First-year domestic applicants are students who will complete high school during the current academic year and hold one of the following United States citizenship or residency statuses:
Undergraduate students will not receive a STEM-designated degree.
For students seeking clarification regarding STEM programs, the Office of Global Learning is available to support with questions about campus resources, jobs, visas, travel, and more.
The Cornell application process is the same for international students as it is for prospective students in the United States. International first-year applicants are welcome to apply under the early decision plan (deadline November 1) or the regular decision plan (deadline January 2).
Please be sure to review the First-Year Applicants page for more information.
Cornell will typically defer a student's offer of admission to permit them to complete required military service. If you are an admitted student wishing to defer enrollment for one or two years, you can submit an official request to Cornell undergraduate admissions by visiting your Applicant Portal and completing the Deferral Request Form. You can indicate your interest in connecting with an admissions officer about deferral plans before submitting an official request.
Deferral requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis; admitted first-year Cornell students may request a one or two-year deferred entry. In general, Cornell supports the concept of a gap year experience for students between high school and college with a well-developed plan and personal goals. Admitted international students who seek a deferral due to mandatory military service in their home countries are typically granted a deferral.
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.
