
Applicant Help and FAQs
Thank you for your interest in the Cornell M.Eng. in Civil and Environmental Engineering Program. We are currently accepting applications. To help you prepare your online application, please review the guidelines and tips below.
We also have a number of FAQs at the bottom of the page that address the most common questions we receive. We hope this information is helpful and we look forward to receiving your application!
Our Programs
Our Program is a full-time, residential Master of Engineering degree program in Ithaca, NY. Applicants do not need work experience to apply.
When you apply, you will find us listed under “Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)” in the application. There are three Fields of Study in our Program: Environmental Engineering, Structural Engineering, and Transportation Systems Engineering. Please select the appropriate option in your application.
Dates and Deadlines
- Fall 2023 Deadline: February 1, 2023
- Decisions for Fall 2023: Rolling and typically 6 weeks after submitting a complete application. All decisions are made by mid-March.
Application Materials
A complete application includes:
- A Statement of Purpose
- Transcripts from each college or university previously attended (unofficial transcripts, official transcripts are needed prior to matriculation).
- A combination of three letters of recommendation, professional and academic.
- Official TOEFL or IELTS scores from international applicants (home tests are acceptable for 2022 applicants). We do not accept the Duolingo test.
- Undergraduate degree in engineering, mathematics, or science, conferred by an accredited college or university.
- Application fee of $105 (The program does not provide fee waivers. However, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver through the Graduate School. More information on application fee waivers can be found here.
Statement of Purpose
We recommend reviewing the statement of purpose guidelines from the Graduate School: https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/prepare/statements-of-purpose/
Letters of Recommendation
References are a required part of the Graduate School application. Students must submit the names and contact information for their references directly on the application. References can be professional or academic. Those listed in the application receive an email with a link to an online form to complete the reference. Referees can upload or type directly into the text box provided.
We recommend contacting your references early. Letters of recommendation can be received up to 2 weeks after the application deadline, but a lack of letters in an otherwise complete application delays our admissions decision. We prefer letters on employer letterhead, but if that is not possible, your recommenders can submit a standard letter.
Current Cornell students who are applying for the Early Admit program need only two letters of recommendation. Where the application asks for contact information for a third person, Early Admit students should add contact the program coordinator.
Transcripts
The online application requires you to upload an unofficial copy of each official transcript. Official transcripts are required for admitted students who have accepted an offer of admission from Cornell.
Missing Materials
If we receive an incomplete application, we will follow up with you about any missing materials and give you an opportunity to send missing files to us via email. These will be added to your application by our admissions staff.