Waitlist Information

Understanding Cornell's Waitlist

You are being offered a place on Cornell University's Waitlist because given enrollment limitations, we cannot offer you admission at this time. Keeping your name on our waitlist will give you the opportunity to keep your application active until we determine whether there will be additional space in the Class of 2029. If space is available after the May 1 reply date, we may be able to extend an offer of admission to you. We recognize that the waitlist is a further extension of your college application process, and we appreciate your patience as the final phase of this process unfolds.

If you're interested in remaining on our waitlist, please complete the Waitlist Reply Form by April 23.
Submit the Waitlist Reply Form

What is the timeline for receiving my final admission decision?

We will be better able to assess what (if any) space remains available in the Class of 2029 after the May 1 reply date. This means that we will not be reaching out to students on the waitlist until May 2 at the earliest. That outreach will happen on a rolling basis, but all students on the waitlist should have a final admission decision no later than July 1.

Meanwhile, it is important that you assure yourself of a place at another college or university to which you have been admitted.

If I'm admitted from the waitlist, how long will I have to accept my offer of admission?

If you're offered admission, you will have five business days to accept that offer and submit your nonrefundable $400 enrollment deposit.

It's important to note that if you accept this offer of admission, you cannot defer your admission. This means that you will only have the option of enrolling for Fall 2025.

Will I receive a financial aid offer if I'm admitted from the waitlist?

If you've applied for financial aid, our goal will be to provide you with a financial aid offer within 1-2 business days of receiving your official offer of admission.

If you're a U.S. student* and haven't applied for financial aid, it's not too late! You should complete your financial aid application as soon as you submit your Waitlist Reply Form. Completing your financial aid application well ahead of May 1 means that we should be able to provide you with a financial aid offer ahead of your enrollment deadline. After submitting your initial documents, make sure you also regularly check the status of your aid application to see if any other materials have been requested.
Apply for Aid

*U.S. students include U.S. citizens, U.S. citizens with dual citizenship, and certain eligible non-citizens such as refugees or asylees. Undocumented students who attended and graduated from a U.S. high school, with or without DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status, are considered eligible non-citizens for Cornell aid purposes but are not eligible for federal aid.

Please note that we are now past the deadline for international students to apply for financial aid. If you are an international student, you will only be considered for aid if you met the posted January 2 financial aid application deadline.

How do I submit updated application materials?

You may submit updated information via the "Upload Materials" section of your Applicant Portal; please utilize the "Waitlist Correspondence" materials type.

Updated materials can include a letter of continued interest. That letter of continued interest should focus on the specific college or school you've applied to and why it continues to be a compelling program through which to pursue your academic interests. This can include information about relevant summer plans, Cornell programs of interest, and any substantial updates since you submitted your application. We also encourage you to have your school submit an updated official grade report. Additional letters of recommendation are discouraged.

What are the chances of being selected from the waitlist?

We are not able to estimate your chances for admission at this time. However, over the past four years, an average of approximately 5,500 applicants have confirmed a place on Cornell’s Waitlist each year. During this time, we have admitted as many as 362 students (and as few as 24) from the waitlist. Please keep in mind that no admission offers will be made until we know how many openings there will be and how many applicants have decided to remain on the waitlist. As a reminder, Cornell’s Waitlist is managed college by college.

Further questions?

If you have further questions about the waitlist, please contact the appropriate undergraduate college admissions office at Cornell.