Checked 29 September 2026. Category lists from the GRB issued August 2026, which took effect with the notice of 11 Aug 2026 (91 FR 51695) moving Biomedical Science into Category A; the USPTO reviews Category B degrees for a move to Category A every three years (notice of 16 May 2023). Our mapping of Indian degree names is interpretation; OED decides each transcript.
To be admitted to the registration exam you must show the "scientific and technical training necessary to provide valuable service to patent applicants". The General Requirements Bulletin (GRB, issued August 2026) sets out four standard ways to show it, Categories A to D; for an applicant who fits none of them, the GRB says the USPTO "will conduct an independent review" under 37 CFR 11.7(a)(2)(ii). This guide maps Indian degrees onto those categories. Read this first: the degree is the second gate, not the first. If you are not a US citizen and you live in India, you cannot sit this exam. The USPTO's General Requirements Bulletin says the registration examination "is not administered to aliens who do not reside in the United States". Of non-citizens, only US lawful permanent residents may apply for registration; others living in the US with qualifying work authorisation can get only limited recognition, and the one foreign-reciprocity clause, 37 CFR 11.6(c), covers Canada alone. A qualifying degree matters to an Indian reader only once they are a US citizen, a US permanent resident, or living in the US with qualifying work authorisation. ProSyllabus is an independent study site, not part of the USPTO, its Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) or Prometric. Every rule here is quoted or summarised from the USPTO General Requirements Bulletin, the Code of Federal Regulations and USPTO pages, and OED decides every application.
GRB issued August 2026, section III. The count of 47 is ours, from the GRB table.
New on 11 August 2026: the USPTO moved Biomedical Science from Category B to Category A, effective that day (Federal Register notice, 91 FR 51695). It says it considered degrees in artificial intelligence too but did not add them, citing one applicant with an Applied AI degree in three years; an AI degree may be considered under Category A if the USPTO finds it equivalent to a B.S. in computer science. The same notice says Category A "is not an exhaustive list" and that the USPTO accepts degrees whose transcript shows equivalence to a Category A degree.
Where other pages get this wrong
A computer science degree counts under Category A only if it is a bachelor of science degree from an accredited college or university.
Commonly published instead: The shorthand "any computer science degree qualifies".
The GRB marks Computer Science with an asterisk: "An acceptable computer science degree must be a bachelor of science degree from an accredited college or university." It sends "a computer science degree that is not a bachelor of science degree or is from a non-accredited institution" to Category B or C. Since May 2023 every accredited B.S. in computer science is accepted (USPTO notice, 16 May 2023). Whether OED treats an Indian B.Tech or B.E. in computer science as a "bachelor of science" is not published.
The four categories at a glance
| Category | What you show | What you can practise | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Bachelor's, master's or Doctor of Philosophy degree in a listed subject from an accredited US college or university, or the equivalent from a foreign university | All patent matters | GRB III.A |
| B | A degree in another subject plus enough science or engineering coursework under one of four options (or other training/education OED accepts) | All patent matters | GRB III.B |
| C | Passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) test, plus an official transcript showing a bachelor's degree | All patent matters | GRB III.C |
| D | Degree in architecture, applied arts, art teacher education, fine/studio arts, graphic design, industrial design or product design (or foreign equivalent) | Design patent matters only; 37 CFR 11.6(d) names US citizens | GRB III.D; 37 CFR 11.6(d) |
Category A: the 47 listed subjects
The GRB accepts a bachelor's, master's or Doctor of Philosophy degree in one of these subjects, including "the equivalent ... awarded by a foreign university". It also accepts degrees "where the transcript demonstrates equivalence", giving molecular cell biology (for biology) and materials science and engineering (for materials science) as examples. The grouping below is ours; the names are the GRB's.
