Frequently Asked Questions
Applicants for the MS and PhD programs in hotel administration are required to submit a GMAT or GRE score. GMAT and GRE scores are valid for up to five years.
Students must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement and may be required to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam. In some cases, these testing requirements can be waived. For more information on TOEFL and IELTS test score minimums, how to submit TOEFL or IELTS test scores, and the criteria for waiving the requirement, please visit the Graduate School’s website.
MS and PhD students are admitted only for the fall semester. Applications will open on September 1 and should be completed by December 15 for the subsequent fall term. We will contact competitive applicants via email to complete an admissions interview.
MS students can find financial-aid opportunities by contacting the Fellowships and Financial Aid Office through Cornell’s Graduate School. Fellowships covering the cost of tuition and a taxable stipend may be awarded to PhD students on a case-by-case basis.
Cornell University’s International Services Office of Global Learning can assist international students with a variety of services from immigration issues to campus life.
Since the MS and PhD degrees are research-based, the Center for Hospitality Research is the best resource to learn more about the research interests of our graduate faculty. If you have any additional questions, please email Graduate Research Programs Office for more information.
Admission is extremely selective and is based on both the strength of the applicant and the availability of faculty to advise new graduate students. Typically no more than two to three MS and PhD students are admitted in a particular year, and it is fairly common for Nolan not to admit any students in a particular admission cycle.
A competitive PhD applicant typically has an exceptional academic record, including research experience, a competitive GRE or GMAT (score above 700 for GMAT), relevant hospitality and teaching experience, a well-articulated statement of purpose, and a record of published hospitality papers or articles in relevant journals or trade publications.
A number of resources are available to support our PhD students. Visit the links below.
- Advising Guide for Research Students
- Center for Teaching Innovation
- Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty
- Cornell Career Services
- Cornell Health
- Cornell University Library Services
- Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- Graduate School Academic Requirements
- Graduate School Forms
- Graduate School Orientation Information
- International Teaching Assistant Program
- Leave of Absence Information
- Office of Global Learning
- Student Experience Information
- Student Health Benefits
- Thesis and Dissertation Information