Graduate Application FAQs
Where can I find the application?
Please use our online application.
What should be in my application?
You must submit the completed application form, official transcripts of all college or university attended, three letters of recommendation, and an official copy of your TOEFL scores sent to us from ETS if English is not your native language.
A complete version of your unofficial transcripts (in English) is required. Upload a copy of your most recent transcript(s) in PDF format.
What are you looking for in the application materials?
We take into account your academic training, research experiences, letters of recommendation, GPA, personal statement and other available information in our admission decisions.
I do not see my college/university listed in the drop-down box in the Education section of the application. What should I do?
Please email admission@ni.cmu.edu to let us know your college/university is not in the drop-down box. We will need to know the full name and address of the school. Please also include the country if it is an international school. We will add the name of your school to the drop-down box so that you may choose it for your application. Please allow a few days for us to get it in the drop-down list.
When is the final application deadline?
All application materials must be received in our office by the December 1 deadline. All application materials include the following: submitting the application, transcripts, three letters of recommendation and TOEFL Scores.
Is there a fee to submit the application?
There is no fee to submit Ph.D. applications to the Neuroscience Institute.
When are the transcripts due?
All transcripts are due December 1, regardless of when you submit your application Because fall grades are not required, please upload your transcripts as early as possible.
When are the letters of recommendation due?
All letters of recommendation must be submitted by December 1.
When are the TOEFL scores due?
All official TOEFL score reports are due December 1. It is strongly suggested that you plan to take all required tests by the end of October.
Is the GRE required?
We recognize that GRE scores are not predictive of success in graduate school. You may submit GRE scores, but we do not require them. Applications with and without scores are fully reviewed.
What are the institution and department codes for the GRE?
Our GRE institution code is 2074
Our GRE department code is 0213
Am I required to submit a TOEFL sore?
If your native language is not English, then you MUST submit TOEFL or Duolingo scores. If you are currently working on or have received a bachelors and/or a masters degree in the U.S. and your native language is not English, the TOEFL is still required.
What is the Duolingo English Test?
The Duolingo English Test is an English proficiency test that can be taken online, on-demand, in under an hour. The test is taken via a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview and writing sample which are shared with the Neuroscience Institute when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session.
What are the institution and department codes for the TOEFL?
Our TOEFL institution code is 2074
Our TOEFL department code is 99
When do GRE and TOEFL scores expire?
ETS keeps GRE scores for 5 years and TOEFL scores for 2 years. We require that ETS send us your scores. If ETS no longer has your scores, you will need to retake the test(s).
Do you accept the IELTS?
Yes, but we prefer TOEFL scores.
Do you accept the MCAT Scores?
Yes. If applying to the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), our admissions will accept MCAT scores.
We do not have "cut-offs" for QPA or GPA. We know that there are many other factors involved including your academic background (e.g., the school you attended, the classes you have taken), and whether or not you have research experience and/or publications. The extent to which your research interests match those of faculty members is also a very significant part of the admission decision. With this in mind, you may wish to contact faculty members directly to determine whether they are accepting graduate students in the following year and whether your research interests overlap with theirs.
My recommenders have not received the email requests or the reminder emails that were sent. What should I do?
First, make sure that you typed the correct email address, and then ask them to check their spam filters. If the email can not be found, please ask them to send their letters in pdf format to admission@ni.cmu.edu. They must put "Upload recommendation letter for (your name)" in the subject line. Uploads will not be completed here until early December. Remember that our offices are closed over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. We appreciate your patience.
If I submit an online application, can my recommenders send a paper recommendation letter?
No. Recommenders must submit their letters online. We no longer accept any paper recommendation letters.
What should I do if the deadline is approaching or has passed and one or more of my recommenders has not submitted their recommendation?
You may send a reminder email to a recommender from your submitted application. It is your responsibility to make certain that the letters are submitted by the deadline of December 1. Any letters not received by the deadline may not be considered.
Who should I ask to write letters of recommendation for me?
Three letters of recommendation are required. At least two should be from faculty or recent employers. The admission committee wants to know about your ability to do independent research. Professors who interacted with you extensively in smaller classes are also a good choice. Employers are sometimes appropriate, but letters that are simply character references will not provide good support for your application. Recommenders should know you relatively well and be able to evaluate the quality of your academic and professional abilities. Please send the email requests as early as possible and well before the application deadline.
My recommenders have not submitted their letters. Can I submit my application before they submit?
Yes. Do not wait for the letters before submitting your application. Recommenders have a longer period of time to submit their letters.
How and when will I be notified if I am admitted?
Our programs make their decisions at various times during December and January. You will be notified directly by each program that you applied to, as to whether or not you have been admitted. All applicants will receive notification of their status by March. We realize that waiting is very difficult. However, we request that you do not call our offices to inquire about the status of your application.
How do I check the status of my application?
Please do NOT send email to ask the status of your application. Use your User ID and password to access the submitted online application form. Receipt of the required documents (score reports, transcripts, and letters of recommendation) will be indicated in the corresponding section. Please allow two to three weeks past the deadline for all documents to be recorded. We receive a large volume of mail, and it does take time to process each application. Our offices are closed December 22 to January 2, which may further delay processing.