| Group (ours) | Subjects on the GRB list |
|---|---|
| Engineering (25) | Aeronautical, Aerospace, Agricultural, Biomedical, Ceramic, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Electrochemical, Electronics, Environmental, General, Genetic, Geological, Industrial, Marine, Materials, Mechanical, Metallurgical, Mining, Nuclear, Ocean, Petroleum and Textile Engineering |
| Technology and applied (6) | Electronics Technology, Engineering Physics, Food Technology, Marine Technology, Materials Science, Textile Technology |
| Life sciences (12) | Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Biological Science, Biology, Biomedical Science, Biophysics, Botany, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology |
| Physical sciences and computing (4) | General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science (bachelor of science only) |
Indian degrees, mapped: our reading, not OED's
The USPTO does not publish a list of Indian degrees. The table below is our reading of the GRB wording against common Indian degree names. OED decides every case on the transcript, and it gives no informal pre-assessment; its FAQ suggests sending course descriptions with the application if equivalence is not apparent from the transcript.
| Indian degree | Likely category (our reading) | Why | Verified? |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.E. or B.Tech in a branch named on the list (mechanical, civil, chemical, electrical, electronics, aerospace, metallurgical, mining, petroleum, textile...) | A, as a foreign equivalent | The subject name is on the GRB list and foreign equivalents are accepted | Rule official; mapping ours |
| B.E. or B.Tech in computer science or computer engineering | Computer Engineering is listed; Computer Science needs a B.S. Otherwise B (Option 4) | The B.S. condition applies to computer science only | Not found: how OED treats a B.Tech CSE |
| B.E. or B.Tech in electronics and communication, instrumentation, IT | A if the transcript shows equivalence to a listed subject, else B | The GRB's "demonstrates equivalence" wording | Mapping ours |
| B.Sc or M.Sc in physics, botany, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology | A where the subject is listed; biotechnology by equivalence or B | Physics, Botany, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Genetics are listed | Mapping ours |
| B.Sc or M.Sc in chemistry | A by equivalence to General or Organic Chemistry, else B Option 3 (30 chemistry hours) | The list names General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, not "Chemistry" | Mapping ours |
| B.Pharm | B or C | A bachelor's in a subject not on the list; the GRB names pharmacy as an example that goes to B or C (Pharmacology is a separate listed subject) | GRB example official; mapping ours |
| Pharm.D (six-year professional degree) | Not resolved | Categories A and B name bachelor's, master's or Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and C needs a bachelor's transcript; the GRB does not say how a standalone professional doctorate is treated | Not found: OED decides, possibly by independent review |
| B.Sc in computer science | Possibly A, if OED accepts it as the foreign equivalent of an accredited B.S. in computer science; otherwise B Option 4 | Category A lists Computer Science for a bachelor of science from an accredited institution, and accepts foreign equivalents | Not found: how OED treats an Indian B.Sc CS |
| BCA or MCA | B Option 4 on computer science theory courses plus science | Not a bachelor of science in computer science; CS theory courses with lab count under Option 4 only | Mapping ours |
| B.Arch | D, design patents only | Architecture is a Category D subject; 11.6(d) names US citizens | Rule official; mapping ours |
| B.Des or BFA | D only where the major is a Category D subject (applied arts, art teacher education, fine/studio arts, graphic design, industrial design, product design) or an accepted equivalent | Category D lists subjects, not degree names; a B.Des in an unlisted design field is not D by its name alone | Mapping ours; OED decides equivalence |
| LLB, B.Com, BBA or BA alone | No standard A-D category | No listed subject; management, business and similar courses are expressly not accepted in B | Our reading of GRB III |
| Polytechnic diploma without a bachelor's degree | No standard A-D category | Every category requires a bachelor's, master's or Doctor of Philosophy degree (C needs a bachelor's transcript). The GRB's independent review under 11.7(a)(2)(ii) still exists for applicants outside A to D; the USPTO publishes no criteria for it | Our reading of GRB III |
Category B: four ways to count hours
If your degree is not on the list, you show equivalent training through coursework. Only courses taken for science or engineering majors count, with a grade of C- or better, and each course needs an official course description from the year you took it, including the catalogue cover page.
| Option | Hours needed | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 semester hours | Physics courses for physics majors only |
| 2 | 32 semester hours | 8 hours of chemistry or physics (at least one course with a lab) + 24 hours of biology, botany, microbiology or molecular biology |
| 3 | 30 semester hours | Chemistry courses for chemistry majors only |
| 4 | 40 semester hours | 8 hours of chemistry, physics or biology (at least one with a lab) + 32 hours of chemistry, physics, biology, botany, microbiology, molecular biology or engineering; computer science theory courses with lab and up to 4 hours of design engineering or drafting also count, but not toward the first 8 |
Category B: do your science hours add up?
