Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Biomedical Engineering under Duffield Engineering.
Undergraduate · Cornell Duffield Engineering
Cornell Biomedical Engineering: a Duffield Engineering major with defined career paths
Cornell applicants apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and Biomedical Engineering is a major in Cornell Duffield Engineering, taught by the Meinig School. The school describes a degree that combines engineering foundations with hands-on experience and lets students customise through defined career paths. This guide sets out what the page says.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Biomedical Engineering
Taken from the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering's 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.
An engineering major
Cornell Admissions lists it under Duffield Engineering.
Teamwork across disciplines
The school trains engineers to integrate disciplines and solve real biomedical problems.
Customisable
Students can follow defined career paths and experiential learning.
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 Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering: majorengineering.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering's 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 Meinig School's major page says the bachelor of science in biomedical engineering combines a strong foundation in engineering principles with hands-on experiences for impactful careers or advanced study, and trains engineers to integrate disciplines, work in teams and solve real-world biomedical problems. Students can customise the degree through defined career paths and courses and through experiential learning and leadership. This guide does not list the curriculum, which it did not read.
Is it the right major?
Biomedical Engineering beside Biological Engineering
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Biomedical Engineering fits if
you want engineering applied to human health through the Engineering college.
Biological Engineering fits if
you want engineering with biology through CALS or Engineering. Avandy's Cornell Biological Engineering guide covers it.
Human Biology, Health, and Society fits if
you want health from a social-science view. Avandy's Cornell HBHS 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 Biomedical Engineering under 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.
Do you want the Engineering college?
Cornell Admissions lists the major only under Duffield Engineering.
Which career path would you follow?
The school defines several.
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 Biomedical Engineering in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under Duffield Engineering.
Is Biomedical Engineering also in CALS?
Cornell Admissions lists it only under Duffield Engineering; Biological Engineering is listed under CALS and Engineering.
Is the major customisable?
The school says students can customise through defined career paths.
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 Biomedical Engineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, biology and physics, how they weigh engineering against pure life science 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.