How To Apply
The Graduate School strongly recommends that you submit your application electronically using the Web-Based Application form. A complete application also requires that you submit some materials directly to your desired Field of Study. Application material for the Field of Computational Biology should be mailed to:
Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology
Cornell University
1198 Comstock Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-2601
ATTN: Graduate Field Assistant
Deadlines
The field accepts applications for both the fall and spring semesters. The deadline for the spring semester is October 1st and the deadline for the fall semester is January 1st. Applying early is strongly advised.
Application Fee
The application fees are non-refundable. If your application fee is not received with your application, it will hold up further processing until payment has been received.
Transcripts
Submit official, complete transcripts from each college or university previously attended to the field. If it is against an institution's policy to send transcripts to the applicant, the transcripts can be mailed by the school directly to the field.
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International Credentials:
All transcripts or academic records must be official documents provided in the original language. If that language is not English, they must be accompanied by certified translations into English. If not issued by the college or university as original documents, they should be notarized, full-sized photocopies. They should include grades received in each subject each year, and the number of weeks and hours per week that each subject was studied. Courses must be described in detail. The general subject name (e.g., "mathematics") is not sufficient; the particular subject (e.g., "differential equations," "algebraic topology") must be identified.
Statement of Purpose
You should exercise particular care in writing your statement of purpose. Express your plans and interests in Computational Biology in a concise and clear manner. It may be helpful to include a list of some of the principal reasons why you consider yourself a strong applicant to our program.
Letters of Recommendation
Your application must include three or more letters of recommendation. The letters should be from professors who are familiar with your work and who can testify to your potential as a researcher in A computational Biology related field. These letters are a very important part of your application, and you should ensure that they arrive by the deadline.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
Institution code: 2098
Department code: 0299
We require that all applicants to the doctoral program take the GRE general test. Please arrange to have scores sent directly to Cornell University from the Educational Testing Service.
Because the GRE exams are offered only a few times each year, we recommend that you plan ahead and sign up for these exams as soon as possible. In order for your scores to arrive by the January 1st deadline, you should take the GREs by November. Please note that we are aware that the GRE may only be available in December for some applicants. We will accept these scores after the January 1st deadline only if the remainder of your application is received by January 1st and you attach a statement including the date you will be taking the exams. If your scores are more than three years old, you should retake the GREs.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Institution code: 2098
Department code: 30
International applicants must demonstrate competency in the English language. Acceptable proof of competency is:
- A minimum TOEFL score of 213 computer-based (550 paper-based) (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or
- An undergraduate degree from a college or university in which all instruction is in English
In some cases, international students who are admitted will be required to take a remedial course in English.
The Evaluation Process
There is no formula that guarantees the admission of an applicant. We will carefully evaluate all of the above components of your application---transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and statement of purpose. In reviewing your transcript, we tend to look for the following:
- A coherent body of course work with a grade average in the A- to A+ range.
- Adequate mathematical background including freshman and sophomore calculus and at least two other courses (e.g., linear algebra, abstract algebra, analysis, statistics).
- Basic background in computer science and/or biology.
It is important to stress that these are only guidelines and not a rigid policy. An applicant whose record is weaker in some respect (e.g., GRE scores) may be admitted if strength is revealed in some other respect (e.g., exceptional letters of recommendation, exceptional publication record).
Funding
Admission into the doctoral program in the field of Computational Biology is based purely on academic merit. Financial need plays no role in the admission procedure.
All Ph.D. students in Computational Biology are fully supported as long as they remain in good academic standing. Support from Cornell includes tuition and stipend. Support is available in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships.
Applicants are also encouraged to apply for external fellowships, such as NSF, Microsoft, IBM, Hertz, Intel, DOE, or DOD Fellowships. These fellowships are highly prestigious, and they free the student of the responsibilities of a teaching or a research assistantship. Moreover, a supplement is provided to the student who obtains outside support. Whenever possible, the department helps students in the fellowship application process.
Estimated Cost of Living
Cornell has a variety of residential communities that are ideal for graduate students - both for singles and for domestic groups.
On-campus housing offers close proximity to Cornell's academic facilities and downtown Ithaca, a wide range of services, resources, and social activities, and special programs for families and children. Full-time professional staff members help ensure that residents have access to all the opportunities available through Cornell and in the greater Ithaca area.
Forms of support
For students entering in the Fall 2008 semester a Teaching Assistantship (TA) or a Research Assistantship (RA) covers full tuition, and pays a salary of $20,000 for nine months. Summer support pays an additional salary of approximately $6,667. Fellowships also cover tuition in full and pay a stipend. Support also pays for your Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) which is approximately $1,434.
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Teaching Assistantships
Each TA is assigned to a course and is expected to work 15 hours per week helping the course instructor. TA assignments typically involve grading homework, holding office hours, preparing assignments, or teaching recitations. -
Research Assistantships
A RA is given to a student whose research interests coincide with a sponsored research project. Typically, the work of a Research Assistant is an integral part of his/her dissertation research. The faculty member in charge of the project grants a RA. RAs are generally given to continuing, rather than incoming, students.