FAQs

For M.S. in Computational Biology, please go to the SCS Graduate Applications page.

For Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, M.S. in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics, and M.S. in Biotech & Pharmaceutical Engineering, please use our online application.

Application Deadlines for the M.S. in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics (MSQBB) and M.S. in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering (MSBTPE): 

Priority Deadline: December 15. All application documents, including letters of support must be submitted by December 15 to qualify for priority admission. Decisions for priority admissions will be released in the first week of January. 

Regular decision deadline: March 1. All application documents, including letters of support, must be submitted by March 1 to be considered for admission to the program. Decisions for regular decision admissions will be released by mid-March.

Application deadline for the Ph.D. in Biological Sciences:

Application deadline: December 1. You must submit your application by December 1; however, all required application components including three recommendation letters must be received by December 5 to be given full consideration. Late materials will NOT be accepted.

Application deadline for the M.S. in Computational Biology (MSCB):

Visit the School of Computer Science Graduate Application Portal for up-to-date information.

There is a $25 application fee for the programs except the M.S. in Computational Biology, where fees are determined by the School of Computer Science.

All Ph.D. students, regardless of national origin, are provided with yearly tuition remission, competitive stipend and medical insurance.

A student must have graduated from a recognized four-year college, university, or technology institute or earned equivalent credentials. Applicants should have a background in general biology and some study in a subdiscipline such as biochemistry, biophysics, cell or developmental biology, computational biology, molecular biology, genetics, or neuroscience.

Faculty members do not accept students directly into their laboratories. Students are first admitted into the program. After students matriculate to the program, they complete three laboratory rotations during their first year, enabling them to explore which laboratory and faculty mentors best match their interests and allowing the faculty to ascertain whether students might contribute positively to their research program.

For the Ph.D., M.S. in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics and M.S. in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering programs, your statement of purpose should be a clear, concise and well-organized 1–2 page essay in PDF form that outlines your academic and professional goals. Be sure to include: 

• Your motivation for pursuing graduate study in your chosen field 
• Any relevant research experience, including your specific role and any publications 
• Your primary areas of interest within your chosen biological sciences discipline 
• Why you are applying to this specific graduate program at Carnegie Mellon University 
• Why you are well-suited to study your chosen field and why those areas matter to you.

Your statement must be written in your own words. Please note that all submissions are screened for plagiarism using detection software. Any statement found to contain plagiarized material will result in immediate rejection of the application without notice.

Each of the three letters of recommendation should come from professional or academic references who know you well and can speak to the quality of your work. Recommenders should evaluate key attributes such as: 

• Academic performance 
• Research experience 
• Motivation and perseverance 
• Communication skills (written and verbal) 
• Strengths and areas for growth 

They should also clearly state their relationship to you. Ideally, at least two letters should be from faculty members or recent employers who can provide detailed insight into your academic and professional potential.

Photocopies of transcripts will be accepted for review purposes only. However, if you are accepted to the program, it will be on a provisional basis until we receive your official transcript from each college-level institution attended, whether a degree was conferred.

International Applicants: The admissions committee will not review an application without transcripts in English.

GRE is not required, but if you feel that your GRE score does a better job of representing your academic readiness than your transcript alone does, you may submit GRE in addition to other materials.

Only the admissions committee can judge if you are qualified for admission. The admissions committee is selective and only considers those applicants who have the potential for a successful career in industry or academia. Your chance of acceptance depends upon both the size of the applicant pool and the strength of your complete application.

While prior coursework in biology, bioinformatics, computer science or chemical engineering is not strictly required for admission to any of the three programs — M.S. in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics, M.S. in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, and M.S. in Computational Biology — most admitted students do have relevant academic backgrounds.

• For the M.S. in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics, a solid foundation in biology (equivalent to a minor or multiple courses) is expected. Coursework in bioinformatics or computer science is not required, but applicants with strong backgrounds in those areas may also want to consider the Computational Biology or Automated Science programs.
• For M.S. in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, students typically have some background in either biology or chemical engineering. Those with limited experience in one of these areas may be required to take an introductory course upon enrollment.

In all cases, applicants should demonstrate readiness to succeed in the program through their academic history, professional experience, or a combination of both.

