Cornell University Acceptance Rate | Admission & Scholarship

Cornell University Acceptance Rate | Admission & Scholarship

Getting offer of admission demands your insight into Cornell University Acceptance rate, the statistics, admission requirements, scholarships and other key information for various needs.

This guide also equips you with an understanding of pivotal factors such as the university’s admission rate, the associated costs, and the myriad opportunities available to both domestic and international students.

This educational guide serves as a compass, navigating through Cornell University’s admission processes and shedding light on the financial considerations, with essential links directing aspiring students to valuable opportunities.

Delving into the statistics, data from the Department of Education underscores Cornell University’s acceptance rate at 9%, with a recent publication by US News placing it at 8.7%. With a general acceptance rate ranging from 8 to 9%, it becomes evident that Cornell University is discerning in its selection process, earning its reputation as one of the most challenging schools to gain entry to in the United States.

This review is tailored to offer insight into the institution’s fact-backed admission statistics, tuition details, and straightforward approaches for current or prospective students navigating the intricate landscape of Cornell University’s admission processes.

Starting, let us learn about this institution.

About Cornell University

Cornell University is a private land-grant university, and part of the private Ivy League, in Ithaca, New York. This institution was founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson in 1865.

Cornell University is famous for numerous academic and non-academic reputations and topmost include being one the top-ranked Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and the highly esteemed School of Hotel Administration.

However, what placed Cornell University in the list of cost-intensive schools in the United States is the fact that its one of the Private Ivy League, secondly, its location is in Ithaca, New York, with a relatively high cost of living.

As we proceed with other interesting things about this institution, we will get to the application statistics, opportunities for students and how aspiring students can get started with ease.

Official website: cornell.edu

What are the faculties ( or schools) in Cornell University?

ornell University has a sprawling academic structure with 14 colleges and schools, each housing numerous departments and faculties. Therefore, providing a complete list of all faculties is quite extensive.

In summary, the Cornell’s colleges and schools include:

  1. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
  2. College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)
  3. College of Arts and Sciences (A&S)
  4. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
    • School of Hotel Administration
    • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  5. College of Engineering
  6. College of Human Ecology (CHE)
  7. School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)
  8. Cornell Law School
  9. Cornell Tech
  10. Graduate School
  11. Weill Cornell Medicine (Note: Weill Cornell Medicine is a separate entity and is part of Cornell University’s partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.)

Each college or school is further divided into departments and faculties corresponding to specific academic disciplines. For the most up-to-date and detailed information on Cornell University’s faculties, I recommend visiting the official Cornell University website or contacting the university directly.

Cornell University Ranking

According to QS, Cornell University is the 20th-best University in the world and the 11th-best US College for the 2022/2023 ranking. The school ranks 30 in the QS Sustainability ranking, and 9th in Graduate Employability Ranking.

Details of some of the ranking criteria include:

  1. Overall Ranking 98.
  2. Academic Reputation 98.3
  3. Employer Reputation 91.4
  4. Faculty-Student Ratio 62.2
  5. Citations per Faculty 99.3
  6. International Faculty Ratio 63.9
  7. International Students Ratio 55.3
  8. International Research Network 90
  9. Employment Outcomes 99.5

Admission to Cornell University

The class of 2026 at Cornell University is 3,514 and was selected from 71,164 applications. Among these 3,514 students, 364 are international students.

Note: This admission guide is an application for undergraduate and graduate students vying for various degrees and titles from Cornel University.

Here are a number of important forms that are required for admission application:

First-Year Applicant

For students seeking admission into Cornell University as first-year students, here are a number of details you must get from the school portal, regarding your admission:

  1. Common Application (CA)
  2. First-Year College and School Admission Requirements
  3. Writing Supplement Questions
  4. First-Year Application Checklist
  5. Majors
  6. First-Year Application Material Submission Instructions

Transfer Applicant

  1. Common Application (CA)
  2. Transfer Requirements
  3. Transfer Application Checklist
  4. Transfer Questions and Writing Supplement (CA)

Transfer Majors

  1. Transfer Application Material Submission Instructions
  2. Transfer Option Applicant
  3. Transfer Option Mid-Term Report
  4. Transfer Option College Officials Report

Steps to Cornell University Admission

Graduate and undergraduate students vying for any degree in this University must understand the best time to apply for admission.

Getting to know the right time via the institution’s timetable, should also consider following the stipulated measures carved out as application guides.

For Cornel University Admission, there is the early decision and there are applications that will fall into the regular decision. Students who desire earlier admission are advised to stick with this guide and also remain informed via the official channels, for every detail that will lead to their admission.

These guides are step-by-step ( and some are done intermittently) that every student must follow, to complete the application for admission.

