Apply for a Cluster User Account

Lab members of labs which pay for Cluster Access and Support are qualified to use the Neuroscience Institute/CNBC Cluster.

In order to log onto the cluster, each user must have a CMU Andrew Username and their personal “SCS user account”. We DO NOT support multi-user accounts. We do setup UNIX groups for labs so they can  control permissions for their lab group and project members.


The process of cluster account creation.

⚠️ Important: The Two-Step Account Process

Requesting a cluster account involves two distinct phases. Please read carefully:

Step 1: SCS Account Creation

Once you submit this form, David Pane will request a School of Computer Science (SCS) account for you.

  • If you already have an active SCS account: Please indicate this in the form to skip this step.
  • If you are new: David will act as your sponsor. Once approved, SCS will email you directly with instructions to set your Kerberos password.

Step 2: Cluster Access & Unix Setup

After your SCS account is active, the SCS Cluster UNIX team will be notified to:

  • Create your specific account on the cluster.
  • Set up your directories and add you to your Lab’s UNIX groups.
  • Notification: David Pane will email you personally once your cluster access is fully ready to use.

Note: You will use your SCS Kerberos credentials (not your standard Andrew password) to log in to the cluster.

You can submit your account request using the following Google Form here.


Updated on January 16, 2026
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