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Biophysics Handbook

The research focus of the Field of Biophysics is to uncover the fundamental physical and biological principles that govern all forms of life. Understanding these biological systems and their complex processes requires exquisitely detailed knowledge of molecular structures and functions.

Our graduate program aims to train students for investigating life at this most basic level. Research programs in the Field of Biophysics are often multidisciplinary, aiming to provide quantitative and mechanistic understanding of the fundamental processes common to all cells and organisms.

Biophysics Handbook

We seek to understand the fundamental processes of life by applying the methods of physics and chemistry to biological systems. Understanding these biological systems and their complex processes requires exquisitely detailed knowledge of molecular structures and functions. Our graduate program aims to train students for investigating life at this most basic level. We use some of the most powerful tools such as X ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, optical and laser spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and advanced computational science.

Cornell Biophysics encompasses a diversity of research topics. We are particularly interested in Membrane Biophysics, Molecular Structure, Imaging & Instrumentation, Molecular & Cellular Dynamics, Single Molecule Biophysics, Systems Biophysics, and Biomaterial Mechanics. Because our research has great potential for solving long-standing problems in medicine, biomedical engineering, and agriculture, graduates of the biophysics program have a variety of career options. They teach, conduct research, work for government agencies, and pursue a range of opportunities in industry.

At the point of passing the A exam -- usually after two years of study -- each student is expected to demonstrate competence in specific subject areas that will serve as a foundation for further work.

Areas of competence include:

  • Advanced Mathematics
  • Physical chemistry (i.e., statistical mechanics and/or quantum mechanics)
  • Biochemistry and molecular cell biology
  • Computer literacy and/or laboratory electronics and instrumentation
  • Advanced studies in molecular biophysics and associated areas of biological and physical sciences

The Graduate School does not set course requirements; these are set by the Field of Biophysics and your Special Committee (see Course Enrollment).  You should talk to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and/or your Special Committee about the courses that you should take. Dates for course enrollment are set by the University Registrar (https://registrar.cornell.edu/).  Make sure that you register in accordance with the published dates.  NOTE:  The Graduate School will only consider Course Enrollment Petitions in extremely extenuating circumstances.

 

Biophysics Major Requirements 

Courses should be taken for letter grade with a minimum grade of B-. Option of S/U for one course is allowed. Audits are not acceptable. Subject or Course Subject Complete 1.

Grade Expectations: For courses with a letter grade, students are expected to receive a “B” (3.0) or better in order to remain in good standing in the program.  If a student receives a C+ or lower grade in any core Biophysics course, no credit is given for that course, implying that the course must be retaken if it is a required course.  

SKILL DEVELOPMENT CORE

  • Fall first year: BIOMG 8369 Foundational Skills for Graduate School and Beyond
  • Fall second year: BIOMG 7940 Current Topics in BMCB (Grant writing)
  • Spring second year: BIOMG 7510 Ethical Issues & Professional Responsibilities

BIOPHYSICS CORE (List of relevant courses can be found on Grad Student Intranet (log-in required)

  • One math course
  • One physics course
  • Two biology courses
  • One advanced biophysics course

 

Biophysics Minor Requirements

For Ph.D. candidates with a minor in Biophysics, the suggested requirements are at least six credits of advanced lecture courses (usually at the 6000-level, but some 4000-level courses may be appropriate, e.g., BIOMG 4370, BIOMG 4380, BIOMG 4450.  Appropriate courses in BMCB include: BIOMG 6310, 6330, 6360, and 6390.  6000- and 7000-level courses in other departments, i.e., Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Plant Biology, Vet Molecular Medicine, and Vet Microbiology & Immunology, may also be suitable, as determined by the Special Committee.   If a student who wants to minor in BMCB has not been exposed to appropriate lab work in the general area of BMCB, then he/she should also take the lab course BIOMG 4400.

For MS candidates with a minor in BMCB, the suggested requirements are at least four (4) credits of advanced lecture courses and a lab if appropriate.  Some suggestions for appropriate courses are indicated in the paragraph above.

Note that requirements are determined by Special Committees, and that the recommendations above are guidelines offered by the Field.

