Biomedical Imaging

The  Program curriculum consists of individual courses in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), X-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and optical imaging.  In addition, there are courses in machine learning, anatomy, health literacy for imaging scientists, a special topics seminar series, and career development in Biomedical Imaging.  Advanced topics include image-guided therapeutic methods currently at the cutting edge of research and clinical use, such as magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), radiolabeled viral vectors for gene therapy, and magnetic resonance-guided radiation therapy (MR-LINAC).

Program features include:

• 24 months duration, full-time study
• cohesive interdisciplinary educational program
• individual mentored research project
• career development training

Both Weill Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center operate large, well-funded imaging research Core facilities that will be available to all students enrolled in the Program.  At Weill Cornell, the Citigroup Biomedical Imaging Center and Microscopy and Image Analysis Core facilities support over 100 research groups and include MRI, PET, SPECT, CT, ultrasound and optical imaging for studies of human subjects, animal models of disease, and specimens.  At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, the Animal Imaging Core provides investigators with unique capabilities for the noninvasive detection, localization, and characterization of primary and metastatic cancer cells in vivo in small animal models.  This Core also contains MRI, PET, SPECT, CT, ultrasound and optical imaging scanners and offers image analysis services.

We seek applications from students with diverse undergraduate degrees and welcome applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds.   All application forms and supporting documents are submitted online. You will be asked to submit or upload the following:

• Personal Statement describing your background and specific interest in the MS-BI program.
• Résumé/C.V.
• Three letters of recommendation. Letters must be submitted electronically as instructed through the online application.
• Transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities:
• Domestic Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts from U.S. institutions may be submitted for application review. Official transcripts will be requested from accepted students prior to matriculation.
• Foreign Transcripts - Transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S., including Canada, must be transcribed and evaluated by World Education Services (WES), SpanTran, 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 and Graduate School Admissions” as the Department/Office name.
  • 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.
• $80 application fee
• Results of the General Graduate Record (GRE) examination are optional. The Institution Code Number is 2119.
• Scores from the 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 see if you qualify for an exemption, see below.
• 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. Note: If you have taken the TOEFL iBT test more than once within the last 2 years, ETS will automatically include your MyBest scores along with the traditional scores from your selected test date. If you would like us to consider your MyBest scores, please write to let us know.  While the Graduate School will consider your MyBest scores, individual programs may not accept them.
• IELTS scores are valid for two years after the test date. IELTS results must be submitted directly via e-delivery to “Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences.”
• Results for the Duolingo English Test are valid for two years after the test date. Applicants must submit their results directly through Duolingo to “Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences".

The student services website contains program-specific details on tuition and fees: https://studentservices.weill.cornell.edu/student-accounting/tuition-fees-program. Please note that tuition and fees are set for the current academic year but are subject to change each year.

Exemptions

The English language proficiency requirement may be waived if an applicant meets at least one of the following criteria:

Citizenship/Permanent Residency

• If the applicant is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories (e.g., Puerto Rico), or a citizen of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, they are exempt.
• Applicants who are citizens of all other countries, including India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc. are not exempt and must submit English language proficiency exam scores.

English-Language Instruction

• Applicants who, at the time of enrollment, have studied in full-time status for at least two academic years within the last five years in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, or with English language instruction in Canada or South Africa, are exempt.
• 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.
• Even if English was the language of instruction of the course or institution, it must have been in one of the eligible locations, otherwise the applicant is not exempt from the requirement.

May 1 - Sept

The application site for Fall 2025 admission is closed.
The application process for Fall 2026 admission opens in September 2025.