Prospective Student Frequently Asked Questions

There are no specific requirements for our PhD programs. Admissions decisions are made solely at the discretion of each program's faculty committee on admissions. Admissions committees are encouraged to take a comprehensive view of each applicant, including, but not limited to, academic preparation, such as educational history, test scores, and research experience. We receive many applications for our programs, but regrettably we are unable to offer admission to every qualified applicant.

The PhD Pathway at VIBRE does not accept applicants as transfer students, including current students in other programs at GSAS; therefore, there is no special application. You must apply for admission under the normal application process.

Applicants who hold American doctorates or their international equivalents in the same or similar fields as those to which they propose to apply, or who have completed most of the work required to earn the PhD elsewhere (i.e., beyond the equivalent of the Columbia M.Phil and/or three years of doctoral coursework) are not eligible for admission. Failure to disclose this information may result in the rescinding of an offer of admission, or to termination for a current student.

Our programs will waive the application fee for: (1) US citizens or permanent residents currently enrolled in a US college/university who demonstrate financial need.  Please provide a letter verifying your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) signed by a financial aid officer at the institute you currently attend; and (2) applicants who are currently serving in the US military.  Please email your request to BiomedicalSciences@cumc.columbia.edu before you submit your application.

GREs are NOT required for all our programs, although you may submit them, which should be no more than five years old. Our institution code is 2619. No department code is required. Please schedule your examination so that the scores will be received by this office by the deadline date. After the examination, allow several weeks for transmittal of test results. 

Applicants whose undergraduate degree was awarded by an institution in a country where English is not the sole official language must complete the English proficiency requirement. The English proficiency requirement is based on the official language of the country in which the undergraduate (or bachelor's) degree was earned, regardless of an applicant's citizenship. The English proficiency requirement can be fulfilled through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). For TOEFL, our specific school code is 2619. Allow six weeks for transmittal of test results. An application is considered incomplete without these scores. GSAS requires a minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the internet-based test or a 7.5 for the IELTS for all admitted applicants. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years after the test date.

Applicants who have studied for at least two years at an institution in the US or another country where the official language is English and earned an undergraduate (or bachelor’s) degree at that institute are not required to complete the English proficiency requirement. Students who have earned a master’s degree but not an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree in the US or another country whose official language is English are required to complete the English proficiency requirement; however, if you took the TOEFL or IELTS exam when applying to a graduate program at another institute and scored above the GSAS minimum requirement of 100 (TOEFL) or 7.5 (IELTS), you can fulfill the English proficiency requirement by uploading a scanned copy of the score report with your online application.

You may use the results of tests taken on various dates to achieve the minimum score requirement. TOEFL(iBT) now offers a “MyBest” scores reporting option.

Supporting documents will not be accepted after the deadline date.

Please upload a copy of your transcripts with the online application. All documents not issued in English by the official signing them must be accompanied by English translations. Official copies of transcripts will be requested for accepted students.

Instructions for Submission of Transcripts When Accepting an Offer of Admission

• Students who have attended schools in the US: Please submit electronic transcripts directly from your school or via the vendor that provides that service for your institution to BiomedicalSciences@cumc.columbia.edu(link sends e-mail). 
• Students attending Chinese institutions: You are required to contact CHESICC to arrange submission of a “Verification Report of China Higher Education Student's Academic Transcript” and a “Verification Report of China Higher Education Qualification Certificate” (for those earning a degree in China) to BiomedicalSciences@cumc.columbia.edu(link sends e-mail). 
• All other students who have attended an international university: If your school offers secure online delivery, please submit an electronic transcript to BiomedicalSciences@cumc.columbia.edu(link sends e-mail). If the transcript is not printed in English, please have the English translation submitted electronically as well. The transcript and translation must be sent together, directly from your school, to BiomedicalSciences@cumc.columbia.edu(link sends e-mail). If the school cannot send transcripts electronically via a secure, password-protected system, or if a required translation cannot be submitted directly from your institution, you must contact World Education Services (WES) and order a Course-by-Course Evaluation and an International Credential Advantage Package to be mailed to Office of Graduate Affairs, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 W 168th Street, VP&S 3-435, Box 108, New York, NY 10032.

Notification of decisions for all PhD applicants generally takes place by March.

Only the deans of the graduate school have the authority to make an offer of admission. A letter or email from a faculty member is not an official offer of admission. Only when you receive the official offer signed by the deans of the graduate school, you are considered admitted. However, the offer of admission is only considered fully official after we have received your official transcript(s) and are able to verify authenticity. Any discrepancies between the uploaded and official paper transcripts may result in the rescinding of the offer of admission.

We understand and appreciate the commitment of time and energy put into each application. However, we are unable to provide individual feedback on why an offer of admission was not made.