Each of the courses, schools or colleges at Cornel, do have varied requirements for both admission and continuation. It is also vital to note that from the onset, students who need financial aid must demonstrate interest and also apply, following the guidelines.

How to Get Admission to Cornell University

Below, is an answer to many calls, regarding how to land admission offers at Cornell University

1. Get all Basic Requirements

To get started with Cornell University admission, students must ensure they have all the basic educational outlines for the course and level of study.

Note: You have two chances to apply for either the early admission or the regular decision. The early decision are usually reviewed in the fall and students notified about their offer of admission around December.

It depends on when you stumble upon this guide but included in this, is the official website of the Cornell University, for the most up-to-date references.

2. Start Choosing a College

Most graduate and undergraduate course at Cornell University falls into any of these schools or colleges, except those who are going for higher studies and other research purposes:

  1. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  2. College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
  3. College of Arts and Sciences
  4. Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
  5. Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration
  6. Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  7. College of Engineering
  8. College of Human Ecology
  9. Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy
  10. School of Industrial and Labor Relations

kindly Note: At Cornell University, applicants are not permitted to change the college to which they have applied after they have submitted the application. Requests to change colleges will not be honored.

3. Start Application

Cornell University Admission consideration can only begins once you have completed your admission application. It is vital to note that Cornell uses the Common Application (CA), and this can be filled, uploaded and completed online.

4. Get Application Supporting Materials

Whether you are applying as a graduate student or an aspiring undergraduate student, you will need to gather all the required supporting materials.

For undergraduates, these are some of the specific supporting materials for Cornell University Admission:

  • a) Your School Report
  • b) Counselor Recommendation
  • c) Teacher Evaluation
  • d) Midyear Report

Note: Graduate and undergraduate students are to go through each of the schools and courses of interest, to ascertain the full nature of all the required supporting materials for admission. You can also contact the school, via the official website, for more guides.

5. Submit Cornell University Supplemental Information

GPA and language testing score is not the only criteria that guarantees your admission, mostly as an international student.

There are vital information that is needed to be found in your essay, such as that intellectual goal to the Cornell college or school that you are applying for.

These supplemental information include the key questions that you are going to be answering in your essay as part of the official requirements for admission at Cornell University.

6. Send your Official Transcript

As part of the requirements for admission at Cornell University, students are to submit their official secondary/high school transcript for undergraduate admission.

Same goes for the graduate students, and this needs to be submitted before the Cornell University admission application deadline.

7. Standardized Test Scores

Regularly, SAT/ACT testing is required for admission at Cornell University. However, for the 2023/2024 entry year, these have been suspended, even till 2024.

8. Application Fee or Fee Waiver

To complete your online application for admission, aspiring students are to pay the sum of $80 as Cornell University application fee.

It is also critical to note that without submitting the application fee, the application will not be considered complete.

However, some students who are eligible for application fee waiver can also submit application for the waiver, before the entire application deadline.

Related Post: Top Universities in Canada without Application Fee for International Students

9. Prepare for Interviews

Very importantly, students who are applying for certain courses are to participate in the Cornell Admission interview, as part of their admission process.

If your course requires an interview, you will need to visit the designated page to schedule an interview. For general information about the interview of requirement for the courses, students should visit the departmental website.

10. Complete Additional Submissions

Finally, not all courses at Cornell university requires additional submission. So, this is part of the information that you will need to get from the course requirement, even before proceeding with the online application.

Courses such as art, architecture, design, and environmental analysis will require some level of additional documents/submissions.

Note: It is important to check the official admission requirements for any of the courses you are choosing from Cornell University. Other requirements for undergraduate admission is found here at the official admission page.

Cornell University Admission Requirements for International Students

There are several criteria that will influence admission decision at Cornell University. As an international student, one of the key factors include GPA ( school transcript), English Language Proficiency and other supporting documents.

  • a) GPA ( for graduate students)
  • b) English Language Proficiency (ELP) – 7.5 and above on the IELTS Academic. 70 and above on the PTE Academic. Other English Language testing options accepted at Cornell University include TOEFL (100 and above), Duolingo English Test (120 and above), PTE Academics ( 70 and above), Cambridge English Scale (191 and above), SAT 650 or higher on the evidence-based reading and writing portion.

Note: As an international student seeking admission into Cornell University, you only need to submit a report from one of any of the listed assessments as your application will not be accepted without the full report.

When to Get Cornell University Admissions Email?

Once your application is completed, your admission decision begins based 100% on your submissions. Also, it will require a minimum of 30 day, from the day you submitted your application, to start expecting admission decision.

It is also important to keep in touch via email as you will be getting admission notification via your email. Note: Admission decisions, in most cases, come with the financial aid award announcement and in summary, it does not take too long to hear back from Cornell.

