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The Fall 2026 PhD application is now closed.
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Admissions FAQs
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For post-secondary degrees from institutions outside of the U.S., an official transcript evaluation from a NACES member organization is required for review. We cannot guarantee consideration of your application without this evaluation. Please plan ahead and request your official evaluation well in advance of the December 1 deadline.
There is no minimum GPA or minimum test scores required to apply. WCGS embraces a holistic approach evaluating each application. Prior academic performance (especially in the sciences), research experience, scholarly achievements, and other factors are all considered.
Applying to One PhD Program
Applicants may apply to only one PhD program per location (New York or Houston) within the same application cycle. If multiple applications are submitted for the same location, the earliest submitted application will be reviewed, and subsequent applications will be withdrawn. Application fees are not refundable.
Exceptions
Applying to a Second Choice Program (New York Location):
Applicants to New York PhD programs (except for Population Health Sciences) may indicate a second-choice program within New York on the same application. Consideration for the second-choice program is at the discretion of the program admissions committees.
Applying to Both PhD and Other Programs:
Applicants to any of the PhD programs listed above who are also interested in our Tri-Institutional or Master's programs are permitted to submit separate applications for these programs within the same application cycle. Each application must be unique, containing a separate statement of purpose, transcripts, recommendations, and test scores as required.
Applying to Several Programs in Different Locations
Applicants may apply to one PhD program per location (New York or Houston) within the same application cycle. Applicants who wish to apply to both locations (New York and Houston) must submit separate applications for each location.
This varies from program to program and from year to year. However, we typically receive 1000+ applications each year with a matriculating class of 60-70 students.
No. You may reach out to faculty members of interest during the application cycle, but this is not a requirement. Lab rotations in your first and second years will assist you in identifying faculty mentors/PIs who align with your research interests.
PhD application fee waivers are available to applicants who have participated in select institutional programs. Fee waivers will be considered for applicants who have demonstrated financial hardship as described below.
In cases where the application fee presents a financial hardship for an applicant, WCGS will consider a request for a fee waiver. Financial hardship must be established via documentation of need such as:
- An unemployment benefits statement or signed and dated caseworker statement verifying receipt of unemployment benefits within the previous three months
- A copy of part one of your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) or letter signed by a financial aid representative at the college/university you are currently attending, which indicates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- A copy of your Federal Income Tax return, either your Form 1040 if listed as an independent, or your parent’s/guardian’s Federal Income Tax return if listed as a dependent
- Letter sent directly from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, EducationUSA, or other U.S. government agency/entity attesting to the applicant’s financial hardship.
Applicants who wish to request a fee waiver must start their application. You must upload support documentation for financial hardship within the Fee Waiver Request Form located in the other information section of the application.
Make sure all sensitive data (e.g., Social Security Numbers) are redacted from supporting documentation before submitting. Allow up to seven business days for your request to be processed. You will receive an email after your request has been reviewed and a decision has been made. If your request is approved, a fee waiver will automatically be applied to your application. A fee waiver will not be retroactively applied to an application that has already been paid for and submitted.
Applicants who’ve participated in the following institutional programs may submit a fee waiver request. Proof of program participation must be uploaded on your request form.
- Advancing Cornell Career Experiences for Science Students (ACCESS)
- Biology Scholars Program (BSP)
- BMRI summer scholars program
- Gateways to the Laboratory
- Tri-Institutional Mentorship Initiative
- Weill Cornell Medicine Summer Research Fellowship (WCM-SRF) formerly known as Travelers
- Tri-Institutional Chemical Biology Summer Program (ChBSP)
- Tri-Institutional Computation Biology & Medicine Summer Program (CBSP)
- GSK Mechanistic Biology Summer Program (formerly SURP)
- RU Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF)
- Engineering and Imaging Summer Program (EISP)
- Quantitative Sciences Undergraduate Research Experience (QSURE)
Please email WCGS-Admissions@med.cornell.edu with any questions or concerns.
We may extend a short grace period to accept late materials after the application deadline. Review of applications with missing materials is at the discretion of the programs' admissions committees.
After your application has been submitted, please login to your application portal to track receipt of your materials.
Students enrolled in relevant PhD programs at other institutions must submit a regular application and all required materials. If admitted and enrolling, your academic record will be reviewed to determine if any previously completed credits will transfer to WCGS.
To be considered for admission, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and must show evidence of your potential for advanced research as indicated by your scholastic records, training, and experience.
No, our PhD programs are full-time and in-person.
In Year 1, students are expected to complete program-specific required courses and begin laboratory rotations. In Year 2, includes additional lab rotations, both elective and required courses, and preparation for the Admission to Candidacy Exam (ACE). By the end of Year 2, students should have selected their thesis laboratory, completed all coursework, and taken the ACE. Doctoral research begins in Year 3 and continues full-time until the dissertation defense. For more information, please visit the Program Requirements webpage for your program of interest.
All WCGS PhD faculty hold either Weill Cornell Medical College appointments or appointments with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Investigators listed on the WCGS Faculty webpage participate in our PhD programs
The PhD program has no teaching requirements and student funding is not tied to teaching expectations. There are Teacher Assistant (TA) opportunities for select courses for students interested in that experience.
All PhD students entering are fully supported by the Graduate School for the first two years through institutional funds and institutional T32 training grants. Once a student selects a lab, funding will be provided by their PI. Students can expect full funding for the duration of their tenure as a PhD student with no requirements for external funding, teaching assistantships, etc. Please visit our Financial Support page for more information.
Incoming single PhD students are guaranteed subsidized housing on campus. Subsidized family housing is offered to students with partners and/or dependents, subject to availability. You can review our housing options and costs on the WCM Housing website.
Please contact the program coordinator for the program(s) you are interested in.