Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Biological Engineering under CALS and Duffield Engineering.
Undergraduate · Cornell CALS and Engineering
Cornell Biological Engineering: engineering with biology, through CALS and Engineering
Cornell applicants apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and Biological Engineering is listed under both CALS and Duffield Engineering. The college describes combining engineering principles with the science of biology, in an ABET-accredited programme. This guide sets out what the page says and how it differs from Biomedical Engineering.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Biological Engineering
Taken from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Biological Engineering major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Cornell's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Listed in two colleges
Cornell Admissions lists CALS and Duffield Engineering.
ABET-accredited
The college says students may seek professional licensing after graduation.
Engineering plus biology
Students combine engineering techniques with the developing science of biology.
The SAT or ACT is required
Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official sources
- Cornell Admissions: First-Year Applicantsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Majorsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell CALS: Biological Engineering majorcals.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Biological Engineering major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The major's curriculum pages, course descriptions, college admission requirements, deadlines and financial aid were not read, and the pages do not mention A-levels or the IB by name and are not stated.
The major
What the college and department pages say the major is
The CALS page says biological engineering students combine engineering principles and techniques with the science of biology to address local, national and global challenges, such as safe and sustainable food and energy, protecting natural resources and devices that monitor or intervene in living organisms. The programme is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and students may seek engineering licensing after graduation. This guide does not list the curriculum, which it did not read.
Is it the right major?
Biological Engineering beside Biomedical and Environmental Engineering
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Biological Engineering fits if
you want engineering applied to food, energy, natural resources and living systems.
Biomedical Engineering fits if
you want human health only. Avandy's Cornell Biomedical Engineering guide covers it.
Environmental Engineering fits if
you want environmental systems. Avandy's Cornell Environmental Engineering guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A college application and the SAT or ACT
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, so the college is part of the application; the pages read list Biological Engineering under CALS and Duffield Engineering. Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The pages read do not mention A levels or the IB by name, and Cornell says all students must show a strong command of English. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Cornell's.
Which college would you apply through, CALS or Engineering?
Both are listed.
Is a licensing route important to you?
The college mentions it.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Cornell requires one of them for first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Cornell's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Cornell's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Cornell has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Cornell for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the major page and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Cornell University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Cornell University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Which Cornell college is Biological Engineering in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under CALS and Duffield Engineering.
Is it accredited?
The college says the programme is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Which colleges list it?
Cornell Admissions lists CALS and Duffield Engineering.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Cornell says first-year applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does Cornell name A levels or the IB on these pages?
No. The pages read do not mention them by name.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Cornell's wording with no entry-year label. Check Cornell's pages again when Cornell publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Cornell Biological Engineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, biology and chemistry, how they weigh biological engineering against biomedical engineering and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.