Enter US-equivalent semester hours of science and engineering courses, grade C- or better, taken as courses for science or engineering majors. The tool converts quarter or trimester hours at 2/3, as the GRB instructs, and tests the four Category B options. Indian university credits are not semester hours by default: the USPTO publishes no conversion, so choose the third option if that is what you have.
Our arithmetic on GRB section III.B. The GRB defines a semester hour as one hour of class a week for a 15 to 18 week semester and gives the 2/3 rule only for quarters and trimesters. It gives no conversion for Indian credit systems, so the tool gives no verdict on unconverted Indian credits; OED rules on your transcript and course descriptions.
The Indian credit problem. The GRB defines a semester hour as one hour of class a week for a semester of typically 15 to 18 weeks, and gives one conversion: quarter or trimester hours times 2/3. It does not say how to convert Indian university credits, which often bundle lectures, tutorials and labs differently. That conversion is OED's call on your transcript and course descriptions, and it is not published. The GRB does let foreign education count "to the extent objective evidence demonstrates" equivalence, and names an evaluation by a private foreign-credential organisation as one kind of evidence, with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a place to find such organisations.
Courses that never count
The GRB lists typical non-acceptable coursework, and several items catch Indian applicants: mathematics courses; courses in management, business administration and operations research; courses on how to use computer software; data management and management information systems; courses taken pass/fail; correspondence courses; science courses for non-science majors; patent law courses; courses offered by corporations to their employees; one-day conferences; and research or seminar courses whose content is not set out in the course description. Mathematics is the one that surprises engineers most: however many semesters of engineering mathematics you took, the GRB does not count them toward Category B.
Category C: the FE route
Category C is for someone "relying on practical engineering or scientific experience" or who does not qualify under A or B. You must have taken and passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) test. The GRB describes it as developed and administered by a State Board of Engineering Examiners in each US state or comparable jurisdiction, and says "Neither the USPTO nor any other U.S. Government agency administers the test." You also need an official transcript showing a bachelor's degree. On current delivery, NCEES, the body that runs the FE for the state boards, describes it as "a computer-based exam administered year-round at NCEES-approved Pearson test centers" and lists international locations, among them Canada, Egypt, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. India was not named anywhere on the page we read on 29 September 2026, and eligibility to sit is set by the licensing jurisdiction you apply through.
Paperwork that trips foreign applicants
| Requirement | What the USPTO says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official transcript | Must bear the university stamp or seal; a diploma, a copy of it, a copy of the transcript or a registrar's letter is not accepted | GRB III.A, III.B.v; OED FAQ |
| Who sends it | You may send it yourself, or the university may send it by post or as an official electronic transcript to OED@uspto.gov | OED FAQ |
| Translations | Certified English translations of any foreign-language documents | GRB III.B.ix; OED FAQ |
| Course descriptions (Category B) | Official descriptions from the year taken, with the catalogue cover page and the major's requirements | GRB III.B.vi |
| Name | Transcripts must show the same name as the application; a changed name needs legal proof such as a marriage certificate or court order | GRB III.B.v |
| Originals | Documents are not returned | GRB |
| Review time | Typically 4 weeks or less; incomplete applications get 60 days to complete | USPTO Becoming a patent practitioner page; 37 CFR 11.7(b)(3) |
If OED disapproves your application, the $226 exam fee is refunded and the $118 application fee is not. You may petition the OED Director within 60 days (fee $452), and then the USPTO Director within 30 days (another $452). The fee detail is in the fees guide in this series.
What we could not verify
- Whether an Indian B.Tech or B.E. in computer science counts as a "bachelor of science" for Category A.
- Whether a foreign-credential evaluation is required for Category A foreign degrees; the GRB mentions evaluations only under Category B.
- How OED converts Indian university credits to semester hours.
- Whether the FE test can be taken in India: NCEES lists international locations, but India was not among them on 29 September 2026.
- How a standalone Pharm.D is treated, and what the independent review for applicants outside Categories A to D looks for.
