We're excited to receive your application!
Admission to the PhD program in the Field of Communication at Cornell University is highly competitive (view our program statistics). The Graduate Admissions Committee considers several factors for admission to the graduate program, and all applicants must meet the general admission requirements set by the Graduate School. Once admitted, all students are fully funded by the Department for five years through assistantships and/or fellowships, provided suitable progress is being made toward completing the degree.
Deadlines and Details:
- Please use the Graduate School's online application. The application for Fall 2026 will be live on September 1, 2025.
- The application deadline is December 1, by which all application materials must be submitted. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed and changes to the application will not be made after it has been submitted.
- We recommend using a .edu, Google, or Microsoft email when setting up the application as some smaller email servers automatically reject messages sent through ApplyWeb and from Cornell email accounts.
- You can find information about the application fee and waiver process on the Graduate School's website.
- The Field of Communication only accepts students for the fall semester. We do not have a spring admissions cycle.
- All materials need to be uploaded to the application. No hard copy materials will be accepted.
- Be sure to read through our field's FAQ, as well as the Graduate School's admissions and admitted student FAQ. The Graduate School's admissions team can be contacted via their form.
Additional Details for Current Cornell Employees:
If you are interested in applying to the Communication PhD through the Employee Degree Program (EDP), you must follow the above requirements and deadlines. It is recommended that you complete COMM 6800 and/or other COMM core graduate coursework through the School of Continuing Education before applying, but not required. You can also contact the Graduate Field Administrator for additional information.
Application Requirements
Click on each accordion section below to see additional information and guidance. A reminder that the application readers are assessing academic preparedness and potential, motivation for study, and fit with the field's goals. Applications cannot be changed after they have been submitted, so please check your materials beforehand.