Applying to the program.

Below, you'll find the essential information you need to prepare a strong application to our graduate program, including qualifications, expectations, and application steps.

Bold thinking and a strong foundation.

Joining the MPS Data Science and Applied Statistics program opens doors to more than just academic excellence. You'll become part of a dynamic, global community of innovators and thought leaders. Our vibrant network of alumni spans industries and continents, offering invaluable connections and opportunities that extend well beyond graduation. 

From day one, you'll collaborate with fellow students, faculty, and industry professionals who share your passion for data science and statistics, building relationships that will support your professional journey worldwide.

To join the MPS program, you’ll need to have completed a bachelor’s degree with a strong quantitative foundation. Applicants typically come from fields such as statistics, mathematics, engineering, physical or biological sciences, agriculture, social sciences, or computer science.


If you come from a related field but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply. We value a diversity of backgrounds and experiences.

How to Apply

You must complete the online application through the Graduate School. You will need the following materials submitted on or before February 1 for Fall applicants and October 1 for Spring applicants. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Questions? View our complete list of Admission FAQs.

Start your application

 

For those interested in admission to Cornell’s Master’s in Data Science and Applied Statistics (MPS) program, please note the following requirements.

Bachelor’s Degree
A quantitatively oriented bachelor's degree must be obtained before beginning the MPS program. While applicants with an advanced mathematical background are encouraged to apply, your bachelor’s degree can be from a variety of fields:

  • Statistics
  • Mathematics
  • Engineering
  • Physical science
  • Agriculture
  • Biological science
  • Social science
  • Computer science

Prerequisites
The following prerequisites are required to demonstrate that you meet the minimum mathematical background. Courses must be listed on an official transcript from an accredited college or university:

  • Two semesters of calculus (Calc II and Calc III)
  • One elementary non-calculus-based statistics
  • One course in matrix algebra
     

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Fall Admissions Deadline: February 1.
Spring* Admissions Deadline: October 1.

*A limited number of Spring term admissions are available for currently enrolled Cornell undergraduates or exceptional non-Cornell applicants. Students who enter in the Spring generally take three semesters to complete the MPS degree. If you wish to apply for the Spring semester or have questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with the MPS Program at sds [at] cornell.edu (sds[at]cornell[dot]edu).

ADMISSION DECISION NOTIFICATIONS
First-round admission decisions for Cornell Master’s in Data Science and Applied Statistics are made in early April, though decisions may not be finalized until late May or early June.  

DEPOSIT FOR ADMISSION ACCEPTANCE
To ensure that we reserve our limited space for serious applicants, we require a $1,000 deposit. The deposit will be refunded after enrollment in our MPS program at the beginning of your graduate study. The deposit is not refundable for those who choose not to enroll and attend.

There are a limited number of partial tuition scholarships available for this program. All applications are reviewed for scholarship consideration without an additional funding application. We encourage applicants to submit by February 1 (for the fall intake) and October 1 (for the spring intake) for funding consideration. For graduate student loan information, see the Financial Aid website.

Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate-level studies undertaken at all schools are required.

You must scan your official transcripts (online printouts are not accepted) and upload them into the online application system.

If you are admitted, an official paper version of your transcripts must be sent to the Cornell Graduate School.

If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must:

  • Translate all transcripts into English.
  • Provide both the original version and the translated copy with your application.

Your application must include two academic letters of recommendation and one optional professional letter of recommendation. The letters should be from professors or supervisors who are familiar with your academic or professional work and who can testify to your potential in Data Science and Applied Statistics. 

A successful Academic Statement of Purpose should introduce yourself and your academic interests; describe your academic background, preparation, and training; and convey that you're making an informed decision.

To learn more, visit the Graduate School’s Statement of Purpose page.

Your Personal Statement should provide the admissions committee with a sense of you as a whole person, and you should use it to describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Additionally, it should provide insights into your potential to contribute to Cornell University’s core value to provide a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and work productively and positively together.

To learn more, visit the Graduate School’s Personal Statement page.

All applicants are required to submit their most current resume or CV with the application.

International applicants must demonstrate competency in the English language. You must have your official scores sent by Educational Testing Services to Cornell before our application deadline.

Currently the minimum TOEFL scores of the Internet-Based Test (iBT) version are:

  • 15 Listening
  • 22 Speaking
  • 20 Reading
  • 20 Writing

These scores are required for the application by the Cornell Graduate School. However if you have studied in the U.S. continuously for 2 years, the Graduate School can waive your TOEFL requirement. Living in the U.S. only does not apply to this exception. As for IELTS, Cornell Graduate School requires an overall band score of a 7.0 or higher. For more information (including eligibility for exemption from the TOEFL exam), please refer to the Cornell Graduate School. 

Exceptions:
As an international student, you would be required to have studied full-time for at least 2 academic years at an English-speaking University during the last five years. More information for exemptions to the TOEFL can be found on the Graduate School website.