 

Responsible Conduct of Research Training

The integrity of research conducted at Cornell University is of the utmost importance to the institution as well as to the Biophysics Field. Cornell is committed to promoting and supporting the ethical and responsible conduct of research across all disciplines.  As a result, all students are required to take the on-line Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training in their first year of study.  For more information and to access the training, go to http://www.oria.cornell.edu/rcr/index.html.   

In addition, all Biophysics students are required to participate twice in the Annual RCR Symposium, offered in January of each year.  In addition, each student must participate in lab group meetings where RCR is discussed once a year and report the date of that meeting on their annual progress report.

Federal regulations require that all students enroll in at least 12 credit hours/semester.  You should not feel obligated to enroll in 12 credit hours of actual coursework unless your DGS/Special Committee consider(s) it necessary.  Enroll only in the courses that you need/want to take.  In the fall and spring semesters, the Graduate School will enroll students in their Graduate Dissertation Research course in order to ensure that your record reflects 12 credit hours.   

Summer Enrollment:  All graduate students are required to enroll in the Graduate Dissertation Research (via Student Center) for the summer; the deadline for this is the end of May.  This is necessary if you are receiving a stipend or plan to use university facilities such as libraries, computer centers, and the Cornell Health Center.  (Please note:  If you register after the published deadline, FICA taxes will be withdrawn from your paycheck.)  Summer tuition is not included in your funding. 

Time Away From the University:  The graduate student schedule/calendar does NOT follow the undergraduate schedule.  Graduate students are paid on a 12-month stipend and are expected to be present and actively working on their academics and research project unless the university itself is officially closed.  If you plan on being gone for a significant period of time, you must have the approval of your advisor and notify the Graduate Field Assistant of your intentions. 

All graduate students in MBG are required to complete three rotations during their first year in the program.  Rotations provide an opportunity to explore areas for possible Ph.D. thesis research.  In addition, both students and faculty are able to test possible working relationships.

Detailed information about rotations is found here.

Special Committee

One of the most important decisions you will make as a graduate student is the selection of your Special Committee.  This is because your Special Committee guides and supervises your program and your progress in it.  The Special Committee consists of the thesis research supervisor (Committee Chairperson and your major professor or PI), a faculty member representing a minor subject and another faculty member from the Field of Biophysics.  (Occasionally, students include an extra faculty member on their Special Committee for additional expertise).  

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as temporary Chair for all first- year students.  By the end of the first semester, you should have chosen your Special Committee Chair.  You should work with your chair to determine the rest of the membership of your committee as soon as possible in order to complete all the requirements (in terms of courses) as soon as possible.  The Graduate School requires that you have a full committee by the end of your third semester of registration (i.e. the end of the fall semester of your second year).

The Special Committee system offers great flexibility to the Ph.D. program since it permits tailoring of the program to your specific interests.  We encourage you to talk to other graduate students and faculty and to seek as much information as possible before selecting your committee members. Make an appointment to meet with each of your potential committee members and bring relevant materials to the meeting (e.g., curriculum vitae, course records, and summary of research plans if possible).  Be prepared to discuss why he or she would be an appropriate committee member.  It is important that you both understand each other’s expectations:  what courses will they require, what assistance they can provide for certain experiments, etc.

As your research develops, don’t panic if you realize that another faculty person might be more appropriate.  Until your A-exam, you can request Committee formation and change on-line in your Student Information Center (studentcenter.cornell.edu).  After that, if you want to change your Committee, you must submit a petition to the Graduate School requesting permission from the Graduate School Dean to do so.  All of your new Committee members must sign and avow, in writing, that they accept the results of your A-Exam.

Choosing a Minor

You are required to designate at least one minor.  When you submit your full Special Committee request in your Student Center, you will be asked to identify the major and minor that each member of your committee represents.  These will appear on your transcript as part of your program plan.

A minor provides you with an opportunity to delve with greater breadth and depth into a specific area that may help you with your individual research project and goals.  The Graduate School publishes a list of major and minor subjects and concentrations for all graduate fields at Cornell https://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/academics/fields-of-study/fields).  You can pick any areas of study listed as your minor.  

