Cornell University Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

One of the globally renowned Ivy League universities Cornell University is public university with its main campus in Ithaca in New York in US. As per unofficial sources the university ranked #12 among National Universities, #23 in Best Value Schools and #16 in QS World University Rankings 2026. Cornell was the first Ivy League university to admit women students and also it is the only public Ivy League university. Cornell Uni has over 900 student organizations and when it comes to Cornell University degrees it provides 80 UG majors, nearly 100 fields of pg studies and over 4,000 courses across its 8 colleges and schools.

Also Read about Cornell University Ranking 2025

Cornell University Acceptance Rate 2025

Cornell's Class of 2029 will be its largest ever class. The no. of applications received by Cornell University has increased by just 1% approx. from last year, whereas the no. of students admitted has increased by 5.5%. As a result, the Cornell University acceptance rate currently stands at 8.9%, up from the Cornell acceptance rate 2024 of 8.4%, making the admission criteria of the university extremely selective.

Cornell University Acceptance Rate for International Students

The fresh enrollees of Class of 2029 hail from 97 different countries of origin. While the international admission stats aren't available for 2025, in 2024, the Cornell University acceptance rate for international students stood at a mere 3.49% suggesting extreme competition for students looking forward to studying abroad.

The international crowd of Cornell makes up 26% of the student body and represents 131 different countries. Check a more detailed breakdown of the First-Time First-Year students mentioned below 

Cornell University Acceptance Rate Trends

In the last six years, Cornell University's no. of applications has increased by 26% whereas the no. of students accepted has decreased by 16.8%. As a result the Cornell University acceptance rate has gone down by 16.8%, currently standing at 8.9% for 2025.

Cornell University Early Decision vs Regular Decision

Cornell University regular acceptance rate has only gone up by 0.8% percentage points from last year, standing at 7% for 2025 which shows how strict the admission criteria while applying via Regular Decision.

Cornell University early acceptance rate on the other hand has gone up by 3.6% percentage points from last year, standing at 22% for 2025 which shows how the admission criteria are more lenient while applying via Early Decision.

Cornell University Admission Requirements for International Students

The Cornell University admission requirements for international students are mentioned 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
• English proficiency proof (IELTS: 7.5 | TOEFL: 100, DET | 130, Cambridge C1 Advances or C2 Proficiency, minimum score of 191)
• Resume/CV
• Statement of purpose
• Letters of recommendation from a school counsellor, college counselor, principal, or headmaster
• Recommendations from two teachers
• SAT/ACT score
• GRE/GMAT score 
• 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 4.9%, signifying that admission criteria at the university are particularly selective. Whereas, the Cornell University acceptance rate for the 2025-26 academic session stood around 8.9%, denoting that Columbia University is more competitive to get admission into.