When will I find out whether or not I was accepted into the program?
Admissions decisions will be made no later than April 15. We will notify you of your admissions decision via email once our admission decisions have been completed.
We ask that you submit a research statement no longer than 1-2 pages. This short document is meant to provide a brief history of your education and research experience, and the future work you intend to pursue in graduate school. This is the main way for you to share your interests, skills and background knowledge so that a faculty member can determine whether you would be a good fit to their lab and to the graduate program.
Be sincere, honest, objective. Take time creating this document. Write and edit. Set it aside for a bit and come back to it. Perhaps ask a trusted friend or faculty mentor for input. If possible, reach out to a research or academic mentor to read and comment on your statement. They've likely had to write their own, or have helped other students with similar writing in the past. If you do not have mentors who can read your statement, you can reach out to online communities (e.g., SPARK Society) to solicit feedback.
Your statement should describe your prior experience, how it prepared you for our graduate program. Your goal should be to convince your potential faculty mentor that you would be a terrific (future) collaborator with them and a fit to their laboratory. Describe your specific experiences in detail and indicate your role. If you have been involved in research, describe the project objectives and results in as much detail as you can and describe what you did on the project. Finally, describe the general research area you hope to pursue in graduate school. This may or may not be directly linked to what you studied as an undergraduate. Your job is to articulate what excites you about spending the next 5 years getting deep into Ph.D. research and why you are a good candidate to take on this training.
Often, applicants will indicate faculty members that interest them in the Research Statement. Please note that it is entirely OK to identify multiple faculty mentors with whom you might like to work. We value collaboration and there are Ph.D. students jointly mentored by departmental faculty members.
We recommend that you label your email with a subject header like “Inquiry about graduate study” or something similar. In the body of the email you should introduce yourself and briefly include any relevant background and experience. You might include a curriculum vitae (CV, see above for more details on what this is and how to make one). You can express your interest in the lab and Ph.D. program. Be very clear and specific about what leads you to be interested in this faculty member’s research. You might inquire about advice for the application process, or whether the faculty member is planning to take students in the coming application cycle.
It really helps if you can convey that this is not a form letter that you have sent to many faculty. Be specific about the research questions that excite you. Make clear that your interest is sincere by connecting with a paper published by the lab, or a research interest of the lab.
What kind of response can I expect? Faculty might respond with a brief email indicating whether they are taking students, they might respond with something more detailed including an invitation to video chat, or they might provide some advice or helpful information. Of course, they might not reply. There are many reasons why this might be the case — they are unlikely to have anything to do with you so please do not take it personally. But, you might take this as useful information in your decision making about what lab might be the very best fit for you.
You can bring this up in the Research Statement. There is also a specific place to enter faculty names in the application materials. Since individual faculty play a large role in admitting students to their lab, being attentive to this step in the application is important. It will help direct your application to the right readers.
All Ph.D.candidates at the Neuroscience Institute are fully funded regardless of immigration status. This means that Ph.D. students do not pay tuition and the department pays all students a stipend. Stipends are set annually at a level that allows for a good quality of life in Pittsburgh. Students are guaranteed funding for up to five years (and sometimes beyond) as long as they are making progress within the program. Student health insurance is offered through Carnegie Mellon University’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). If you elect to enroll in SHIP, the university will cover 100 percent of the premium cost for your individual medical coverage. Dental and vision coverage are offered separately for an additional fee. All students receive a travel stipend of $500/year and a one-time purchase of a laptop or computer. Students also receive free city bus transportation, free access to wellness and fitness facilities including an indoor pool and group exercise classes, and the ability to register for classes outside degree requirements (at either CMU or University of Pittsburgh) for free.
We welcome applications from international students! Our Ph.D. program is greatly enriched by students who bring diverse perspectives from all over the world.
If you are an international student, you will be asked to share your TOEFL scores as an indicator of your proficiency to study and work in English. You must submit TOEFL scores if your first language is not English and you completed your undergraduate degree at a non-US institution (even UK and Canada). Please note that the test scores expire after 2 years. Our TOEFL institution code is 2074. Our TOEFL department code is 99.
CMU offers resources like the Intercultural Communication Center to support Ph.D. students whose native language is not English. Our Office of International Education (OIE) is expert in helping international Ph.D. students to obtain the proper visas to study in the US. The OIE also hosts events throughout the academic year to help international students navigate issues such as Optional Practical Training (OPT) and internships. The CMU Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) is a student-led government body and advocates for all issues pertaining to graduate student life at CMU, including international students. The GSA also hosts a resource page for international graduate students. In addition, CMU has several other resources and organizations to support the specific needs of international students outside of their academic or research programs. The CMU Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) frequently hosts programs and events to elevate the voices of under-represented students and would be of interest to both domestic and international students. Many CSDI events foster community building across different corners of our campus. CMU Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) provides workshops and programs tailored for the mental health and wellness of international students.
If you have specific questions about your circumstances, please reach out to admission@ni.cmu.edu with questions.