Minors may require a couple of additional courses, which students are strongly encouraged to finish by the end of the second year.  Fields often have guidelines, rather than strict requirements, for the number of courses needed to satisfy a minor.  It is up to the faculty member who represents the minor to decide, in consultation with the student, how many courses and which courses are to be taken.  You should discuss with potential committee members which courses they would want you to take, given your background and interests.  

As a graduate student in your second year and beyond, you are required to meet with your entire committee at least once a year to discuss progress and plans for your research project and completion of your program.  You should arrange this meeting to take place immediately following your Wednesday seminar (or as soon after as possible thereafter).  It is the student’s responsibility to arrange this meeting and to provide faculty with the Student Progress Review (SPR) report.  Submission of the Student Progress Review (SPR) report is due within 30 days of your Monday seminar or by April 1 for students and May 31 for mentors, whichever comes first (see suggested process below).

The annual progress report supports communication between the student and their Special Committee, helps to gauge the progress being made toward graduation. It is a requirement of the Field of Biophysics and of the Graduate School. It is used by the Field to monitor student progress, as well as such administrative purposes as award nominations and collection of assessment data for the Graduate School. The Progress Report is found on-line.

Regular meetings with the full committee (a minimum of once a year) will help keep your program on track.  You are also encouraged to meet with individual members of your committee along the way in order to get information and feedback on your program and research. Use your committee for guidance and feedback.  That is why they are there.

Process for completion of annual Student Progress Report:

  1. Schedule a meeting with your Special Committee that coincides with your Field seminar. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss your seminar as well as your portion of the Student Progress Review.
  2. Complete the Student Section of the online Student Progress Review, save and download a draft to distribute to your entire Special Committee at least seven (7) days prior to your seminar or by April 1, whichever comes first. If you are not giving a seminar, distribute it seven (7) days prior to your annual Special Committee meeting or your B Exam.
  3. After your seminar, meet with Special Committee to discuss your progress and planning. This meeting should take place within two weeks of your seminar, if not immediately thereafter.  If your seminar is scheduled for a date after April 1, you should complete and submit your section of the SPR before April 1. If changes are needed after you have given your seminar and have had a meeting with your committee, your Chair can turn the form back to you for revisions.
     
  4. After your meeting, finalize the Student Section of the SPR and submit it.  Once you click submit, the document will be routed to your Chair so they can complete the Advisor section and submit it.  The rest of your committee can also view the form, however, only your Chair electronically signs and submits it.  (Note: Once you submit the SPR, you will be unable to edit it unless your Chair returns it to you).
  5. Your Committee Chair should submit their portion of the online form within 30 days of your seminar or by may 31, whichever comes first.

The Field of Biophysics takes annual meetings and submission of progress reports very seriously and requires 100% compliance.

Beyond the fourth year, all students must include a “Thesis Outline” in their annual progress reports.  The Thesis Outline should be distributed to the Special Committee one week prior to the committee meeting, so it can be thoroughly discussed at the committee meeting.

The Biophysics Steering Committee will discuss situations in which students appear to be making slow progress toward their degree or having other problems and these circumstances will be addressed confidentially at the Biophysics Field Meeting.  Results of the evaluation are communicated to the student(s) and their advisor(s).

Two exams are required by the Graduate School as benchmarks toward the Ph.D. Information about the Graduate School requirements and guidelines for these exams, please see the Exams section of the Graduate School site.

A-Exam: Admission To Candidacy Examination

To qualify as a Ph.D. candidate, each graduate student must pass the Admission to Candidacy, or “A exam.”  This exam has both written and oral components.

The A exam should be taken by the end of the second year if possible, but no later than the beginning of your seventh semester of registration.  Not having obtained sufficient data is not an acceptable reason for delaying the A exam.  You should consult with your committee about an acceptable date/time and reserve a room.  The completed Schedule of Exam form for the A-exam must be filed with the Graduate School at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the exam. This on-line form is available on the Graduate School web site at https://gradschool.cornell.edu/forms/.   It must be signed by all of the members of the Special Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies, and one of the GFAs. You should give a copy of the written proposal for your exam to each member of the examination committee at least a week before the oral exam.

