Cornell University Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

One of the globally renowned Ivy League universities, Cornell University is a public university with its main campus located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is one of the best study-abroad universities for international students, as Cornell University ranking has been consistent among the top 25 global universities for a decade now.

As per unofficial sources, the university ranked #11 among National Universities, #19 in Best Value Schools, and #16 in World University Rankings 2026. Along with the rankings, students are compelled to apply to Cornell University admission due to its excellent programs, reputation, and highly qualified faculty. It is interesting to note that Cornell was the first Ivy League university to admit women students. Also, it is the only public Ivy League university. Cornell University has over 900 student organizations, and when it comes to Cornell University degrees, it provides 80 UG majors, nearly 100 fields of graduate studies, and over 4,000 courses across its eight colleges and schools.

Cornell University also provides scholarships to 20 Indian scholars under the Tata Scholarship Fund, the requirements for which include being a citizen of India, completion of senior secondary school in India, being offered admission to the university as an undergraduate student, and having eligibility for need-based financial aid. Some of the Indian universities that Cornell partners with include Ashoka University, Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, and O.P. Jindal Global University.

Also Read: Cornell University Ranking 2025

Cornell University Acceptance Rate 2025

As per the latest available data, Cornell University has admitted 5,824 students for the class of 2029. These students hail from 50 states and represent 115 different countries. The number of students admitted has increased from the number of admissions for the year before.

According to reported data for the term of Fall 2024, Cornell University received over 65,000 applications, out of which there were around 5,000 admitted students. Only 3,500 students enrolled, suggesting that the Cornell University acceptance rate falls around 8.41%, concluding that the admission criteria of the institute are rather selective. However, a comparison of the data of Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 reveals an increase of almost 0.6%, signifying decreased rigidity for the admissions of First-Time First-Year students.

Cornell University Acceptance Rate for International Students

For Fall 2024 Cornell admissions, the number of international applicants nearly reached 17,000; however, the number of admitted students was only around 588, while the enrollment stats were even lower, at 396. It means that the Cornell University acceptance rate for international students stands at a mere 3.49%, suggesting extreme competition for students looking forward to studying abroad. However, students shall not be discouraged, as this is a slight increase from the recorded acceptance rate for international students of just 2.8% for Fall 2023. Contenders with strong academic credentials and an exceptional profile can expect to get in deftly.

Cornell University campus houses a total of 1,527 nonresident (international) UG students belonging to diverse ethnic and racial groups as of Fall 2024. The international crowd of the university makes up 26% of the student body and represents 131 different countries. A more detailed breakdown of the First-Time First-Year students is listed below:

Cornell University Acceptance Rate Trends

The acceptance rate of Cornell University has ranged between 7.3% and 8.4% for the last five years. This is a significant drop from the Cornell acceptance rate of 10.7% in the sessions of 2020-21, which suggests an increased overall competition. The trends for the acceptance rate of Cornell University over the years have been as follows:

Cornell University Early Decision vs Regular Decision

Cornell University provides the option to apply through Early Decision as well as Regular Decision to interested applicants. Usually, the acceptance rate for early decision is higher than the regular decision's acceptance rate. For the 2024-25 academic session, the Cornell early acceptance rate stood at approximately 18.2%, with the number of early decision applications received amounting to around 9,520, while the number of admissions was around 1,736. Below is a comparison of the statistics for the academic session 2024-25 with 2023-24:

This indicates that while the overall acceptance rate for Cornell University has increased, on the contrary, admission criteria through early decision have become more selective.

Cornell University Admission Requirements for International Students

In order to secure admission, all overseas applicants must fulfill certain Cornell University admission requirements for international students, which are listed below:

• USD 85 application fee (INR 7,450)
• Official academic transcripts (IGCSE/HSCE, CBSE X, AISSCE X, etc)
• Secondary School transcripts for grades 9-11 and 12th standard
• Proof of English language proficiency (IELTS: 7.5 | TOEFL: 100, DET | 130, Cambridge C1 Advances or C2 Proficiency, minimum score of 191)
• Resume/CV
• Statement of purpose (SOPs)
• Letters of recommendation (LORs) from a school counsellor, college counselor, principal, or headmaster
• Recommendations from two teachers
• SAT/ACT score
• GRE/GMAT score (if applicable); and
• Financial documents.
• Cornell First-Year Writing Supplement

Field-specific requirements:

• Music: Optional music recording
• Architecture: Portfolio
• Art: Portfolio
• Fashion Design and Merchandising: Design Supplement
• Design an Environmental Analysis: Design Supplement
• Landscape Architecture: Required portfolio

Tips to get selected at Cornell University

Getting into Cornell is extremely competitive due to its low Cornell international acceptance rate; hence, students must excel in academics in order to boost their chances. Apart from this, students who are outstanding in activities outside class also stand a good chance of securing admission.

Some of the best practices that students can follow include submission of strong letters of recommendation, participating in co-curricular activities, and contributing to society. Candidates must also possess good character, as Cornell admits students on the basis of a holistic approach.

Cornell University Acceptance Rate vs Columbia University Acceptance Rate

The Columbia University’s acceptance rate 2025 stood at around 4.28%, signifying that admission criteria at the university are particularly selective. Whereas, the Cornell University acceptance rate for the 2024-25 academic session stood around 8.41%, denoting that Columbia University is more competitive to get admission into. Thus, students must work on showcasing exceptional talents and improving their academic profile, along with an increased participation in co-curricular activities to maximize their chances of selection at Columbia University.