Admissions requirements and process

Source: https://as.cornell.edu/admissions/admissions-requirements-and-process Parent: https://admissions.cornell.edu/how-to-apply/transfer-applicants

Undergraduate Admissions

As you prepare to apply to the College of Arts & Sciences, please review the following requirements for First-Year Students:

A&S requires the following High School Coursework:

4 units of English
3 units of Mathematics (including pre-calculus)
3 units of Science
3 units of one language (For heritage speakers or students who have initiated a language sequence before high school: completion of at least the third level (e.g. Spanish 3))
Also recommended: an additional unit of advanced mathematics and science.

In addition to the Common Application (CA), A&S requires the following Application Materials:

Official Secondary/High School Transcript followed by a Mid-Year Report when it becomes available
Counselor Recommendation and School Report
2 Teacher Evaluations
Test Scores:
For Fall 2026 applicants to the College of Arts & Sciences, the submission of SAT/ACT test results is required for all first-year applicants, including Questbridge, Early Decision, and Regular Decision.
International students: You may be asked to submit results from an English language proficiency exam.
Cornell Writing Supplement
$85 application fee or Fee Waiver

Supplemental Materials

Undergraduate applicants to the College of Arts & Sciences who believe that their musical abilities will enhance their application (regardless of their intended major) are encouraged to supplement their applications with music recordings. All recordings must be electronic, no longer than 10 minutes in length, and highlight the applicant. Instructions for Fall 2026 applicants to submit recordings will be available by late summer.

With the exception of musical recordings, the College of Arts & Sciences does not review art portfolios, films, creative writing samples, academic papers, or other supplemental materials provided outside the parameters of the Common Application.

Interviews

The College of Arts & Sciences does not require, nor offer, on-campus interviews. Due to the high volume of applications we receive each year, we are unable to extend an interview to every candidate and thus, in the interest of fairness and equity, interviews are not part of our Admissions process. To learn about the university and our programs, we encourage you explore Cornell's Virtual Visit information, watch our 4-part virtual information session, meet some of our most recent graduates, and explore our academic departments.

Click here to find more information about Cornell's First-Year admission requirements.

Have additional questions about undergraduate admissions?

Explore the Undergraduate Admissions Office's FAQs.

Email us.

Call us at 607-255-4833.

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Transfer Admissions

Prospective students should review the information, timeline, and FAQs relevant for all Cornell transfer applicants.

Transfer applicants to the College of Arts & Sciences:

You will need to complete a minimum of 60 credits at Cornell and four semesters in residency in the College of Arts & Sciences.
If you wish to transfer to the College of Arts & Sciences as a junior, you need to have fulfilled the prerequisite coursework for your intended major. Please check major department websites for information on prerequisite coursework.
For more information on advanced placement credit, see Advanced Placement and Advanced Standing.
For more information on transfer credits, see Transferring Credits.

If you have questions, please contact us at as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Transfer Option

The Transfer Option (TO) is extended to a select group of first-year applicants as an invitation to apply for sophomore-year transfer admission to the College of Arts and Sciences after completing one year of full-time study at another college or university.

Please note: the TO is not an offer of admission. While students who meet all academic expectations outlined below will be considered highly competitive applicants, admission is not guaranteed, and exceptions to these expectations may be made in individual cases.

To be a competitive transfer applicant to Cornell A&S, students should:

Complete two semesters or three quarters of full-time study at a regionally accredited, degree-granting institution during the upcoming academic year. Summer enrollment does not count toward this requirement.
Enroll in a broad selection of courses in the liberal arts and sciences (not in a program in business, engineering, or other pre-professional areas). All students are strongly encouraged to take at least one writing-intensive composition course, even if they have AP or IB credit that might place them out of a first-year writing requirement. At Cornell, students may use AP/IB credit to place out of only one of the two required First-Year Writing Seminars (FWS).
Earn a minimum 3.5 GPA each semester, with no grade lower than a B-, especially in courses related to the intended major.

Additional considerations:

All students are strongly encouraged to consult the Cornell A&S department websites for their intended major to ensure they are selecting appropriate courses, especially if sequential coursework in the sciences or languages is involved.
We are not able to review or pre-approve the coursework students plan to take during their first year at another institution.
The intended major will be part of the comprehensive transfer application review, and significant shifts away from the original areas of academic interest - particularly into more selective or sequential programs – may affect a student’s competitiveness for admission.
The Transfer Option cannot be deferred to a later term or academic year.