Course requirements for the major (including BioMG 7510 “Ethical Issues”), and all or most for the minor, should be finished by the time of the A exam.  Occasionally, the student and the Special Committee may feel an additional course is useful or important after the A exam and this may be recommended or required by the Special Committee.

Your examiners for the A exam are your Special Committee and one other member of the Cornell University faculty that you choose. (This person is usually, but not necessarily, from the Field of Biophysics).  This fourth member should add breadth to the committee and have expertise closely aligned with the topic of your proposal.  They will read your proposal and participate in your A-exam, however, they should not sign the Schedule or Results of Exam forms as they are not a permanent member of your committee.

You should have your entire official committee sign the Results form before they leave the exam room. After obtaining your committee and the DGS’s signature, take the form to the GFAs for their signature and transmission of the form to the Graduate School. This form must be filed within three (3) business days of the date of the exam.

Note:  In accordance with the Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty, your A-exam is announced to – Field faculty. Please do not be concerned; Field faculty outside your Special Committee, although free to attend by Graduate School rules, rarely, if ever do.

 

The Written Proposal

In preparation of the A Exam, prepare a Thesis Proposal describing the background and motivation for the proposed thesis research, work accomplished so far, and an outline of the proposed research plan.  The scope of the proposal should be arranged with the thesis adviser 10-15 double-spaced pages is suggested, and  much longer proposal is generally not in the best interests of the student.  The proposal should be given to each member of the Committee and the Field appointed member at least one week prior to the exam.

Your proposal will describe the research you intend to accomplish as a graduate student. The proposal should be well-formulated and in sufficient detail that it can be evaluated for its scientific merit. Include sufficient information to permit an effective review without readers having to refer to the literature. Brevity and clarity in the presentation will be considered indicative of an applicant’s approach and ability to conduct a superior project. The proposal must be written following the format specified below:

  1. Abstract. This is a summary of the proposed work, with enough of an introduction to allow someone not expert in the field to understand what is planned and to appreciate its importance. This should be on a separate page and not exceed three vertical inches (single spaced).

**  Sections (2) through (4) are not to exceed 10 pages (single spaced), including all tables and figures.

  1. Specific Aims. State the specific purposes of the research proposal and the hypotheses to be tested.(Typically no more than half a page)
  2. Background and Significance. Sketch briefly the background to the proposal. State concisely the importance of the research described in this application by relating the specific aims to field as a whole. Use this section to provide an account of any preliminary studies that might demonstrate the utility of the proposed project. (Typically about 3 pages)
  3. Research Design and Methods. (Typically about 7 pages) Provide an outline of:
    • (a) research design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims;
    • (b) tentative sequence for the investigation;
    • (c) statistical procedures by which the data will be analyzed;
    • (d) potential experimental difficulties and alternative approaches that could achieve the desired aims.
  4. Literature Cited. List all literature references. Each reference must include the title, names of allauthors, book or journal, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. The referenceshould be limited to relevant and current literature. While there is not a page limitation, it isimportant to be concise and to select only those literature references pertinent to the proposedresearch.

Formatting. The proposal must conform to the following NIH requirements:

  1. The height of the letters must not be smaller than 10 point; Helvetica or Arial 12 point is the suggested font (Arial 11 point will barely satisfy this requirement).
  2. Type density, including characters and spaces, must be no more than 15 characters per inch (cpi).

For proportional spacing, the average for any representative section of text must not exceed 15 cpi;

  1. No more than 6 lines of type within a vertical inch;
  2. Margins, in all directions, must be at least 1/2 inch.

Applicants should check the type size using a standard device for measuring type size rather than relying on the font selected for a particular word processing/printer combination. Figures, charts, tables, figure legends, and footnotes may be smaller in size but must be readily legible. In preparing the application, use English and avoid jargon. If terms are not universally known, spell out the term the first time it is used, with the appropriate abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may be used thereafter.

The Oral Exam

The oral component is a defense of this proposal and you can expect that the majority of questions will be directly or indirectly related to your proposal and to areas that are considered off-shoots of it. The committee will likely ask you to explain, in more detail than the written format permits, background material and experimental protocols.

