United States
Cornell University
Funding
Cornell is NEED-AWARE for international first-year students, and meets 100% of admitted eligible international students’ Cornell-calculated demonstrated financial need with Cornell grants, an annual work-study expectation, and depending on family income potentially student loans. Need must be requested during first-year admission application to qualify for Cornell institutional aid later; no automatic zero-cost guarantee.
Eligibility
Selectivity context: Exceptionally selective. Bangladeshi first-year applicants eligible via Common App. Cornell REQUIRES SAT or ACT from first-year applicants for the 2026–27 admission cycle, although self-reported scores may be used until enrollment. International students must meet Cornell English proficiency requirements or criteria for an exemption. Cornell is need-aware internationally, and international need-based aid applicants file the 2027–28 CSS Profile, school code 2098, plus supporting family documentation as requested. Other academic or design supplements vary by undergraduate Cornell college.
Deadlines
Fall 2027 undergraduate admission: binding Early Decision November 1, 2026; Regular Decision January 2, 2027. International CSS Profile aid priority DEADLINES ARE THE SAME: ED November 1 and RD January 2 (unlike different later domestic aid priority dates). Most other required admission materials can arrive by November 13 for ED and January 19 for RD, but portfolios/design supplements may be due with the admission application. Follow intended Cornell school checklist.
What Cornell University needs for Fall 2027
Draft research from official pages (checked 14 Nov 2026). Not yet verified by a bdesh editor — confirm every date and prompt on the official page. 7 details still being checked.
Rounds and deadlines
| Round | Application | Financial aid | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decisionbinding | 1 Nov 2026 | 1 Nov 2026 | Mid-December |
| Regular Decision | 2 Jan 2027 | 2 Jan 2027 | Late March |
Essays and short answers
Required350 wordsCALS answers both questions
What interests you about the major you selected? Tell us about experiences (both in and outside of the classroom), questions, and goals that influenced your choice.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
Required350 words
What draws you to Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)? Reflect on the learning, community, or impact opportunities that matter most to you, and share how they align with Cornell CALS (as you understand it currently).
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
Required650 words
Describe how your interests connect to architecture. Include an example of a creative project, design experience, or personal passion that sparked your interest in pursuing a 5-year professional degree in architecture. Reflect on how this experience shaped your understanding of the field and your motivation to study architecture.
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: Architecture (B.Arch)
Required650 words
Submit an artist statement describing your creative interests and practice. Address how your work reflects your artistic voice, influences, and process, and how studying art at Cornell AAP would support and expand your practice. (You will also be prompted to upload a copy to your Slideroom portal.)
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: Fine Arts (BFA)
Required650 words
Describe your interest in urban and regional studies. Discuss experiences, ideas, or issues that have shaped your interest in cities, communities, and regional systems, and explain how URS at Cornell aligns with your academic and career goals.
College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: Urban and Regional Studies (URS)
Required650 words
At the College of Arts and Sciences, your education is yours to shape. Describe an intellectual passion, question, or idea that has captured your attention—whether it emerges from your studies or extends beyond your coursework. What specific aspects of our liberal arts curriculum would you draw on to explore and connect your varied interests?
College of Arts and Sciences
Required200 words
Fundamentally, engineering is the application of math, science, and technology to solve complex problems. Why do you want to study engineering?
Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Required200 words
Why do you think you would love to study at Duffield Engineering?
Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Required100 words
What brings you joy?
Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Required100 words
What do you believe you will contribute to the Duffield Engineering community beyond what you've already detailed in your application? What unique voice will you bring?
Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Required100 words
What is one activity, club, team, organization, work/volunteer experience or family responsibility that is especially meaningful to you? Please briefly tell us about its significance for you.
Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Required100 words
What is one award you have received or achievement you have attained that has meant the most to you? Please briefly describe its importance to you.
Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering
Required550 words
The College of Human Ecology prepares students to respond to human needs through an education organized around the interconnected issues that profoundly affect individuals, communities, and the institutions that shape our lives. Think about an extracurricular/community/engagement/work experience that most closely connects you to the CHE mission and your intended choice of major. Tell us what that experience taught you about your broader community and its needs, and the impact you can make. How will your intended CHE major help you make that impact? (Refer to our essay application tips as you write your essay.)
College of Human Ecology
Required650 words
Discuss your interest in pursuing a major in policy at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and what draws you to this field of study. You are encouraged to consider including details related to your personal experiences, values, academic influences, or extracurricular activities that have shaped your perspective and future goals.
Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy (all applicants)
Required350 words
Please describe why you are interested in being considered for the Brooks School DC Start program.
Brooks School DC Start applicants only
Required650 words
What kind of business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (the Dyson School or the Nolan School).
SC Johnson College of Business (Dyson School or Nolan School of Hotel Administration)
Required650 words
Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.
School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR)
Testing
- SAT/ACT required
- English tests: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, Cambridge C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency (TOEFL 100 (taken before Jan 2026); 5.0 minimum, 5.5 recommended (taken Jan 2026 or later) · IELTS 7.5 · DET 130 · Cambridge C1/C2 191)
- Exempt if U.S. citizen/permanent resident, English is native language, or English was the primary language of instruction for the past four years.
Recommendations · Interview
- counselor + 2 teacher
- Interview: Not offered
- Application fee: $85 · Apply through Common App
Financial aid for international students
- Need-aware for international applicants
- ✓ Meets full demonstrated need
- Forms: CSS Profile
- Documents: Documents requested through College Board IDOC (signed copies, only those Cornell specifically requests); Separate CSS Profile from each parent if parents are divorced or separated
- CSS Profile code: 2098
Need-aware for international applicants. Cornell meets 100% of admitted international students' demonstrated need. Must apply for aid by the deadline with the admission application; missing it makes the applicant ineligible for aid at any point as an undergraduate.
Official pages used
- admissions.cornell.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants
- finaid.cornell.edu/first-year-and-transfer-students-international
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-cals-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-cornell-aap-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-arts-sciences-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-duffield-engineering-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-human-ecology-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-brooks-school-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-sc-johnson-college-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/first-year-ilr-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/policies/standardized-testing-policy
- faq.enrollment.cornell.edu/kb/article/179-does-cornell-require-personal-interviews/
- finaid.cornell.edu/apply-aid/prospective-international-applicants
- admissions.cornell.edu/resources/submit-standardized-test-scores
- admissions.cornell.edu/resources/submit-application