuinely going there to study. They just want to make sure you’re not going there for any other reason.

Apply for your visa early, and expect standard interview questions like what you plan to do after your master’s, how you’ll fund your education, why you chose this particular college and course, how you found out about it, and details about any previous work experience. They might even ask about your family background. The interview can feel intimidating, but don’t let that get to you.

As for travel, I suggest taking airlines that offer student discounts. Many European carriers have reduced their luggage allowances to just one bag, so it’s better to go with Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian carriers like Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific. They offer three bags of 23kg each, which is extremely helpful when you’re flying out for the first time. It really cuts down your costs compared to buying things once you arrive.

What does the future after master’s look like?

The field has huge industrial applications, especially dominated by big pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, and many well-funded startups. Health is the next big thing, and since we lead unhealthy lifestyles, there will always be a need for disease research. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

The best way to find internships and job opportunities is to actively network on platforms like LinkedIn and Handshake. I know applying can feel discouraging at times—it has been for me too—but don’t give up. Cold-email people, reach out, and build a strong network. As an international student, internships are usually secured through CPT (Curricular Practical Training), which is typically available during the summer. If you don’t land an internship, you can work as a graduate research assistant during the summer, which is a paid position.

The pay for graduate research assistants ranges from $40 to $60 per hour, depending on where you live. If you work full-time over the summer, you can make anywhere between $15,000 to $30,000, which can help pay off tuition or loans. Additionally, in the UC system, TAs (teaching assistants) are well-paid. A 50% TAship pays over $3,000 a month after taxes, and a 25% TAship pays about $1,800 to $2,000 a month. This can cover your living expenses, and for a 50% TAship, 50% of your tuition fees are waived, along with your insurance. For a 25% TAship, 25% of your fees are waived, and your insurance is covered too.

Now, regarding jobs after graduation, if you have specialized during your master’s, you can apply as a PhD student or postdoc. For PhD students, you get an H-1B visa directly without the lottery system. Many people pursue PhDs because it fast-tracks your green card under the Special Skills category. After completing a PhD, you can either continue in academia, go into industrial research, or enter the corporate world.

As for salaries, biomedical engineers on the East Coast make an average of $85,000, while on the West Coast, it’s slightly higher due to the higher cost of living. Depending on the company and your experience, salaries can range from $90,000 to $130,000, which is excellent for someone with little to no work experience.

Any final words of advice for anyone who aspires to be where you currently are?

Number one, stick to a timeline. Be as early as possible, stay ahead of the curve.

Number two, please, please do not stop talking to your seniors. They are your best help—better than any kind of GPT, Wikipedia, or Google search. Seniors who are your friends or who have been through the same process will always look out for you and hope for the best for you.

Third, start networking, wherever you are. For example, I was fortunate enough to network with one of the top scientists at Strides Pharma, which is one of India’s biggest pharma companies. He has a PhD in Chemical Biology, which is a field similar to mine. I was lucky that he could guide me, as he is also a PhD graduate from Cornell and from IIT Delhi. I gained valuable insight into the admission process from him. You meet such interesting people along the way who can help, guide, and most importantly, give you the ground reality of the field, while also motivating you.

The fourth piece of advice is to find some form of meditation or something to keep you calm. This is a very stressful process, and you’ll be nervous about the outcome. No matter how much we prepare, we never know how things will turn out. For instance, I was certain I’d get into some universities, but I didn’t. After they rejected me, I later found out that they reopened positions, which was baffling and felt a bit insulting. These situations can be very upsetting, so it’s important to find something that grounds you, whether it’s therapy, meditation, or any other form of relaxation.

Lastly, use this time to up-skill. Take courses on platforms like Udemy or Coursera if you can. Keep learning and stay at it. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of networking and keeping in touch with your undergrad professors. They can open many doors for you, and I feel that’s an untapped resource. If you’re currently an undergrad, don’t stop talking to your professors. Look for opportunities to work under them, and definitely keep in touch with your seniors.

Throughout the process what were some helpful resources, tools and books you used?

University Selection and Process

For selecting universities and navigating the application process, platforms like Yocket, Shiksha, and advice from college seniors can be helpful.

Accommodation

For housing, consult college seniors, check the university accommodation page, or explore options on Apartments.com.

Travel and Visa

Look for student discounts directly on airline websites such as Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific.

Loan and Banking

For education loans, consider HDFC, ICICI, and Union Bank. If you’re a government employee, SBI offers student loan options.

Suggested by TheGradPost

For GMAT, especially for acing it in the quant session, try out Target Test Prep (TTP).

For air travel and temporary accommodations – MakeMyTrip

For help with international transactions and lounge access – HDFC, SBI, ICICI Credit Cards

Connect

Linkedin – SAHIL VASISHTHA

The Grad Post is organising 100s of such case studies for students going abroad. You can have a look at the website here.

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