Tuition and Financial Aid

All students of the MPS Program in Data Science and Applied Statistics must pay the Cornell endowed rate. The most recent MPS tuition rates are available through Cornell's Office of the Bursar. The mandatory student activity fee is also listed at the MPS tuition rates website under other fees. International graduate students must certify their financial support before Cornell releases visa documentation.
All graduate students are required to have adequate valid health insurance coverage. Students who are not insured are required to purchase Cornell's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Non-international students who have their own health insurance may appeal to keep their own plans instead of SHIP, providing that their plan meets Cornell's requirements for adequate health insurance. Please note that Cornell reserves the right to require that students purchase SHIP instead of or in addition to their existing policy. See Student Insurance for details.

For additional information, please visit Graduate School Admissions and/or International Services.

The MPS program is unable to offer scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships. Domestic students may be eligible for student loans. If you have further questions about Tuition and Financial Aid, contact Cornell's Office of Financial Aid. 

Early Credit Option

Statistics and Data Science offers qualified Cornell undergraduates the opportunity to begin work on a MPS Program in Data Science and Applied Statistics while in their final semester of undergraduate studies. The Early Admit option allows eligible students to take graduate-level courses toward an MPS degree while still enrolled as an undergraduate student, thus attaining a graduate degree faster and less costly. 

*Please note that the Early Admit Option is open only to Cornell undergraduates.
 

  • Each degree (B.S./B.A. and MPS) has a separate admissions process.
  • No courses may count toward both degrees.
  • Admission to MPS is contingent on the student successfully completing their B.S. or B.A. degree.
  • "Shortened time to degree" is only due to the acceleration of undergraduate students through their undergraduate curriculum. Many arrive to SDS with substantial AP credits.

You're eligible for the Early Admit option if you:

  • are enrolled in your last semester as a Cornell undergraduate
  • have 1–8 credits left to complete your undergraduate degree
  • have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2
  • you meet the MPS program's admission requirements
  • Fill out the SDS MPS Early Admit Petition form online, which will be sent to your undergraduate academic advisor for review.
  • After the application has been reviewed and signed by the academic advisor, the form will be routed to our MPS program for review.
  • If the petition is approved by the MPS director, you will receive a letter from the Graduate Program Coordinator. At a later time, you will need to complete the Cornell Graduate School Online Application for admission to the MPS program and upload the completed and approved SDS MPS Early Admit Petition as an attachment to your application.

Your admission to our MPS program is contingent upon the successful completion of your undergraduate degree.
 

Students accepted into the Early Admit option are undergraduates during the first semester of the Early Admit option and are eligible for undergraduate financial aid during that first semester. Only during the second semester are the Early Admit students considered graduate students and no longer eligible for undergraduate financial aid. 

If you receive financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss your plans and to learn about the rules regarding minimum undergraduate credits necessary to avoid triggering repayment of your loan.

Graduating in December with your undergraduate degree?

Petition deadline: May 1.
If the petition is approved, you will be allowed to enroll in graduate level courses for the Fall term that will count toward your MPS degree. During the fall term, you will be required to submit a Graduate Admissions application. Please see application deadlines on our admissions page.

Graduating in May or August with your undergraduate degree?

Petition deadline: November 1.
If the petition is approved, you will be allowed to enroll in graduate level courses for the spring term that will count toward your MPS degree. You will be required to submit a Graduate Admissions application. Please see application deadlines on our admissions page.

Early admit students will typically complete the MPS degree with one semester of additional study after their final undergraduate semester. Because most of the required courses for the MPS degree are taught only once per year, students planning on participating in the Early Admit program must plan carefully. Early Admit students will indicate which courses will meet requirements for their undergraduate degree and which will count toward the MPS. Each student's plan is confirmed by the undergraduate and graduate coordinators in order to be sure the requirements for each program are being met.

Questions? We have answers.

The MPS is intended for persons who want a short-term (1 year) Master's degree so as to go into business, industry, or government statistical work. At Cornell, if you want to go on for a PhD after the MPS you must apply as a new student to the PhD program; you would be considered as part of the pool of PhD applicants and, if admitted, you might be able to apply some of your MPS coursework but there is no guarantee. The PhD program in Statistics at Cornell enrolls about 7-10 students per year; the MPS, about 75-85 students per year.

The target time for completion of the PhD program is between 3 and 5 years; the actual time to completion varies by student.
 

This program qualifies as a STEM program making international students potentially eligible for a total of 36 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) if all of the extension requirements are met.

Officially, there are no calculated demographics of the MPS classes. However, most of our students are international students with the majority coming from China. The MPS program enrolls between 75-85 students each year from various backgrounds.

If you do not see the Decision links on the application website, your current application status is either “Hold” or “Reject.” A “Hold” status means that you were not admitted in the first round of application review and that your application may be reviewed again if we still have space later. The application system does not have an option to reflect the “Hold” status. However, a “Reject” status will be posted on the application website soon.  We will also inform you of your application status via email as the admission process moves forward.