A large Magnetoelectric (ME) response at room temperature in CoFe2O4 - BaTiO3 core shell composite is crucial for the biomedical application because of its biocompatibility. Good ME response of core–shell system is directly related to synthesis conditions as it determines extent of coupling between core and shell structures. In this work, CoFe2O4 - BaTiO3 core shell structures with improved ME response were prepared through hydrothermal and citric gel synthesis. Reitveld refinement analysis and microscopic images confirmed the successful formation of CoFe2O4 - BaTiO3 core shell structure. The core shell sample is composed of tetragonal BaTiO3 and cubic spinel CoFe2O4 phases. CoFe2O4 was found to exhibit both positive and negative magnetostriction at room temperature. ME coefficient of 12.38 mV/cm Oe was observed at room temperature, which is quite high and can enhance the efficiency of targeted drug delivery. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.