We admit students with a wide range of backgrounds. An undergraduate degree in any life science or quantitative field is desirable. The specific knowledge areas that are most valuable to our program are:

1. Cell & Molecular Biology
2. Computer programming
3. Linear algebra
4. Probability theory Other technical skills are also highly valuable.

A typical student we admit will demonstrate strength in 2-3 of those 4 areas, we almost never get applicants with significant strength in all 4 and we have built our curriculum to provide students with background in whatever of those topics they don't already have.

Our graduates have high placement rates in a wide range of positions in academia and industry. Roughly 25% go onto Ph.D. or M.D. programs, the remainder primarily work in industry. Please visit the Career and Professional Development Center for the latest information.

Students in our MS programs do research in labs in Biological Sciences, Computational Biology, Chemical Engineering, and other departments. Most students who wish to do research begin doing research during their second semester as our MS programs are primarily course-based. We encourage you to think about research goals, but you should wait until you are meeting with your academic advisors and registering for classes before you contact faculty about research.

Yes! You are eligible to apply if you hold a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field, regardless of whether you completed it in three years (due to acceleration or country-specific programs) or more than four years. The duration of your undergraduate studies does not affect your eligibility.

Please note: We do not accept applicants who have only completed a 2-year associate’s degree, unless they have also earned a bachelor’s degree.

If you are currently in your final year of undergraduate study and expect to graduate before the program begins in the fall, you are welcome to apply.

The program is jointly administered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the Mellon College of Sciences and the Ray and Stephanie Lane Computational Biology Department in the School of Computer Science. Your degree will reflect the interdisciplinary nature of this program as a "Master of Science in Computational Biology" primarily conferred by the Mellon College of Sciences. Tuition rates are also set by the Mellon College of Science.

Please note: the School of Computer Science manages applications in order to allow simultaneous application to other programs in related fields, but the academic home of the program is Mellon College of Science (MCS). This is a joint program and academics are primarily under the Department of Biological Sciences.

Students are affiliated with both colleges, but your primary home is MCS. MCS sets the tuition rates and confers your degree, and your diploma comes from MCS. Your transcript will also specify your academic home in MCS in the Department of Biological Sciences. Your degree itself will list your primary field of study "Master of Science in Computational Biology."

The Ray and Stephanie Lane Computational Biology Department also offers an M.S. in Automated Science degree program (MSAS). It shares some training faculty and three required courses (02-712, 02-750, 03-709) with MSCB, but the intellectual content is distinct. The MSAS curriculum is tailored to automation of experimental design and data acquisition through the hands-on use of automated instruments. In contrast, the MSCB program offers broader training in advanced biological and computer science concepts encompassing genomics, biological modeling and simulation, and machine learning. Both programs prepare students for jobs in industry or additional graduate study in competitive PhD programs.

Students may apply simultaneously to the MSCB and MSAS programs through the same application process. Other programs, including the Ph.D. program in computational biology are also available that same application process.

Please note: applications are managed by the School of Computer Science in order to allow simultaneous application to other programs in related fields, but the academic home of the MSCB program is Mellon College of Science because it is a shared program so some functions (academics) are primarily under the Department of Biological Sciences.

Carnegie Mellon offers several graduate programs that complement the M.S. in Quantitative Biology & Bioinformatics (MSQBB), each with a unique focus and curriculum:

• M.S. in Computational Biology (MSCB) Designed for students with a stronger quantitative background, this program provides advanced training in genomics, biological modeling, simulation, and machine learning. It is jointly administered by the Mellon College of Science and the School of Computer Science. Learn more about the M.S. in Computational Biology program.
• M.S. in Automated Science (MSAS) This program focuses on automating experimental design and data acquisition using advanced instrumentation. It also requires a high level of quantitative preparation and offers a distinct curriculum tailored to automation in biological research.

Students interested in MSCB or MSAS are encouraged to apply directly to those programs. You may apply to MS-QBB and other related programs using the same application portal, but please note that application deadlines for MSCB and MSAS are earlier than those for MS-QBB. For more details, visit the individual program websites or consult the admissions portal.

