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HOW TO APPLY Cornell Faces Cornell Campus

International Students: Deadlines

Special note: If you are overseas, don’t wait for the deadline; ask for recommendations and transcripts early in the Fall and register for required tests as early as possible. If your school will be closed in December or January, you should request school reports and transcripts well before that.

Filing Period for Regular Decision: September 1 – January 2
Filing Period for Early Decision: September 1 – November 1

As a reminder, we strongly recommend that you submit the Common Application, Cornell University Supplement (with Cornell-specific essays) and the application fee on line. All other materials that cannot be submitted electronically should be mailed to the application processing center.

Early-Decision Plan: If Cornell is your first choice and you're applying for first-year admission, consider applying under the early-decision plan. Your application will be read in the fall, and you'll be notified by mid-December of Cornell's decision. About a third of the first-year class comes to Cornell through early-decision. Because enthusiasm for Cornell is considered a plus, early-decision applicants stand a better chance of gaining admission.

Remember that an early-decision application is a commitment. You can apply under early decision to only one college or university. If you're accepted at Cornell, you must withdraw any applications sent to other schools and send your acceptance deposit by the deadline in early January.

Most applicants who are notified in mid-December that they were not accepted under early decision will be reviewed again during the regular decision process. Some applicants will receive final notification in December that they are being denied admission to Cornell and will not be referred to the regular decision pool.

Plan to take the SAT before November of your senior year, or the ACT no later than October, if you will be applying early. Early-decision applicants are also strongly urged to take the SAT Subject Tests no later than November, because the scores are used in the colleges' early decision selection process.

Transfer students: Applications for transfer admission are due during the filing periods:
Filing Period for Fall Transfer Admission: February 15 – March 15
Filing Period for Spring Transfer Admission: September 1 – October 1

For more details about transfer policies, credit evaluation, and housing, please go to transfer student information.