The committee will likely also ask broadly-based questions on basic concepts, to ensure you have strong command of foundational knowledge in Biophysics and your minor area(s).  The committee member(s) representing the minor subject area(s) is particularly responsible to ascertain that you have achieved competency in that subject area.

In addition to the evaluation of your proposal, the A exam is the time when committee members will discuss and evaluate your course work as well as your performance in the laboratory.  Please bring a summary of the courses you have taken and grades earned to be distributed to the committee at the time of the A-exam.

Note that the Field recommendation is that during the exam, the mentor (thesis advisor) should not ask questions or make comments except when asked by other committee members or when clarification is needed.  The intended goal is to dissuade the mentor, who may have a vested interest in the outcome of the exam, from stepping in to justify the research or the particular experimental approach being used.  The student is expected to fully defend the proposal by themself.  However, the mentor should participate fully in the discussion of the student’s performance, after the student is asked to leave the room.  In making this recommendation, the Field is aware that the Special Committee may run the exam in whatever way it deems appropriate.

The Field of Biophysics also uses the oral part of the exam for assessment.  The student should be prepared to discuss which aspects of the Field they find constructive and useful for their education, and which aspects would benefit from change.

NOTE: Use the single spacing formatting above to make sure that your final proposal with figures

meets the requirements. Send an electronic copy in this format to all your committee members. Also print out hard copies in double space format to give to the committee, since this makes it easier for them to read and write comments.

The exam will consist of an oral presentation elaborating the thesis proposal, followed (or interrupted!) by oral examination covering, but not limited to, the student’s understanding of material related to the research topic, the student’s general background in the Areas of Required Competence (Table A), and the student’s research proposal.  The Committee will review the student’s academic record and examine any potential weak areas to determine if additional course-work is required.  The minor advisor may specify additional exam components as required for the minor.  Students should feel free to chat with the DGS in advance about any aspect of the A-exam.

Satisfaction of requirements for the minor will be assessed by the minor field member at the A-exam.

Possible Outcomes

The final outcome is determined by the Special Committee.  Examples below are not exhaustive and are provided to assist the student in their exam preparation.  Some factors that may be judged in evaluation of the A-exam are:

  • importance of the problem chosen
  • demonstration of a command of knowledge/research in the field.
  • evidence of creativity in formulating experimental approaches
  • feasibility of the proposed experiments
  • whether a range of different approaches are brought to bear on the problem
  • whether the scope of the proposed experiments is feasible for a 3-4 year project
  • adequacy of control experiments
  • clarity of the proposal
  • ability to deal with questions
  • communication / presentation skills/breadth of knowledge
  1.  
    1. Unqualified pass.
    2. Conditional Pass.  This option will be exercised when the committee decides that some aspect of the proposal / defense needs to be improved.   In this case, the committee will specify the condition(s) required for the student to receive a pass and the timeline for fulfilling these conditions.  This must be done in writing and the Graduate School must be informed of the details.  This can be done in the form of an email from the Special Committee Chair to the Graduate School Student Services team (gradstudserv [at] cornell.edu).

Some examples of Conditional Pass:(a) The committee may specify that the proposal or that parts of it need to be revised within a certain time frame (i.e. improvement of writing; re-working of aspect of scientific research; addition of another section. (b) The committee may specify that the student carry out additional literature review, e.g. weekly written report of a paper, participation in existing journal clubs. This might be particularly helpful when the student appears to have weak command of the literature surrounding a particular area. (c) The committee may specify that the student complete a piece of research / a particular sub-aim within a certain time-frame. This is relevant when the committee has some concerns about the ability and/or motivation of the student to complete the PhD program.

  1. Fail.  inadequate. In that case, the committee will usually recommend one of two actions.
  • If the committee has confidence in the overall ability of the student to complete the Ph.D. program, then they may recommend that the student retake the A exam.  In this case, they will specify whether an entirely new proposal on a different topic is to be written or whether they expect a major rewriting of the original proposal.  Note that the rules of the Graduate School specify that a second A exam needs to be scheduled no later than 3 months after the first.
  • If the committee has serious concern about the motivation or ability of the student to complete the Ph.D. program, it could recommend that the student complete a piece of research, write a Masters-level thesis based on that work, and then defend that thesis.

