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USPTO Eligibility

Do I qualify to take the patent bar?

The USPTO requires a qualifying technical background to sit for the registration examination. Here's how to know if you're eligible.

Interactive eligibility quiz

Find out if you qualify — step by step

Answer 4–5 questions about your degree, coursework, and background. We'll walk you through the real USPTO criteria and give you a plain-English likelihood assessment at the end.

  • Takes about 2 minutes
  • Based on actual USPTO OED criteria
  • No account required — results are shown instantly

For informational purposes only — not legal advice or an official USPTO determination.

Quick eligibility check

Do you have a bachelor's degree or higher in a scientific or engineering field?

A

Category A — Qualifying degrees

If you hold a bachelor's or higher degree in any of the following fields from an accredited institution, you qualify. The list below reflects all disciplines recognized by the USPTO OED.

Engineering

Any accredited engineering discipline qualifies. Common examples include:

Aerospace or aeronautical engineering
Agricultural or biological engineering
Biomedical or bioengineering
Ceramic or materials engineering
Chemical engineering
Civil engineering
Computer engineering
Electrical or electronics engineering
Environmental engineering
Industrial engineering
Marine engineering or naval architecture
Materials science and engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mining or geological engineering
Nuclear engineering
Petroleum engineering
Software engineering
Textile engineering or technology
Any other accredited engineering discipline

Physical sciences

Chemistry (all sub-disciplines)
Physics
Physical chemistry
Earth science or geology
Atmospheric science or meteorology
Materials science (non-engineering track)
Optical science

Life sciences

Biology
Biochemistry
Molecular biology
Microbiology
Botany
Ecology
Genetics
Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Physiology
Food science or food technology

Computer & information sciences

Computer science
Information technology (with strong technical coursework)
Computational science

Catch-all provisions

Marine technology
Any other accredited technical or scientific bachelor's degree
Foreign equivalent of any of the above
B

Category B — Alternative credentials

Category B candidates don't hold a qualifying degree but demonstrate sufficient technical knowledge through other recognized credentials. Each is evaluated individually by the USPTO's OED.

Passed FPGEE
Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination — with official score report
Passed USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3
All three steps of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination
Engineering board certification (PE license)
In a recognized engineering discipline
Significant science coursework without a qualifying degree
32+ semester hours in physics, chemistry, biology, or engineering — evaluated case by case
Law degree with substantial science coursework
JD plus qualifying Category B science credits

What does not qualify

A law degree alone (without a qualifying technical credential)
A degree in social science, business, liberal arts, or humanities
Associate's degrees without sufficient technical coursework
Self-study or informal technical training without an accredited degree

Still have questions?

Contact the USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline

The OED offers informal guidance on eligibility questions and can review your specific situation before you submit a formal application.

Email
OED@uspto.gov
Phone
571-272-4097
Official page
USPTO OED ↗

This page is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an official USPTO determination. Eligibility is determined solely by the USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline based on your official application and supporting documents.

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