Additional Requirements for International Applicants
In addition to the materials required of all applicants, international applicants must meet the following requirements. More information for international applicants is available from the Graduate School and the International Students and Scholars Office
English Proficiency Requirement
Proficiency in English is required of all applicants. Applicants whose native
language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
unless they have studied for two or more years in, or received a degree from a
college or university in a country where:
• English is the language of instruction and
• English is the native language.
The TOEFL is given in both a computer-based and paper-based format. A minimum TOEFL score of 213 computer-based (550 paper-based) is generally required.
For more information on the TOEFL, please refer to http://www.ets.org.
Graduate School code number: 2098
As of September 2005 there is a new version of the TOEFL examination, which has
a new scoring structure. International applicants taking the TOEFL after September
2005 should meet the following minimum score requirements:
Writing: 20
Listening: 15
Reading: 20
Speaking: 22
The Graduate School will continue to accept TOEFL scores from tests administered
before September 2005 for the 2005-06 admissions cycle. For further information
on the new TOEFL examination, please consult the ETS website.
Credentials for International Students
All documents must be provided in the original language. Documents in languages
other than English must be accompanied by certified translations into English.
All transcripts or academic records must be official documents. If not issued directly 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, the number of weeks and the number of hours per week that each subject was studied, and, if possible, your rank in class. 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.
Degrees
Applicants who studied at colleges and universities outside the U.S. should have
a degree or diploma that is the equivalent of the U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher.
International credentials are assessed in terms of the educational pattern of
the country, the type of institution attended, and the level of study completed
before the expected date of enrollment in the Graduate School. In general, the
degree should represent a minimum of four years of college-level study which follows
at least 12 years of schooling at the elementary and secondary level.
Financial Requirements for International Students and Their Dependents
In order to obtain a student visa to enter the United States, international students
must provide proof of full financial support for the duration of their graduate
studies. If dependents will accompany the student, additional funding must be
certified to cover their living expenses for their entire stay. Financial awards
from Cornell do not include dependent support. Once an admission offer is made,
the Graduate Admissions Office will inform the student of the amount of funding
required and the procedure to provide financial certification.
Check In Requirement for Matriculating International Students
Please note that international students are required to check in on the Ithaca
campus before starting classes in New York City. Students in the MPS program
in New York City are eligible for student visas. For more information on immigration
and visas, please visit the website of Cornell’s International Students and Scholars
Office at http://www.isso.cornell.edu.