- Whether limited recognition is available to a Category D applicant.
The research note behind this guide counted 43 Category A subjects; recounting the GRB table gives 47, which is the figure used here.
ProSyllabus has no US Patent Bar practice quizzes yet. Nothing on this page is legal or immigration advice. For your own case, write to OED (OED@uspto.gov), and on visas speak to a US immigration lawyer.
Does a B.Tech from India qualify for the US Patent Bar?
A B.Tech or B.E. in a branch on the GRB Category A list, such as mechanical, civil, chemical or electrical engineering, fits the foreign-equivalent wording on its face. OED decides each transcript. Separately, you must be allowed to sit: non-citizens living outside the US are not admitted.
Is a B.Tech in computer science accepted under Category A?
The GRB accepts computer science only as a bachelor of science degree from an accredited college or university. Whether OED treats an Indian B.Tech or B.E. in computer science that way is not published. Otherwise Category B Option 4 is the route.
Can I qualify with B.Pharm?
The GRB names pharmacy as a subject that must qualify through Category B or C, for example by counting chemistry or biology hours. A standalone Pharm.D is not addressed by the GRB; OED decides.
Is Biomedical Science now a Category A degree?
Yes. The USPTO moved Biomedical Science from Category B to Category A with effect from 11 August 2026 (Federal Register notice, 91 FR 51695). It considered AI degrees and did not add them.
How do I convert Indian credits into semester hours?
The GRB does not say. It gives only the 2/3 conversion for quarter or trimester hours. Send official course descriptions and let OED decide.
Do mathematics courses count for Category B?
No. The GRB lists mathematics courses among typical non-acceptable coursework.
Can a law graduate take the patent bar?
Not on a law degree alone. The applicant must also meet a scientific and technical category, such as a listed science or engineering degree, Category B coursework or the FE route.
Can an architect or designer from India sit the design patent bar?
Category D covers architecture and design degrees, but 37 CFR 11.6(d) opens design registration to US citizens. The residence rule for non-citizens outside the US also applies.
Do I need certified translations?
Yes, for any document not in English. Transcripts must also be official, with the university stamp or seal.
Will OED tell me in advance if my degree qualifies?
No informal pre-assessment is offered. You apply with the fees and documents, and OED decides; its review typically takes four weeks or less.
Sources
- official — USPTO OED — General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases, "Issued August 2026" (PDF created 11 Aug 2026): section III (Categories A-D, eligibility of aliens), IV-VII (application, fees, review), IX-XI (the examination, test administration, reapplying), XIV (after passing)
- official — Federal Register — "Administrative Updates to the General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration To Practice in Patent Cases", notice, 91 FR 51695-51696, 11 Aug 2026: Biomedical Science moved from Category B to Category A, effective 11 Aug 2026; AI degrees considered and not added
- official — USPTO — "USPTO opens opportunities to practice before the agency by evolving admissions criteria for patent bar" (16 May 2023): all accredited Bachelor of Science degrees in computer science accepted under Category A
- official — USPTO — OED Frequently Asked Questions (last updated 19 Feb 2026): Prometric test centres "in the United States and U.S. Territories", transcripts and translations, extensions, review sessions, finding a registered practitioner
- official — USPTO — Becoming a patent practitioner (last updated 5 May 2026): application and registration process, fee table including the Prometric fee of $221, retake waiver "for the next twelve months and until further notice", limited recognition
- official — eCFR — 37 CFR 11.6, Registration of attorneys and agents (current text; Title 37 up to date as of 25 Sep 2026; last amended 88 FR 78650, 16 Nov 2023, per the eCFR source note)
- official — eCFR — 37 CFR 11.7, Requirements for registration (current text, including 11.7(b)(2): 30/90-day waits and the five-attempt limit; added 88 FR 45086, 14 Jul 2023, per the eCFR source note)
- official — USPTO — Notice on the creation and implementation of a design patent practitioner bar (15 Nov 2023)
- official — NCEES — FE exam page (read 29 Sep 2026): "a computer-based exam administered year-round at NCEES-approved Pearson test centers", with the international locations it names (Canada, Egypt, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan among them; India not named)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
