All Cornell students must have a strong command of the English language to be successful in their university studies. If English is not your native language or if you have not attended high school in a country where English is an official language for the four years prior to your planned enrollment at Cornell, you may be asked to submit results from an English language proficiency examination.
Cornell University has always had a global outlook, and we offer programs for study abroad and international experiential learning in over 40 countries. Students may choose to study abroad at a university, conduct research or fieldwork, engage in service learning, or participate in an internship. In addition, Cornell students have the opportunity to study off-campus in the United States through the Cornell-in-Washington Program in D.C.
Cornell University has a robust graduate school! Please visit the Cornell University Graduate School website to learn more.
Cornell students have access to a variety of programs and services to ease their transition to college and help them flourish. One such resource is the Tatkon Center for New Students, which offers study skills workshops, writing walk-in services, student mentors, and drop-in professional help with any problem, big or small. The Learning Strategies Center (LSC), the central academic support unit for undergraduates, is also a helpful resource.
The Cornell Tradition, Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholars, and Meinig Family Cornell National Scholars programs constitute The Cornell Commitment. These programs recognize, reward, and support a select group of students who exemplify Cornell's commitment to academic excellence, work and service, inquiry and discovery, and leadership and learning.
Students are considered for selection into The Cornell Commitment programs as part of the admissions process. Separate applications to the programs are not required for incoming students.
Cornell offers nearly 80 majors and more than 120 minors. For students whose interests don't fit neatly into a preexisting major, there’s even an opportunity to design an independent course of study or to double major. Each of the undergraduate colleges and schools at Cornell has its own academic opportunities and requirements.
Several of the academic programs at Cornell offer students the opportunity to participate in an Honors Program and obtain an honors distinction if certain requirements are met. To learn more about the college- or school-specific Honors Programs that may be available, please explore the website for the undergraduate college or school of interest.
Cornell University’s Courses of Study is published yearly by the Cornell University Registrar and is only available online.
The Cornell curriculum is flexible, and students can fine-tune their schedules to have the educational experiences they are looking for. That said, each of the undergraduate colleges and schools has its own academic requirements. In addition, all first-year students participate in Cornell’s award-winning First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS) program. To learn more about these offerings, please visit the John S.
