Admissions Process

The information provided below in steps 1-12 is intended for undergraduate first-year applicants to Cornell.

1. Choosing an Application Plan

Individuals will first need to decide whether they apply during either Early Decision or Regular Decision. If Cornell is an individual's first choice, consider applying under the Early Decision plan. Early Decision applications are reviewed in the fall, and individuals will be notified in mid-December of Cornell's decision.

Before applying Early Decision, know that:

  • November 1 is the application deadline.
  • Early Decision is binding. If an individual is admitted to Cornell, they are required to withdraw any applications they have sent to other schools and send their enrollment deposit to Cornell by early January.
  • Admission decisions for Early Decision applicants include being offered admission, not being offered admission, or having their application postponed to Regular Decision. Students whose applications are postponed to Regular Decision are no longer subject to the Early Decision binding commitment.
  • While Early Decision admission to Cornell is binding, students may request to be released from the Early Decision agreement if they have completed a financial aid application and their financial aid offer does not make a Cornell education affordable for their personal circumstances.

Cornell University will honor any required commitment to matriculate, which has been made to another college under an Early Decision plan.

Regular Decision applications are due January 2, and individuals will be notified by late March or early April of Cornell's decision. Admission decisions for Regular Decision applicants include being offered admission, not being offered admission, or being offered a spot on the waitlist. Regular Decision is not binding, and those offered admission will have until May 1 to notify Cornell about their decision to matriculate.

2. Choosing a College/School

You will apply to only one undergraduate college or school at Cornell. Explore each of our undergraduate colleges and schools before applying to determine which is the best fit for you:

Note that applicants will not be able to change the college/school they are applying to after they have submitted their application.

3. Application

Cornell uses the Common App, which must be completed and submitted online. Required application materials should be submitted through Common App. For additional information, see how to apply.

4. Official Transcript(s)

We require individuals to submit their official secondary/high school transcript(s) as part of their application. The high school should submit official high school transcript(s) via the Common App or through an eTranscript service. Early Decision applicants are encouraged to submit first marking period grades when available. 

5. Standardized Test Scores

All applicants to Cornell University are required to submit standardized test scores: SAT and/or ACT. Students can self-report their scores in their application, matriculating students will be required to provide official scores upon enrolling at Cornell.

Learn more about Cornell’s standardized testing policy.

6. Supporting Application Materials

In addition to the application, Cornell requires the following materials:

  • The School Report: The counselor or designated school official should submit this form (or the school's own report form) and the individual's official transcript on their behalf.
  • Counselor Recommendation: Cornell requires a written statement from the individual's school counselor.
  • Teacher Recommendations: The application requires two teacher recommendations, submitted directly by the writer. Be sure to remind individuals writing letters to include the applicant's name and date of birth on all pages if they are sending them by mail.
  • Mid-Year Report: Submit the Mid-Year Report as soon after the application deadline as possible. Cornell University strongly encourages school counselors to submit this online, so we can process the application more quickly. We understand that schools have varying schedules and may not be able to send the transcript by the supplemental materials deadline, so this outstanding item will not keep the application from being reviewed. Cornell University understands that some students with schools on trimesters may not have any new grade information to report at the time of submission and, therefore, do not need to send a Mid-Year Report.

These forms can be found and submitted online at Common App, and materials must be submitted directly by the applicant's school counselor and/or teachers to be considered official.

For Early Decision applicants, the Early Decision Agreement is incorporated into Cornell University's Supplement on the Common App. Look for the checkbox under Cornell University>Application>Questions>General. Applicants do not need to submit a separate agreement from their counselor.

7. Cornell University Supplemental Information

In addition to the Common App Personal Essay, applicants will be required to respond to both the Cornell University Essay as well as the college or school-specific essay question(s). These important Cornell-specific questions provide Cornell University with information that helps match an applicant's intellectual goals to the Cornell college or school to which they are applying. Review Cornell First-Year Writing Supplement Prompts page.

