Frequently Asked Questions

Have a burning question about admission to Cornell or about how to finance your education at the university? Check out these frequently asked questions about first-year, transfer, or international admission, or gather information about the financial aid process.

Admission Questions

  1. What are the deadlines for submitting all of my application materials?
  2. May I apply to more than one college at Cornell?
  3. How do I decide which college at Cornell would be best for me?
  4. Which college at Cornell will offer me the best chance of admission?
  5. Does Cornell have pre-med, pre-vet, or pre-law majors?
  6. If I want to major in biology, should I apply to the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences?
  7. What are the GPA and SAT/ACT cutoffs for admission?
  8. Will my application be considered differently depending on whether I attend a public or a private high school?
  9. What standardized test scores will I need to submit to Cornell?

General Questions

  1. What's the real difference between the privately endowed and state-assisted undergraduate colleges?
  2. Are interviews required?
  3. Does Cornell offer any scholarships?
  4. How far is Cornell from New York City?
  5. How are the workload and stress levels at Cornell?
  6. What's it like living in Ithaca?
  7. What are the winters like?

International Questions

  1. What tests are required for international students?
  2. What are the conditions that have to be met in order to have the TOEFL/IELTS requirement waived?
  3. How do I receive a TOEFL waiver?
  4. Can I submit photocopies of my transcripts?
  5. Do A-levels or IB's exempt me from sending yearly transcripts?
  6. Is financial aid offered to international students?
  7. Can international students apply under the Early Decision plan?
  8. I just started attending a university in my home country, but I want to apply to Cornell as a freshman. Is this possible?
  9. How and when do I get my I-20?
  10. How do you consider U.S. citizens abroad and international students attending school in the U.S.?
  11. Can I apply for spring transfer admission as an international student?

On-Line Application Questions

  1. Where do I need to send my application materials?
  2. I've been trying to apply online, but I can't seem to find the supplemental forms I need, such as the teacher recommendations, mid-year report, or the secondary school report. Where can I get these?

Transfer Questions

  1. If I’m currently attending college and want to transfer, can I do so after one semester?
  2. Will all my courses transfer?
  3. Does the credit I received by examination at my previous college or university transfer?
  4. Will I automatically receive AP credit if it was accepted at my previous institution?
  5. Cornell is on the semester system. At my current institution, the academic year is divided into quarters. How will my quarter hours be converted to semester hours?
  6. What should I send you to make credit evaluation easier?
  7. How many semesters must I complete at Cornell to qualify for a degree?
  8. Does Cornell have articulation agreements with any community colleges?
  9. Can I send admission materials before my application is submitted?
  10. How do I get a fee waiver?
  11. Am I able to enroll at Cornell for a second bachelor’s degree?

Visiting Students

  1. What is a "visiting student"?
  2. I am interested in studying as a visiting student at Cornell. Which application should I submit?
  3. Is financial aid available for visiting students?

About the SAT/ACT Tests

What standardized test scores will I need to submit to Cornell?