FAQs

Q: What is an appropriate length for my personal statement?

A: No more than 2-3 pages. Be sure that your statement addresses: 1) any relevant experience you have with this field, including coursework, research, and operational experiences; 2) why you are interested in studying at Weill Cornell; and, 3) what you hope to do after graduation and how this degree will help you accomplish those goals.

Q: What is the current cost of the program?

A: This information can be found on our website under the prospective student page. Review information on tuition costs.

Q: When will admissions decisions be announced?

A: After your application materials have all been submitted and verified, it normally takes 3-4 weeks for your application to go through the entire review process. Once your application is finalized, there is normally a processing time of 1-2 weeks before your application is put into the review queue. So, it should take roughly 1-2 months for you to receive a response back from us with an admission determination, unless you have applied before the first application deadline, which might cause response time to be potentially longer.

Q: Is it required to have GMAT/GRE scores?

A: GRE/GMAT/LSAT/MCAT test scores are not required to be considered for admission, but are recommended as they can strengthen your application overall. 

How long is the GRE score valid? 5 years

How long is the MCAT score valid? 2-3 years

How long is the GMAT score valid? 5 years

How long is the TOEFL score valid? 2 years

Q: Is work experience required to apply for this M.S. program?

A: There is no minimum requirement for work experience. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, from those recently out of their undergraduate degree programs, to medical professionals, and operational and research experts who have been in the field for 20 or more years.

Q: How much does it cost to apply to the program?

A: There is a $75 application fee to apply to the program. However, if you apply before the priority deadlines mentioned on our website, if you reach out to our education team, we will be more than happy to provide you with an application fee waiver so that you do not have to pay the $75 expense.

Q: Can I apply for more than one program or more than one Master's track?

A: You cannot apply for more than one track or program. Please select the track or program that matches your interest and career goal.

Q: Can I visit the campus?

A: Yes, you are more than welcome to come to the campus for a tour, to meet with the education staff, to talk to current students, or meet with a program director. We offer several informational sessions on campus. More information will be announced on our website. You are also able to sit in on a current course if it works within the course’s schedule and the faculty director approves. If you are interested in having lunch with our current students, the education team may consider accommodating your needs. If you are interested in any of these items, please contact the education team hpr-education@med.cornell.edu to schedule a visit.

Q: Once I receive my acceptance letter, what is next?

A: When you receive your acceptance letter, there will be a few items that are required of you to inform the education team of your decision to join the program. You will need to submit a confirmation that you intend to join the program by the deadline on the letter and also send in your deposit check. The deposit is currently set at $1,000 and will guarantee your position in the program for the incoming cohort. The money submitted for your deposit will go toward the tuition expenses of your first term.

Q: What if I cannot enroll the program even though I receive an acceptance letter?

A: You are permitted to defer your admission by one academic year (e.g., if you were accepted for 2018-2019, you would be able to extend that offer for the 2019-2020 cohort, but no later). Deferment can only be requested by one year. If you decide that you want to wait any additional amount of time, you will need to reapply to the program.

Deposit payments are nonrefundable.

Q: Does Weill Cornell Medicine provide housing for students?

A: Housing is not provided to Master’s students. All students are responsible for their own housing. The department has a few resource documents that are helpful when beginning the housing search process. If you are interested, please reach out to the education team for these materials.

Q: Are there any scholarships?

A: The Department of Population Health Sciences gives out a limited amount of scholarship funds to incoming cohorts each year. Please note the priority deadlines on our website to find out the deadline to be considered for these funds. Please note: there is nothing additional student applicants need to do in order to be considered for the departmental scholarships. Students are evaluated on academic preparedness, previous research, operational, and academic experiences, submitted test scores and letters of recommendation.

Other than the departmental scholarship funds, there are no other scholarships that the department/Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences directly manage. There are often scholarships in the respective fields of Biostatistics, Data Science, Health Informatics, Health Policy, and Health Economics that students can apply to. To find these sorts of opportunities, a good first resource would be checking the websites of professional organizations in these fields, such as AcademyHealth, American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), HIMSS, and the American Statistical Association (ASA). Various federal agencies often have funding for students to pursue as well, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Q: How can I find Financial Aid?

A: Financial Aid is available to any domestic student, who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. There are no financial aid options for international students. For a full listing of the aid opportunities available to our students, please review our financial aid information or contact the financial aid office.