Listed below are the requirements to apply for admission to the six-year medical program.
- Secondary School Completion
- Standardized Tests
- Personal Statement
- Letters of Reference
- Interviews
1. Secondary School Completion
- The equivalent of an American college preparatory education, including rigorous university preparatory curricula or programs covering advanced mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics and other relevant subjects.
- Strongest possible university preparatory curriculum offered within the applicant's school system (applicants are expected to complete A Level exams in British schools, AP exams in American schools, and HL exams in IB schools).
- Graduation with outstanding academic merit.
2. Standardized Tests
College Entrance Examinations
- SAT Reasoning Test or ACT
We do not use minimum scores as absolute cutoffs in screening applications. However, academic excellence is expected. Overall academic strength is supported by high standardized test scores along with other reliable indicators, such as secondary school grades.
NOTE: Acceptable scores on English language proficiency examinations (see below) do not substitute for acceptable scores on the reading and writing components of the SAT or ACT.
English Language Proficiency Examinations
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
A student who does not achieve the scores listed below on college entrance examinations must take an English proficiency test. The following tests are considered suitable measures of English ability: the TOEFL and the IELTS. The TOEFL Home Edition is suitable. The IELTS UKVI (Academic IELTS) is suitable as well.
The TOEFL and IELTS can be waived if one of the following criteria is met:
In most cases an applicant must take the TOEFL or IELTS. The TOEFL and IELTS can only be waived if one of the following criteria is met:
- Obtaining a score of 32 or above on the reading test of the SAT.
- Obtaining a score of 600 or above on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT.
- Obtaining a score of 25 or higher on the English portion of the ACT.
You should note that the TOEFL and/or IELTS are only one indicator of English proficiency. We also consider your scores on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or ACT English tests, your performance in English courses you are taking or have taken, your writing on the application form and in the essays you submit, and the communication skills you display in your interview.
3. Personal Statement
All applicants must submit a personal statement that addresses his or her interest in and motivation for a career in medicine. Because there is no set combination of grade-point average and standardized test scores that will guarantee admission to our program, our committee looks beyond these numbers. We look for applicants who can demonstrate that they have taken fullest advantage of opportunities, who care about their community, and who have developed special talents in other fields beyond their academic studies. Ideally, a personal statement should reflect such qualities as:
- Motivation to enter medicine
- Maturity and stability
- Intellectual potential
- Leadership qualities
- Love of learning
- Strength of character
- Special abilities or talents
- Achievements
- Diligence and dedication
- Integrity and honesty
- Sense of fairness
- Compassion.
4. Letters of Reference
- All applicants should submit a minimum of two letters of reference written in English. One by their science/math teachers and one by their principals/college advisors. The most useful letters provide specific examples of the applicant's academic commitment and abilities (indicators of probable success) and of the personal qualities or accomplishments that make the applicant unique. Please ask writers to use the forms provided within the online application.
5. Interviews
- Applicants whose credentials best meet our selection criteria will be invited to appear for personal interviews. Applicants asked to appear for interviews must participate in this process in order to be considered for acceptance. All interviews are held in Doha, Qatar.
No person shall be denied admission to any educational program or activity, or be denied employment, on the basis of any legally prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as: race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or veteran status. Cornell University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
Procedure
Below is a checklist of required steps and documents that need to be submitted to complete your application.
- Completed online application with personal statement
- Two or more letters of reference (one each from science/math teacher and one from advisor/principal)
- Reference forms are available with the online application
- Please note that a maximum of 5 references will be accepted
- Reference from a university professor, preferably Science, if applicable
- Official or attested transcripts of course grades from all secondary/high schools attended (Photocopies, scanned or faxed documents cannot be accepted)
- Official or attested transcripts of course grades from all colleges or universities attended (Photocopies, scanned or faxed documents cannot be accepted)
- Certified copies of any diplomas and degrees earned
- Official results of external examinations (if applicable) such as O-Levels, AS, A levels, IB, and AP
- Official results of standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT exams (Photocopies, scanned or faxed documents cannot be accepted)
- Official results of an approved English proficiency examination: either the TOEFL or Academic IELTS (Photocopies, scanned or faxed documents cannot be accepted)
- Official IELTS UKVI (Academic IELTS) can be submitted (Photocopies, scanned, or faxed documents cannot be accepted)
- Photocopy of valid passport
- One passport size photograph
Please note that all documents submitted become property of WCM-Q and cannot be returned.