Cornell University
Cornell University overview
Cornell University is in Ithaca, New York, and is a private and statutory Ivy League research institution. Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White founded it in 1865. Its motto is "I would found an institution where anyone could receive instruction in any field of study." The university was meant to teach and contribute to all areas of knowledge. These run from the antiquities to the sciences and from the theoretical to the practical. These unconventional principles come together in Cornell's founding principle, a well-known 1868 quote from founder Ezra Cornell.
He said, "I would found an institution where anyone could receive instruction in any field of study."
Cornell's primary campus is on East Hill in Ithaca, New York, and looks out over Cayuga Lake and the city. The university administers two auxiliary medical campuses, one in New York City and one in Education City, Qatar. It also administers Cornell Tech, a technology-focused campus on Roosevelt Island in the center of Manhattan. The Ithaca campus holds seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions. Each college and division sets its own admission requirements and academic programs with a high degree of autonomy.
The university's seven undergraduate colleges are:
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- College of Engineering
- College of Human Ecology
- School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Cornell belongs to the Ivy League, is considered one of the world's most prestigious universities, and has produced over sixty Nobel laureates. Its research covers the sciences, humanities, and social sciences, among others. In 2023 the undergraduate student population was over 15,000 and the graduate student population was over 7,000. The university also has a large international student body, with students from over 120 countries. Cornell University Library is one of the ten greatest academic research libraries in the United States.
Its 20 constituent libraries hold over 8 million volumes and a range of rare and distinct materials. The athletic teams, known as the Big Red, compete in NCAA Division I and the Ivy League.
About Cornell University
Cornell University is in Ithaca, New York, and is a private and statutory Ivy League research institution. Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White founded it in 1865. Its motto is "I would found an institution where anyone could receive instruction in any field of study." The university was meant to teach and contribute to all areas of knowledge. These run from the antiquities to the sciences and from the theoretical to the practical. These unconventional principles come together in Cornell's founding principle, a well-known 1868 quote from founder Ezra Cornell.
He said, "I would found an institution where anyone could receive instruction in any field of study."
Cornell's primary campus is on East Hill in Ithaca, New York, and looks out over Cayuga Lake and the city. The university administers two auxiliary medical campuses, one in New York City and one in Education City, Qatar. It also administers Cornell Tech, a technology-focused campus on Roosevelt Island in the center of Manhattan. The Ithaca campus holds seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions. Each college and division sets its own admission requirements and academic programs with a high degree of autonomy.
The university's seven undergraduate colleges are:
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- College of Engineering
- College of Human Ecology
- School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Cornell belongs to the Ivy League, is considered one of the world's most prestigious universities, and has produced over sixty Nobel laureates. Its research covers the sciences, humanities, and social sciences, among others. In 2023 the undergraduate student population was over 15,000 and the graduate student population was over 7,000. The university also has a large international student body, with students from over 120 countries. Cornell University Library is one of the ten greatest academic research libraries in the United States.
Its 20 constituent libraries hold over 8 million volumes and a range of rare and distinct materials. The athletic teams, known as the Big Red, compete in NCAA Division I and the Ivy League.
Cornell University faculties and programs
Viticulture and Enology
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Music
Near Eastern Studies
Nutritional Sciences
Operations Research and Engineering
Performing and Media Arts
Philosophy
Physics
Cornell University scholarships and financial aid
Cornell University offers financial aid to international students in the form of need-based scholarships. The university has a need-aware admission policy for international students. This means the university may consider your financial need when it makes an admission decision. However, if Cornell University admits you as an international student and you demonstrate financial need, the university is committed to meeting 100% of your demonstrated need. To be considered for need-based financial aid, you must submit the CSS Profile during the application process.
This information helps the university assess your family's financial situation and calculate the amount of aid needed. Financial aid packages at Cornell University typically consist of grants and scholarships that you do not repay. They may also include a work-study component, which gives you the chance to work part-time on campus.
Cornell University Exam Requirements
Submitting at least one of the exams below with the required score is a prerequisite for application. The score threshold may vary by program.
How to get into Cornell University
Admission Requirements for International Students
Undergraduate
Application Materials
- Common App Application
- Application Fee
- School Report
- Teacher Evaluations
- Official Transcripts from Secondary School
- Mid-Year Report
Academic Requirements
- Successful completion of basic education
- High School Diploma
- Certificate in English Proficiency
- A certificate in English proficiency you receive through an internationally recognized proficiency test such as IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, or PTE Academic.
- High Grade Point Average
- SAT or ACT Standardized Test Score (optional)
- Supplemental Application Essays
Please note that AP and IB exam scores count as additional pieces of academic information. They can help the university see your level of preparation and your potential for college level work. AP and IB exam scores do not guarantee admission to Cornell University.
Graduate
- Bachelor's Degree Diploma
- High Grade Point Average
- Official transcripts of the courses you took during your college/university education
- Work experience may be required for certain programs
- Certificate in English Proficiency
- A certificate in English proficiency you receive through an internationally recognized proficiency test such as IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT.
