Our research-oriented Ph.D. program provides high-level command of concepts and an unsurpassed research experience that turns students into world-class researchers with specialization in their chosen area of research.
Biomedical engineering at Cornell University focuses on interdisciplinary research to achieve a quantitative understanding of human biology at all spatial and temporal scales, from molecules and cells to tissues and organs, with the goal of improving human health. Our mission is to educate students to understand the human body as an integrated system and the mechanisms of disease through quantitative engineering analysis, and to use that understanding to design better therapeutic strategies, devices, and diagnostics.
Application Deadline: The application requirements and deadline for the Ph.D. programs are listed on the Graduate School's website.
GRE: Starting academic year 2019-2020, Cornell's graduate field of biomedical engineering will no longer require GRE scores from applicants, and will review all applications blinded for GRE scores.
COVID-19 notice (spring 2020): Recognizing the serious challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic for student learning, faculty teaching, & academic performance assessment, the Graduate School at Cornell University asserts principles for admissions review that consider COVID-19 disruptions.
Graduate education at Cornell is focused on individualized programs tailored to the background, needs, and interests of each student. Cornell combines an Ivy League tradition with many features of a land grant university to provide outstanding programs of teaching and research in all areas of human inquiry. Students shape their course of study working within an academic framework developed with a Special Committee of faculty advisors chosen by the student. Doctoral programs are typically completed in five to six years.
While a list of our research areas cannot fully capture the integrated nature of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell, it does provide helpful information to understand the breadth of research available at the Meinig School.
In addition to a world-class research environment, the BME department at Cornell has opportunities for you to learn to become a better educator, communicator, and science advocate. Cornell BME students have opportunities to teach students at various levels, from middle school through high school to undergraduates, educating them about science and engineering.
I was amazed at how inclusive and family-oriented the BME faculty, staff, and students were. Many things assured me that I would be in a supportive and collaborative environment which is exactly what I wanted and needed.
Jason Guss, Ph.D. ’18, is an alumnus of the biomedical engineering program at Cornell. He is now CEO at Iterate Labs, an AI software platform he worked to found when finishing his doctorate. Read more about Jason Guss, Ph.D. '18
"The sense of community at Cornell is amazing. Individuals from every background are supported through clubs and organizations to make everyone feel welcome and equitably included." Read more about Aria R. Henderson, Ph.D. Student
"I’m developing vaccines that better mimic pathogens and can activate the memory of the immune system as if it was the real thing, derived from harmless bacteria. These types of vaccines are very versatile, safe, and easy to produce. My particular project focuses on combining different immune activators on one molecule to enhance the immune response." Read more about Mariela Rivera-De Jesús, Ph.D. Student
