How to Transfer to Cornell: Transfer Acceptance Rate and More

Do you want to transfer to Cornell? You're in good company! Last year, about 6,000 aspiring transfer students applied there. Keep reading for Cornell's transfer acceptance rate, tips for transfer applicants, and more.

Cornell transfer acceptance rate

For the 2022-2023 school year, the transfer acceptance rate was 14%. Similarly ranked colleges have similar transfer acceptance rates: Vanderbilt and Wash U both let in abut 17% of transfer applicants. Other Ivy League schools generally have single-digit acceptance rates for transfer students.

Cornell University transfer requirements

Cornell requires that all transfer applicants submit:

the Common App with Cornell transfer questions and writing supplement
$80 application fee or fee waiver
Official, final high school transcript
All official college transcripts
College Report
Academic recommendation (from a college instructor)
Mid-Term Report
Financial aid application materials
Supplemental material required by specific programs

Specific programs at Cornell have other transfer requirements, which you can find here.

Cornell University transfer deadline

The application deadline for transfer applicants for the fall semester is March 15.

The application deadline for spring applicants is October 15.

Cornell University transfers: application advice

Focus on your college coursework, even as you work on your transfer applications. Transfer applicants' grades in college courses are almost certainly the most important element of their applications to Cornell.
Get organized. You're probably considering schools other than Cornell too. The transfer application process requires keeping track of the application deadline and transfer requirements for each college. It's so easy to let something slip through the cracks. In my online course on transfer admission, I offer you all the spreadsheet column headings an aspiring transfer student needs to keep on top of everything.
Get compelling recommendation letters. These letters should come from a college professor, not someone who knew you in high school, and focus primarily on your college-level academic performance. Why? Cornell wants a transfer student who can perform in college courses, so your high school performance matters less. For more specific suggestions on how to get appealing recommendation letters, take my online course on transfer admission.
Write the right personal statement. There are topics that will make you look like a sure bet for a transfer student and topics that will scare the Cornell admission office. Find out what topics competitive applicants write about in my online course on transfer admission.
Demonstrate interest in Cornell in particular. Show that you want to attend Cornell with lots of little college-specific details in your essays. That will make the admission office think you're likely to enroll if admitted, which improves your odds. Get a checklist of ways prospective students can demonstrate interest in my online course on transfer admission.
Know what your family can afford. At many colleges, financial aid for transfer students is less generous. Cornell guarantees to meet full demonstrated need with financial aid, but it isn't clear if its transfer admission process is need-blind. That is, Cornell may consider your ability to pay when deciding to let you in as a transfer student.
Report your intended major strategically. Certain departments with fewer students probably offer broader paths in. Take my online course on transfer admission to see how you can mold your genuine academic interests to fit in an undersubscribed major.
Take advantage of community college pathways. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell has transfer agreements with certain community colleges in New York state. See if your school is on this list.

Cornell University | Transferring to Cornell

Cornell University | Transfer acceptance rate

More about Cornell University

There are about 26,000 Cornell students total. About 16,000 of them are undergraduates, and about 1,600 of those undergraduates are international students.

Cornell's beautiful campus is in Ithaca, NY, about 4 hours away from New York City.

Cornell is the only land-grant institution in the Ivy League.

One unusual feature of Cornell is its degree in Hotel Administration -- the only such program in the Ivy League.