Yes. On average, our students take 2-3 other electives during their programs. These courses can be taken from any department within the university. Courses from other departments may be approved on a case-by-case basis. All elective courses must be approved by the student’s advisor. Elective courses cannot be used as substitutes for required program courses. See the program handbook for more details.

Please note: applications are managed by the School of Computer Science in order to allow simultaneous application to other programs in related fields, but the academic home of the program is Mellon College of Science because it is a shared program so some functions (academics) are primarily under the Department of Biological Sciences.

No. Our curricula are designed to train bioinformaticians and/or computational biologists. The M.S. in Computational Biology and M.S. in Quantitative Biology & Bioinformatics provide very limited or no course opportunities advanced Computer Science, Machine Learning, Software Engineering, etc. Students interested in non-biology aspects of computing should not apply to the MSCB or to the MSQBB programs. Instead, they should apply directly to those programs that specialize in the non-biological applications of Computer Science, Machine Learning, Software Engineering, etc.

If you have questions about the Master of Science in Computational Biology (MSCB) program at Carnegie Mellon, here’s who to reach out to:

• Administrative Questions: Contact the Biological Sciences Director of Graduate Operations or the Computational Biology Department Academic Programs Coordinator.
• Coursework, Graduation Requirements, or Student Life: Reach out to DJ Brasier, associate head for graduate affair.
• Career Planning, Internships, or Job Placement: Contact DJ Brasier, associate head for graduate affairs, or Mindy Somerville, career consultant for Mellon College of Science graduate students
• Not Sure Who to Ask? DJ Brasier is a great starting point for general guidance.

For more detailed contact information, visit the Program Administrators Contact Page. You can also refer to the MSCB Program Handbook (PDF), which answers many common questions about the program.

There is no option to transfer directly either in the middle of the MS or after the MS. However, MS students do have the option to apply early to affiliated PhD programs.

Although transfer is possible in very rare cases, we strongly advise against planning to transfer. Your chances of being admitted to a different M.S. program once you begin are lower than your chances of being admitted as an outside applicant. You should not come to a master's program that you don't wish to complete and you should plan to complete the program you begin.

The Mellon College of Science cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, health insurance, etc. may be found at the Mellon College of Science Cost of Attendance website.

While the Department of Biological Sciences does not offer program-specific or departmental scholarships, there are several resources available to help fund your graduate education:

• Need-Based Financial Aid: Available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents through CMU’s Enrollment Services.
• International Students: Should explore funding opportunities through their home country, including government-sponsored aid and private loans.
• University-Wide and External Scholarships: Learn more about broader funding options.

Additionally, our program offers a limited number of hourly paid teaching and research assistant positions. These roles typically begin in the summer (research) or second year (teaching and research). Please note that these positions do not include tuition credit.

MSCB applicants should refer to the the SCS Graduate Applications page. PhD applicants need transcripts in English, external credential evaluation is only required if your university does not provide transcripts in English. MS-QBB and MS-BTPE applicants do need to provide an unofficial WES evaluation for all international transcripts. You do NOT need to submit an official copy of that. Instead, please download the unofficial report that WES sends to you and upload that along with your transcript in your application.

For students applying to the Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, MS-QBB, and/or MS-BTPE program, you may waive the requirement for language scores if you have studied at a university located in the US for 2 or more years at the time you submit your application. However, if you are a in an English-language program outside the US, you still need language scores. Also, if you have transferred from outside the US to begin study in the US less than 2 years ago, you still need language scores as well.

MSCB applicants should refer to the SCS Graduate Applications page for instructions regarding language score requirements.

For Non-native English Speakers:

English proficiency test scores are required for all non-native English-speaking applicants unless the applicant has completed a university-level degree in the U.S. or another majority-native English-speaking country in the last four years, such as: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (excluding Quebec), Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom.

Photocopies of TOEFL/IELTS/DUOLINGO scores will be accepted for admission purposes only, and scores must be no more than two years old. However, if you are accepted to the program, it will be on a provisional basis until we receive your official English proficiency score.

Please send your scores to the following codes:

• Duolingo English Test: Select “Carnegie Mellon University – Mellon College of Science”
• TOEFL: Institution Code: CMU 2074; Department Code: 35
• IELTS Program Code: Select “Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science”