Admissions Requirements

January 3

The first paragraph should be a summary (150 words) highlighting the topics or areas you are interested in studying, naming faculty members or groups with whom you would be interested in working, and outlining academic and research experiences that distinguish you. The statement of purpose should be no more than two pages.

The personal statement should provide the Admissions Committee with a sense of you as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. For additional information about the personal statement please refer to the Graduate School.

All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. A TOEFL or IELTS exam is required of all international applicants from countries where English is not the official language. TOEFL or IELTS scores must be sent to Cornell, see How to Send Your Scores to Cornell for guidance.

Standing exemptions exist for individuals who:

• have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or
• received the international equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university located in a country where English is the official language and the language of instruction or
• whose first language is English and are a citizen or permanent resident of a country where English is the official language.

Please visit the Graduate School website for information on the English Language Exam Requirement.

An unofficial transcript from each university you have attended is required for submission. The transcript(s) must be in English. You will upload your unofficial transcript(s) via your online application.

Admitted students are required to submit official electronic transcripts directly to the Graduate School Admissions Office after accepting the offer of admission and before enrolling.

For more information, please consult the Graduate School’s Transcript Requirements webpage.

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required and should be sent electronically. Recommendations may be requested electronically by providing the name and email address of each recommender on the application. Recommendations can be a combination of academic and professional references. Letters need to be received by the deadline.

A resumé is strongly encouraged.