8. Application Fee

Cornell’s application fee is $85. Applications must be submitted with the $85 application fee or an approved fee waiver to be considered. Note that Cornell cannot process an application without the application fee or a fee waiver. However, if the application fee presents a financial burden for the applicant or the applicant's family, and the applicant plans to apply for financial aid, the individual may qualify for a fee waiver.

To request a fee waiver on the Common Application:

  1. Review Common App’s fee waiver eligibility criteria to confirm at least one of the criteria is met.
  2. Select “Yes” when asked, “Do you meet one or more of the Common Application fee waiver eligibility criteria?”
  3. The applicant should provide their signature to complete the fee waiver request.
  4. On the Cornell University questions, select “Yes, I am eligible for a fee waiver as outlined in the profile section of the Common Application” when asked, “Are you eligible for an application fee waiver?”
  5. Answer the three additional fee waiver eligibility questions in Cornell’s application questions. 

Note that the fee waiver will be automatically applied; no documentation needs to be submitted to Cornell University.

9. Additional Submissions

Some majors require additional forms, portfolios, or design indexes. Review the College and School Admissions Requirements to ensure all the required items for the intended major are submitted.

10. Information for Transfer Applicants

Applicants must apply to Cornell as a transfer student if:

  • They have graduated from high school and
  • Have earned 12 or more credits (not including exams such as Advanced Placement) at another college or university after graduating high school, or enrolled as a full-time student at another institution.

If the applicant is enrolled in a dual-enrollment or early-college program and hasn't yet graduated from high school, they will apply as a first-year applicant.

Before applying, be sure to review the transfer application timeline and required transfer application components. Cornell requires transfer applicants to submit:

  • The Common Application for transfer students
  • Official high school and college transcripts
  • Transfer essays, both the Cornell University essay and the college- or school-specific essay question(s),
  • College Report
  • Academic recommendation
  • Mid-Term Report

Refer to our Transfer Applicant webpage for additional requirements and application information.

11. International Applicants

International students should visit First-Year International Applicants for additional requirements and information.

12. Admission Revocation

Cornell University reserves the right to revoke an offer of admission under certain circumstances, and at any time, including after a student is in attendance at the university.

Authority to revoke admission rests with the admitting academic unit. Admission may be revoked for fraud, misrepresentation, material omission of fact, failure to meet a condition of admission (including but not limited to satisfactorily completing any schoolwork in progress at the time an offer of admission is extended and upholding high standards of character in all activities within and outside of the classroom), or any other pre-attendance misconduct. Academic and non-academic misconduct by an applicant occurring prior to the commencement of attendance is not subject to the Student Code of Conduct, University Policy 6.4, or the Code of Academic Integrity, regardless of when the university becomes aware of the misconduct.

Generally, when an admitting academic unit becomes aware of an allegation of pre-attendance misconduct or failure to meet a condition of admission, the senior admissions official for the unit and/or another appropriate university official(s) (for example, the director of undergraduate admissions) will make an initial assessment.

Where there is a clear failure to meet a specific stated condition of admission – for example, failing to earn a specific grade or complete an academic program – the senior admission official for the admitting unit may revoke admission without further inquiry.

In all other cases, if, following the initial assessment, there is reason to gather additional information, the senior admissions official and/or other appropriate university official(s) will typically notify the admitted student of the alleged misconduct, request a prompt written response to the allegation, and gather additional information as needed. Following this inquiry, the senior admissions official and/or other appropriate university official(s) may either dismiss the matter, resolve it without revocation, or refer it to the dean of the admitting academic unit or their designee for a final determination on revocation.

Applicants whose admission is revoked after they have commenced attendance at the university will be administratively withdrawn and unable to reenroll. In addition, the university may, at its discretion, void any course credit and grades reflected on the student's official transcript and annotate the transcript to reflect the revocation. The student may also be responsible for returning any scholarship, grant, or fellowship funds previously awarded.