Doctor of Philosophy in Neural Science

Understanding the brain is one of the great scientific challenges. How does the nervous system allow us to sense, move, learn, decide, remember, and think How are the underlying neural circuits built by genetic and molecular programs How do neurons communicate via synapses to transmit and store information What goes wrong in neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and schizophrenia, and in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease And how can we model neurons, circuits and systems to better understand the brain Graduate students in our PhD program in neuroscience are addressing these questions at labs located across NYU, using cutting-edge tools drawn from genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, microscopy, computer science, data science, and mathematics. This website is designed for you to learn about graduate training in neuroscience at NYU.

Our program arises from two cooperative centers located just a few city blocks apart: the Center for Neural Science (CNS) and the Neuroscience Institute (NI). CNS, located at NYU's Washington Square campus, is home to core neuroscience labs, has affiliate labs in biology, psychology, physics and data science, and is NYU's portal for undergraduate neuroscience education. The NI is located at NYU's school of medicine and houses additional core neuroscience labs, as well as affiliates from clinical departments and the Nathan Kline Institute. Together, CNS and NI serve as the joint pillars of graduate training in neuroscience at NYU, with research spanning genetic, molecular, cellular, developmental, systems, behavioral, and computational levels. Prospective graduate students apply through a single online portal and applications are jointly reviewed by a single admissions committee that spans CNS and NI.

You must receive your undergraduate degree (U.S. baccalaureate or equivalent) from an institution of recognized standing before enrollment in the Graduate School.
Admission to our graduate program is highly competitive, and applicants should have superior undergraduate grades, excellent letters of recommendation, and documented research experience. Students seeking admission should have a strong background in one or more of the academic areas involved in neuroscience, such as biology, experimental psychology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, or engineering science. Students with foreign qualifications must demonstrate command of written and spoken English before admission to the program. Qualified women and minority students are especially encouraged to apply. The department does not set minimum GPA, TOEFL, or IELTS scores or share past applicant and accepted student averages of these scores.
Academic Transcripts
Test Scores (if required)
Applicant Statements
R'sum or Curriculum Vitae
Letters of Recommendation, and
For the TOEFL, the Graduate School recommends that the applicant achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the internet-based test. For the IELTS, a minimum overall band score of at least 7 is recommended.