Master’s Degree

The Field of Biophysics does not have a formal Master’s degree program.  In cases in which a student decides that the Biophysics Ph.D. program does not meet his or her needs, or in which a student is judged to be unqualified for the Ph.D. program, the Special Committee typically recommends that the student write and defend the research work done and receive a Master’s degree.  The requirements for a Master’s degree include the coursework normally taken by first-year students, at least two rotations, one semester of teaching, and a research-based thesis (including a thesis defense).  At a minimum, the Special Committee of a Master’s degree candidate is composed of a chairperson and a faculty member representing a minor subject.  The student may invite a third faculty member to be on the committee if he or she chooses.  To take the Master’s degree path, the student must submit a Change of Program form to the Graduate School, requesting transfer from the PhD program to a Master’s program.  This form will then be sent to the DGS for approval.

 

B-exam: Thesis Defense

The B-exam is the thesis defense. The completed dissertation should be submitted to the committee at least 1 week before the examination. The exam will begin with a public seminar describing the thesis research. This will be followed by a closed oral examination covering the dissertation.

As with the A-exam, a Schedule of Exam form needs to be filled out and signed by your committee and the DGS and then submitted to GFAs for transmission to the Graduate School at least 7 days before the examination date. You are also required to provide the title and abstract for your dissertation and the list of your publications to the GFAs for the announcement of your exam.

The completed Results of Exam form must be submitted within three (3) days of your exam.

Both of these forms are found on the Graduate School Forms page.

Thesis Format

A section of the Graduate School website (http://gradschool.cornell.edu/thesis-dissertation) is dedicated to information about the dissertation process, including the Thesis and Dissertation Guide.  You are highly encouraged to follow the process it lays out in planning submission of your thesis and graduation.

The Graduate School Office of Academic & Student Affairs (http://gradschool.cornell.edu/academics/office-academic-and-student-affairs) also coordinates a number of workshops to assist you with thesis writing.

Your thesis may be organized either as a single work (traditional thesis) or as a series of relatively independent chapters (independent chapter thesis).  In the latter case, there may be a unified introduction and bibliography or separate introductions and bibliographies.  There may be a unified summary, or the two-page abstract (required of all theses) can serve as a summary statement for all chapters.

The independent chapter option allows you to prepare your thesis as a series of papers in a format ready for publication, and chapters can be published before the thesis defense.  The work in your thesis must be primarily, if not entirely, your own.  If your published work includes co-author(s), you may cite the work of your co-author(s) in your thesis with appropriate acknowledgment, but you should not include the data of your co-author(s) in your thesis.  An exception could be if data from a co-author are needed for clarity.  In that case, the legend to the figure should explain this.  You should acknowledge in the publication that the research is part of a thesis, and the Graduate School requires written permission from the publisher to include it in your thesis.

Full collections of dissertations are maintained in Mann Library.  There is also a collection of theses of graduates in the Fields of Genetics, Genomics and Development and Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology in the Keller Reading Room, Biotechnology Building, Room G09.  You can view these by asking someone in the MBG Department Office (107 Biotech) to let you into this room.  NOTE:  Materials are NEVER to be removed from this room.

Final Thesis Seminar

The final thesis seminar usually is given immediately before or on the same day as the thesis defense, i.e. the “B” exam.  However, in very rare cases, students may want to present the thesis seminar up to six months before the B exam, for example, to allow input from the special committee about final experiments.

Thesis Defense | B Exam

To schedule the oral defense of the Ph.D. thesis (B exam):  at least seven days before the exam you must distribute your thesis to the Special Committee; the thesis must be complete in all respects and editorially acceptable for final approval.  The Schedule of B exam form must be filled out, approvals obtained and submission to the Graduate School must be completed at least seven (7) days prior to the exam.  You should also provide the GFAs with the title and abstract for the thesis seminar, and a publication list including all manuscripts you have published, submitted or are in preparation.

