There are no undergraduates at Rockefeller University. It's a biomedical research institution on Manhattan's Upper East Side, along the East River at York Avenue and 66th Street, and it trains PhD students alongside its research labs. Labs are independent rather than grouped into departments, and students spend their first year choosing one. More than two dozen Nobel laureates have been associated with it. Admitted PhD students pay no tuition and receive a stipend.
New York, New York, United States
Official website: rockefeller.edu
Private graduate research university
1901
More than two dozen associated scientists
Independent labs, no departments
No tuition fee
PhD students pay no tuition and receive a stipend
$30,000 – $40,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on rockefeller.edu before you apply.
PhD in Biomedical Sciences
DoctorateDuration
60 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
No GRE; English assessed at interview
Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program
DoctorateDuration
96 Months
Intake
Jul
Exam Score
MCAT required
Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology
DoctorateDuration
60 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
No fixed test minimum
Clinical Scholars Program
Postdoctoral ProgramDuration
36 Months
Intake
Jul
Exam Score
MD or MD-PhD required
Graduate study only, with no undergraduates.
Labs organised without traditional departments.
A campus on York Avenue overlooking the East River.
Most PhD graduates move into postdoctoral research at leading universities and institutes.
Others join biotech and pharmaceutical companies, many in New York and Boston.
Some move into science policy, consulting or venture capital.
Undergrad
No UG intake
Postgrad
Early December deadline
The gated campus stretches along the East River, with gardens and river views. Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering are across York Avenue, and Central Park is about 15 minutes' walk west.
Graduate students live in subsidised university housing near campus, which makes Manhattan manageable on a stipend. The rest of the city, from galleries to cheap dumplings, is a subway ride away.
Form I-20 issued by Rockefeller University
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
The PhD application usually closes in early December for entry the following autumn, and shortlisted applicants are invited to interview in the new year. MD-PhD applicants apply through AMCAS to the Tri-Institutional programme.
PhD students start once a year, in the autumn. The MD-PhD programme starts in the summer.
You'll need an F-1 visa. Once you accept your offer and send proof of funding, Rockefeller University issues the Form I-20. After that it's the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 form and an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
The PhD in biomedical sciences is the main degree, with Tri-Institutional MD-PhD and chemical biology programmes run jointly with Weill Cornell and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Applicants need a bachelor's degree and serious research experience. The GRE is not required.
Every admitted PhD student, including international students, gets full tuition coverage, a stipend, health insurance and subsidised housing. There's no separate scholarship to apply for.
