Admissions Requirements

The application site for Fall 2026 admission is now closed. 

A small number of partial scholarships are offered with each admissions cycle. Applicants applying by the priority deadline are automatically considered for these merit-based awards. 

The tuitions cost and fees for the class of 2026 can be viewed on the Student Services website and are subject to change.

Please describe your background and specific interest in the MS-CB program. Personal statements should be less than 1500 words and explain skills or experiences relevant to this field of study, your career goals, and any other aspect of your history that would make you a suitable candidate for graduate work in computational biology.  

Either a resume or a curriculum vitae (C.V.) can be submitted. These documents have different formats and serve different purposes in professional life, but we will accept either for the purposes of your application.  

These letters can be from current or former academic mentors, supervisors, or any other individuals who can speak to your capability to succeed in a program like ours. They should comment on your academic, research, communication, and other skills. 

Once you designate your recommenders in the online application, the system will automatically contact them and provide instructions on how they can submit their letters. 

All letters must be on the official school or company letterhead. 

Domestic Transcripts 

College transcripts should be submitted for all previous colleges attended (undergraduate, graduate, and professional). 

Official transcripts will be required upon acceptance, but students may submit unofficial transcripts with their initial application. 

Foreign Transcripts  

Transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S., including Canada, must be transcribed and evaluated by World Education Services (WES), The Evaluation Company (TEC), IEE or a similar evaluation service. 

• If using WES, please select the WES Basic Course-by-Course evaluation and choose "Cornell University - Manhattan NY" as the recipient with "Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences" as the School/Division 
• Evaluations are accepted only from current members of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). Official course-by-course evaluations are required for application review. 

Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are optional. The Institution Code Number is 2119. 

Scores from Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test. Test scores are valid for two years after the test date.  

• To submit your official TOEFL scores, please go to http://www.ets.org/toefl and request your scores to be sent to Weill Cornell Graduate School using code 2119. Please monitor your application to ensure that your scores are populated by ETS.   
• IELTS results must be submitted directly via e-delivery to “Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences.” 
• For results from the Duolingo English Test, applicants must submit their results directly through Duolingo to “Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences." 

Citizens or permanent residents of the following countries are exempt from the proficiency exam requirement: 

• Australia 
• South Africa 
• Canada  
• United States or its territories (e.g., Puerto Rico) 
• Ireland 
• New Zealand 
• United Kingdom 

Applicants who are citizens of any other country must submit English language proficiency exam scores unless, at the time of enrollment, they have studied full-time for at least two academic years within the last five years in one or more of the above countries. Applicants must submit a transcript that shows they studied in one of the approved locations, and that the academic program was at least two years in length.