Time Off 

Graduate students appointed on any combination of full assistantships or fellowships for spring, summer, and fall terms are entitled to two weeks (ten weekdays) of annual vacation each 12-month period (August 21 through August 20) in addition to Cornell University holidays (when the university is officially closed); vacation time will be prorated for students appointed for shorter periods of time (e.g., 4 days for a student appointed on an assistantship or fellowship for only one semester during the calendar period August 21-August 20). University holidays generally include the following days: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the following day, and winter break (generally six working days from December 25 through January 1). Days on which classes are not in session but the university is open (e.g., institutionally-scheduled academic breaks in Fall Semester, January intersession, Spring Semester) are not automatic vacation time nor holidays for graduate students appointed on assistantships, but graduate students appointed on assistantships may request in advance to take vacation during such periods. 

Stipend, Tuition, & Health Insurance 

Students making satisfactory progress receive financial support, including stipend, academic-year tuition and individual health insurance.  During the rotation period, funding comes from a variety of sources, including fellowships as well as university and department resources.  Once a mentor is identified and for the duration of the program, support comes from the thesis advisor, teaching assistantships and individual awards that the student may receive. Generally, senior students are supported on a research grant. 
  

All stipends (both assistantships and fellowships) are considered taxable income.  State and Federal income tax is withheld from all assistantship paychecks which are processed semi-monthly through Cornell’s payroll system. Fellowships are processed through the Graduate School and distributed by the Bursar’s Office.  Taxes are not withheld from fellowships; however, these awards are considered taxable and students are responsible for filing a tax return and for paying taxes.  Estimated taxes should be paid quarterly, you may be fined if you don’t pay the estimated taxes. Tuition is not considered taxable income.  Books and supplies are deductible and receipts should be kept (consult your tax advisor).  (Please note:  The GFAs and the university cannot provide tax advice). 

Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) or Teaching Assistant (TA) 

While acting as a Graduate Research Assistant or a Teaching Assistant, a student’s stipend is processed through the payroll system. In accordance with federal regulations, graduate students who are appointed to these positrons must fill out an I-9 form.  This form is necessary for a student to be paid as an assistant (i.e. Grad Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant) and must be completed within three (3) days of the appointment start date.  The student is paid semi-monthly a fixed amount based on the annual stipend rate.  Timecards are not required or collected.  Taxes are withheld from the student check; the amount will vary depending on how the student fills out the W-4 (withholding) form.  The W-4 form can be changed anytime during the year through the Workday system.  The student will receive a W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from the university at the address listed on your paycheck or on-line, depending on your preference.  You are strongly encouraged to use direct deposit; forms can be obtained from http://www.dfa.cornell.edu/payrollservices/services/directdeposit.cfm.  Checks are mailed to student’s local address of record.  The first check should be available on August 31.  Students must be registered and have a completed I-9 form to receive a check. 

Fellowship 

A student on a fellowship (either university fellowship or supported by a departmental fellowship) is paid once per semester through the Bursar system.    This check is issued at the beginning of each semester of study (August; January; June).  Most stipend checks should be available at the Bursar’s Office in Day Hall after registration and are released to registered Cornell students presenting a valid Cornell ID.  Taxes are not withheld from fellowship checks and you are responsible for paying estimated taxes on your taxable income.  You are strongly encouraged to sign up for direct deposit.  Forms can be obtained at https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/tools-library/forms/student-refund-direct-deposit-form-nelnet. 

Tuition Payments 

Tuition payments are made through the university financial system and credited to your Bursar bill.  Fall tuition is credited by August and Spring tuition is credited by January.  The tuition payment should be taken care of automatically for most students.  If you have questions regarding your Bursar bill, please see the GFA in 107 Biotech. 

Taxation 

Graduate student stipends are considered taxable by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and the State of New York. GRA and TA stipends are administered through Payroll and typically have taxes taken out of each check. Fellowships are typically paid in lump sums throughout the year and do not have taxes withheld. Students should consult their tax advisor to determine how best to handle payment of taxes to suit their particular circumstances.  Cornell faculty and staff cannot offer tax advice.  General information is available on the Graduate School website as well as in the University Division of Financial Affairs.