Cornell University Cost

Generally, there is a number of demand that constitute the total cost of study at Cornell university and these include tuition, books and other essential fees. Data from 2020 till 2021 suggest that $29,001 is the average cost of study at Cornell University, for one academic year.

Without any form of financial aid, average cost is around $80,287 with tuition alone amounting to $61,015 while books, on-campus rooms and board take up $19,272.

Note: What it actually costs as tuition or entire cost to study at Cornell University for 1 year, 2, 3 or 4 years, will depend on your school and the specific course of interest. It will also be dependent on whether you are a local or an international student.

Tuition at Cornell University

The benchmark for projecting tuition of most schools we review is based on the undergraduate tuition, on the average. Again, Cornell University tuition for masters, PhD and other even undergraduate studies will vary based on the factors enumerated here.

However, average undergraduate tuition is $61, 015 ( based on the previous enrollment).

Opportunities at Cornell University

There are various financial aid for domestic and international students at Cornell University. Most of this aid come in form of need-based aid and the rest are scholarships in various forms.

Secondly, there is no loan option for international students at Cornell University and the school does not recommend any particular lender. However, on the school website, there is a number of lenders that international students can choose from, for academic loans.

Does Cornell University Offer Scholarship to International Students?

Yes, Cornell University offers need-based financial aid to international students who have gained admission, those who applied for financial aid and be able to demonstrate financial need.

However, other aid such as merit, athletic or talent-based aid do not apply to international students. To learn more about all the scholarships options, and how to get started with your application, students must visit the scholarship page, from the official website of the institution.

FAQ

Based on what other students are asking regarding the Cornell University Acceptance rate, the school tuition and admission processes, we are putting more answers down, to further help you get what you are searching for:

What does it cost to Study at Cornell University?

Here is  a summary of what it costs to study at Cornell: Without any financial aid, average cost is around $80,287 with tuition alone amounting to $61,015 while books, on-campus rooms and board take up $19,272.

However, with financial aid, average cost per year in this school is around $29,001. Good news is that international students are eligible for some of the scholarships and other financial aid at Cornell university.

What is the Acceptance Rate at Cornell University?

Cornell University acceptance rate is 9% and although many previous publications suggest from 8 to about 9.5%, it remains a fact that this school is relatively selective and is categorized as one of the hardest schools to get into.

In the United States, and all over the world, Cornell university is highly ranked in various academic and non-academic pedigrees and with the ratio or application to annual enrollment capacity, student application needs to stand out, for chances of admission.

Is Cornell University Hard to Get Into?

Yes! Considering acceptance rate below 10%, it is clear that the number of applications outweighs the admission offer by over 90%. This suggest that Cornell University may be hard to get into, but does not suggest impossible.

Cornell University Admission is not based on GPA and English Language proficiency test scores, even those that are vital. There could be other grounds that can compensate for your low score in the factors above, such as demonstrated community services and impact on humanity.

This explanation goes a long way to say that your chances of getting an offer of admission are as high as 100% once you tailored the right application at the right time.

What is the minimum GPA for Cornell University?

The minimum GPA required to gain admission at Cornell University is 3.5, and considering the acceptance rate, students should aim at 3.5 or with great communication skills.

IELTS, TOEFL and other English language proficiency test are also useful for admission consideration at Cornell.

Does Cornell require ielts for international students?

Yes, Cornell University requires, at least, 7.5 and on the IELTS Academic. Other English Language proficiency testing options include TOEFL, Duolingo English Test (120 and above), PTE (70 and above), Cambridge English Scale (191 and above).

Can I get a student visa without IELTS in USA?

As an aspiring international student in any US school, IELTS and other English Language proficiency test are not mandatory for Visa. This exception is mostly applied to those who have previously completed previous studies from an English-speaking country.

How can I Start my Admission Application at Cornell University?

For any level of study, research and admission at Cornell, your journey begins with the official website of the institution. From the homepage, you will choose tabs and news that best describe your overall academic and non-academic interests.

So, you can start here, to learn more about the school, available courses and how to get started with Cornell University admission, depending on what you intend to get started.

Official References
  1. Cornell.edu –  Official Information about Cornell University Admission & Links
  2. Jobreaders.org – Cornell University Acceptance Rate and Admission Guides

Other Recent Reviews
  1. Concordia University Admission | $19,114 Financial Aid
  2. University of Oxford Acceptance Rate | Tuition & Scholarships
  3. Columbia University Admission Requirements & Tuition -4th Review
  4. Who is a Boat Mechanic in the USA? Discover Top Options
  5. Vanderbilt University Acceptance Rate with $8000 Scholarship
Scroll to Top