- A GRE/GMAT exam score may be required, in line with the specific admission requirements of certain programs.
Application Deadlines
* These dates are subject to change. Get in touch with our Dream Uni advisors to learn the up-to-date deadlines and all the details about the Cornell University application process.
Take a closer look at Cornell University
Ithaca Main Campus is the primary campus of Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York. It spans more than 2,300 acres and is known for its natural beauty, with stunning views of Cayuga Lake, gorges, and waterfalls. Its architecture ranges from Collegiate Gothic to modernist styles. Facilities include the iconic McGraw Tower, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, and the state-of-the-art Cornell Tech building. Cornell Tech is on Roosevelt Island in New York City and works where technology, business, and creative thinking meet.
It opened in 2017 and offers a unique blend of academic and entrepreneurial approaches.
Weill Cornell Medicine is also in New York City. It brings together the Weill Cornell Medical College, the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and the Weill Cornell Physician Organization. It is known for its cutting-edge research, its exemplary patient care, and its excellent medical education. Cornell AgriTech, in Geneva, New York, works on food and agricultural technology. Its research has had a major effect on the agriculture industry of New York State.
The Cornell SC Johnson College of Business is mainly on the main Ithaca campus, but it runs an executive MBA program in New York City. Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine is based on the main campus in Ithaca. It houses the Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists facility near Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
Cornell University also runs several other facilities and research centers in different parts of the world. One example is the Shoals Marine Laboratory, a seasonal marine field station on Appledore Island, Maine, run with the University of New Hampshire. The university is also affiliated with the Boyce Thompson Institute, an independent research institution on its Ithaca campus that works on plant sciences.
Campus life at Cornell University is a lively part of the education students receive. More than a thousand student organizations cover a broad range of interests. They include academic and professional societies, service organizations, cultural and identity groups, arts and performance groups, recreational sports clubs, and Greek life (fraternities and sororities). First-year students must live on campus, and most do so in one of Cornell's residential communities. Housing options include traditional dormitories, program houses, and co-operative houses.
If you are a graduate or professional student, you can live in a graduate housing complex on the Cornell campus. You can also find housing off campus in the Ithaca region.
Cornell Dining is ranked among the finest in the nation for its culinary quality and its commitment to sustainability. On campus, the university has numerous refreshment locations with a variety of options. The university has multiple fitness centers, an indoor climbing wall, swimming pools, and recreational and competitive sports fields. Cornell also offers numerous physical education courses, club sports, and intramural sports. Cornell's arts community is vibrant, with the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art on campus and numerous music, theater, and dance performances through the year.
These subjects are open to you whatever your discipline. Cornell provides a variety of support services, including academic advising, career services, health services, counseling and psychological services, and international student support.
Cornell University has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. The university therefore gives students from a wide range of backgrounds, identities, and experiences access to a wide variety of services and support groups. Cornell has also made a strong commitment to sustainability by launching a number of programs. These programs aim to lessen its overall carbon footprint and advance sustainable practices in academic research and teaching. They also bring the local community into local sustainability activities.
Since its founding, Cornell University has produced alumni who made creative and significant contributions. Their work reaches society, the arts and sciences, business, and national and international affairs. Notable alumni of Cornell University include:
- Andrea Savage
- Ann Coulter
- Anthony Fauci
- Ari Melber
- Barbara McClintock
- Bill Maher
- Bill Nye
- Catherine Hicks
- Christopher Reeve
- Dan Duryea
- Dominique Thorne
- Elbert Frank Cox
- Erik Cassel
- Freeman Dyson
- Gabby Giffords
- Harold Gould
- Herb Edelman
- Howard Hawks
- Huey Lewis
- Jane Lynch
- Janet Wood Reno
- Jimmy Smits
- Junot Díaz
- Justin H. Min
- Kurt Vonnegut
- Lee Teng-hui
- Leo Frank
- Mae C. Jemison
- Margaret Bourke-White
- Meta Golding
- Nikos Koklonis
- Numan Kurtulmuş
- Pearl S. Buck
- Randi Weingarten
- Ratan Tata
- Raymond Sawada
- Rob Marciano
- Robert F. Smith
- Robert Smigel
- Rohan Murty
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Salil Parekh
- Shantanu Naidu
- Sister Souljah
- Sudha Murty
- Thomas Pynchon
- Toni Morrison
- Tsai Ing-wen
- Vijaya Gadde
- William Sadler
- Yianni Diakomihalis
Cornell University awards and achievements
- 61 Nobel Laureates
- 4 Turing Award Winners
- 1 Fields Medalist
- 34 Marshall Scholars
- 33 Rhodes Scholars
- 29 Truman Scholars
- 7 Gates Scholars
- 63 Olympic Medalists
Cornell University Frequently Asked Questions
Cornell University Location
New York, United States
Cornell University Contact
Cornell University
Take a Closer Look
How to Get Into Cornell University
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Why Cornell University?
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