If you have questions, please contact us at as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Internal Transfer to Arts and Sciences

Students wishing to apply for internal transfer from another school/college at Cornell to the College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) must follow three steps:

Confirm eligibility
Review A&S degree and intended major requirements
Submit the Internal Transfer application (including course plan and major department approval, if required) by the deadline

Note: a meeting with an A&S staff member is NOT required, and staff in the A&S Advising Office are unable to meet with prospective internal transfer applicants. If you have questions, please attend an info session (see below) or email as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Eligibility

Admission to the College of Arts and Sciences through internal transfer is selective. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee admission.

Standing and GPA: You must be in good academic standing in your home school/college, with both a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and at least a 3.0 GPA in 12 academic credits in the semester of application.
Timing:
The earliest you may apply is at the end of your second semester (rising sophomore). Applications submitted after a single semester will be denied.
The latest you may apply is at the end of your first semester as a junior. Applications submitted beyond that point will not be considered.
Current Second Semester Sophomores (Rising Juniors) and First Semester Juniors must:
Submit a detailed academic course plan showing timely completion of both major and A&S degree requirements (including language).
Provide documentation of formal admission into an A&S major (provisional/conditional approval is not sufficient).
Graduation timeline: Internal transfer applicants must be able to graduate on time. Students requiring additional semesters beyond the senior year will be denied.
Not eligible:
Seniors and current second-semester juniors
Students who have already internally transferred once (students who wish to return to A&S after internally transferring out excepted – you must still apply by the end of your first semester as a junior)
Students not in good academic standing in their home school/college
Strongly discouraged:
Students who externally transferred into another school/college at Cornell
Students who previously applied to internally transfer to A&S and were not admitted
Competitive applicants typically demonstrate:
Application early in their Cornell career (most often in the second semester of the first year, or first or second semester of sophomore year)
Appropriate progress toward the 100 A&S credits required for graduation
Progress toward the A&S language requirement (or exemption through fluency/by exam)
Completion of the First-Year Writing Seminar requirement and strong performance in FWS coursework
Strong performance in coursework related to the intended major (no repeated courses)
Special Circumstances
External transfers to Cornell: You may only apply for internal transfer after completing two semesters at Cornell. External transfers must complete at least four semesters in residence at Cornell and at least two semesters in residence in A&S. A&S will re-evaluate your external transfer credits to determine how they apply to A&S requirements. Review your DUST report carefully after admission.
Leave of absence: Students withdrawn from Cornell or on a required leave of absence must first return to their home college before applying to A&S.

Application Process

Review requirements: Carefully review A&S degree requirements and your intended major’s prerequisites on the departmental website.
Submit your application: The internal transfer application is required by the deadline.
Next application deadline (including for academic course plan, if required): May 1, 2026 (major approval forms for rising and current juniors is due June 1, 2026).
Applications are reviewed after all final semester grades are posted, and students are notified of the decision by mid-June.
Additional materials (second semester sophomores and first semester juniors only):
Submit a detailed academic course plan as an addendum to your personal statement in the internal transfer application. The course plan must show timely completion of both major and A&S graduation requirements (including language). Second semester sophomore and first semester junior applicants who do not submit an academic course plan will be denied.
After submitting your application, you will be contacted via email by A&S with instructions on how to provide documentation of major approval. Second semester sophomore and first semester junior applicants who do not provide major approval will be denied.

Late Applications: Requests to apply after the deadline must be sent to as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Internal Transfer Information Sessions

Monday, February 23, 2026, 6:00 pm: Register
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 7:00 pm: Register

Questions?

Email as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Graduate Admissions

From cutting-edge research in theoretical physics to in-depth studies of global issues, as a graduate student working in the College of Arts & Sciences you will have access to prize-winning faculty who are pioneers in their fields and fellow students who are top researchers from around the world.

You'll be treated as a colleague in the pursuit of knowledge and join the culture of collaboration that permeates the College and creates multiple opportunities for interdisciplinary research and area studies.

If you are interested in learning more about graduate study opportunities in Arts & Sciences, we encourage you to explore our graduate fields, the College's departments and programs, as well as the website of Graduate School at Cornell University.

Have questions about graduate admissions?

Please review the contact information on the Graduate School website.