Admissions requirements and process

Undergraduate Admissions

As a student in the College of Arts & Sciences, you will live at the center of an academic community that is constantly generating new ideas. You will learn from excellent teachers who will challenge you to expand your imagination, while you sharpen your critical and creative responses to all encounters. And you will join a group of impressive, independent and diverse thinkers, who will help you forge your own path to discovery and transformation.

Undergraduate Admissions Requirements:

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 foreign language (For heritage speakers or students who have initiated a foreign 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:

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. All recordings submitted through the Department of Music’s online portal are evaluated by Cornell faculty for our Admissions Committee.

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.

First-year applicants may be contacted by an alumnus/a volunteer in their local area to schedule a time to talk about Cornell. This informal conversation is not required, and is offered as an additional way for applicants to discover Cornell and ask questions. Due to time, geographic, and volunteer constraints, not all applicants will be contacted; please be assured that applications are not adversely impacted if an applicant is not contacted by an alumnus/a volunteer.

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

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Have additional questions about undergraduate admissions?

Explore the Undergraduate Admissions Office's FAQs.

Email us.

Call us at 607-255-4833.

Ask a current Arts & Sciences Cornell student about academics, clubs and activities, or life in Ithaca.

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Transfer Admissions

We're happy to know that you are considering a transfer to Cornell's College of Arts & Sciences.

Since you're interested in Cornell, we know that you have most likely taken a broad and challenging liberal arts curriculum during the time that you've spent at your current college or university. We know that you've already taken many courses, which could include writing, foreign languages, science, quantitative reasoning, social sciences and humanities. We can help you build on that educational foundation here. We are happy to review applications from students who have attended community colleges as well as other colleges and universities, and welcome international transfer students, as well.

Learn More About Transferring to Cornell and Apply Now

Transfer Option: If you previously applied to the College of Arts & Sciences and received a Transfer Option, please refer to your Application Status Page for further information and for directions on how to apply with your Transfer Option. Please note that we are unable to provide 1-on-1 evaluations or approvals of first-year coursework planned elsewhere; successful applicants will receive a complete credit evaluation when admitted. If you have questions, please contact us at as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Internal Transfer: Current Cornell students interested in transferring into the College of Arts & Sciences should refer to our information on Internal Transfer.

Undergraduate transfer admissions requirements

While most of the information you'll need to know can be found at the link above, here are some facts that are specific to our College:

  • You will need to complete a minimum of 60 credits at Cornell and four semesters in residency in the College of Arts and Sciences.
  • We accept fall or spring transfers but don't offer interviews.
  • 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. Information on major prerequisites and requirements can be found in Cornell's Courses of Study
  • For more information on transfer credits, see Transferring Credits

Have questions about transfer admissions?

Please email us at as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Internal Transfer

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

  1. Determine Eligibility
  2. Review A&S College Requirements
  3. Submit an Application

Eligibility

  • You must be in good standing in your home college with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 and must earn at least a 2.7 in the semester during which you apply.
  • First-year students: The first opportunity to apply is at the end of your second semester. Applications submitted after a single semester will be denied.
  • Second-semester sophomores and juniors: If you apply to transfer as a second-semester sophomore or junior, you must submit documentation that you have been accepted into an A&S major (see below). Rising juniors or current juniors who are not ready to enter an A&S major will be denied.
  • Juniors and seniors: the last opportunity to apply is at the end of your first semester as a junior. 
  • You must be on track for “on-time” graduation from Cornell after internal transfer: students for whom internal transfer will result in needing additional time to complete their degree beyond the senior year will be denied.
  • External transfers to one of Cornell's other colleges/schools may only apply at the end of their second Cornell semester.
    • Note for external transfers: Students who transfer to Cornell from another institution must complete a minimum of four semesters in residence at Cornell and a minimum of two semesters in residence in A&S. Please review the A&S residency requirement.
  • Students on a leave of absence: If you are withdrawn from Cornell or on a required leave of absence from your home college, you must get permission to apply. Please email as-transfer@cornell.edu

Questions? Email us at: as-transfer@cornell.edu

Please note that the A&S Advising Office is not taking individual appointments for prospective internal transfers to the College. Please email us at as-transfer@cornell.edu with specific internal transfer questions.

Applying

  • Before applying, carefully review the degree requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences as well as the prerequisites and requirements for your intended major on the appropriate departmental website.
    • If you apply to transfer as a second-semester sophomore or as a junior, the Director of Undergraduate Studies in your intended major must submit documentation in the A&S' major database that you have been admitted to the major. This documentation must be received by June 1 (for May 1 applications) or January 1 (for Dec. 1 applications). You may need to wait to ask the department for major approval until all final grades for the semester have been posted.
    • Second-semester sophomores and juniors: you must submit with your application a detailed academic course plan for your remaining semesters. This plan should clearly outline how you plan to complete not only your major requirements, but also the Arts & Sciences graduation requirements (including the foreign language requirement).
  • Note that the next internal transfer application deadline is May 1, 2023 (major approval forms for (rising) juniors are due June 1, 2023). 
  • The application for internal transfer is available here on the Cornell University Undergraduate Admissions site.
  • Applicants do not need to meet with an advisor in the College of Arts & Sciences in order to successfully transfer internally. 
  • Applications will be reviewed and decisioned after all final semester grades have been received. There is no option to have your application reviewed before then.
  • Late Applications: Requests to apply after the official deadline should be sent to as-transfer@cornell.edu.

Transfer to Another College

Current Arts & Sciences students who wish to explore the option of internally transferring to another college or school should contact the internal transfer coordinator of the target college or school.

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.

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Have questions about graduate admissions?

Please review the contact information on the Graduate School website.