How to Apply to Business at Cornell: Choose Between the Dyson School (Applied Economics and Management) and the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, with Requirements and Timelines for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

Undergraduate business at Cornell University is taught in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, which has two undergraduate schools: the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Cornell’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. Choosing between the two schools

• One or the other: you must apply either to the Dyson School’s B.S. in Applied Economics and Management (AEM) or to the Nolan School’s B.S. in Hotel Administration, selecting “Cornell SC Johnson College of Business — Dyson School” or “— Nolan School” on the Common App. The college says about 1,500 students are enrolled in the two programmes.
• Dyson: a core of applied economics and management, including macroeconomics, microeconomics, accounting and business management, with at least 120 credits. Every student chooses at least one concentration, such as accounting, applied economics, business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, food business management, international markets and development, marketing, strategy, or sustainable business and economic policy. Dyson is shared with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), so students also meet CALS distribution requirements (biology, physical sciences, data literacy, writing and more) and complete the Grand Challenges programme.
• Nolan: business taught through hospitality, with paths into real estate, finance, technology and data analytics. Its 18 core courses cover organizational behaviour, accounting, microeconomics, food service management, strategic management, human resources, real estate and more; the degree needs at least 120 credits plus 800 hours of industry work, usually done in summers.

2. High school coursework and extra materials

• Dyson: at least 16 units, including 4 units of maths (calculus required if offered) and 3 units of science (1 unit each of chemistry and biology required, one more recommended); advanced maths in grade 12 is preferred to AP Statistics.
• Nolan: at least 16 units, including 4 units of maths (pre-calculus required; calculus strongly recommended unless pre-calculus is completed in grade 12), 2 units of science (chemistry required) and 3 units of a foreign language. About half of first-year Nolan students have relevant work experience.
• Resume (required) for both schools.
• Business essay (650 words): what kind of business student are you? Describe the topics or issues you care about and how your interests align with your chosen school.
• No interviews at either school.

3. Deadlines and materials

• Early Decision (ED): application and fee by 1 November, other materials by 13 November, decisions in mid-December. ED is binding; admitted students withdraw all other applications.
• Regular Decision (RD): application by 2 January, other materials by 19 January, decisions in late March.
• Materials: the Common App, the Cornell supplement, an official transcript with mid-year grades when available, a counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations, plus the resume and business essay.
• Application fee: Cornell Admissions lists US$85, while the Dyson and Nolan FAQs say US$80; go by what the Common App shows when you submit.
• SAT or ACT (required): you can self-report; enrolling students must send official scores or risk losing their offer. Cornell takes the highest SAT sections and the ACT superscore; ACT Science is not required. SAT code 2098, ACT code 2726.

4. Students at high schools in China

• You follow the same process as other applicants. Cornell does not set Gaokao- or China-specific requirements; prepare against the maths and science expectations above.
• A-level and IB credit: Cornell has standard credit policies for some A-level and IB HL subjects, but Dyson and Nolan accept at most 15 exam credits (AP, IB, A-level and similar). Dyson does not accept exam credit for calculus, statistics, microeconomics or macroeconomics; you take these at Cornell.
• English requirements are in section 6.

5. Students at Canadian high schools

• Materials and deadlines are the same. Cornell does not list province-specific requirements, including for BC.
• If English has been your primary language of instruction for the past four years, you do not need an English test.
• Financial aid: Canadian applicants are treated as international, and admission is need-aware (section 7).

6. English requirements

• Exempt if English is your native language or you attended high school for the four years before enrolment in a country where English is an official language; Dyson’s page also exempts SAT Reading 35/40 or ACT Reading and English of 30 or more.
• Cornell Admissions’ most competitive minimums: TOEFL 100 before January 2026 or 5.0 after (5.5 recommended); IELTS 7.5; Duolingo 130; Cambridge C1/C2 191.
• Dyson’s page lists representative passing scores of TOEFL 100, IELTS 7.5, PTE 70, iTEP 5.5, Cambridge 191 and Duolingo 120, and accepts InitialView and Vericant. Because the Duolingo figures differ, aim for 130.
• Self-reported scores are accepted; enrolling students must send official scores.

7. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 estimated cost of attendance (US$):
  • Nolan (endowed rate): tuition 73,946, fees 1,024, housing 13,744, food 7,604, books 1,234, personal 2,182, about 99,734 in total, plus transportation;
  • Dyson is a New York State contract school: New York residents pay tuition of 49,816 (about 75,604 in total), while non-residents, including international and Canadian students, pay the same as above, about 99,734.
• International aid:
  • admission is need-aware for international students;
  • Cornell meets 100% of admitted international students’ demonstrated need with grants, work-study and reasonable loans;
  • to receive Cornell grant or scholarship aid at any point, you must file the CSS Profile when you apply;
  • international aid deadlines: 1 November (ED) and 2 January (RD).

8. Transfer students

• External transfer: eligible after earning 12 or more credits after high school, or while enrolled full-time elsewhere; you may apply only as a first-year, sophomore or rising junior. Fall entry only, due 15 March, with rolling decisions. Up to 60 credits may transfer, with grades of C or better (not C-).
• Into Dyson: a GPA of at least 3.5 and good standing each semester, and calculus, microeconomics, statistics and a college writing course with a B or better, taken in college (exam credit and college courses taken in high school do not count). Macroeconomics, biology and chemistry or physics strengthen an application. About a quarter of transfers come from community colleges.
• Into Nolan: 3 units of a foreign language, 1 unit of chemistry and 1 unit of pre-calculus (high school or college), plus college microeconomics and an approved college writing course; if your pre-calculus is from high school only, a higher-level maths course before enrolling is strongly encouraged.
• Internal transfer: Cornell students in their first or second year can apply to Dyson or Nolan by 1 December (spring) or 1 May (fall).
• See Cornell Admissions’ transfer page for university-wide materials and aid; international students must meet the English requirement.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Choose Dyson or Nolan; apply by 1 November (ED) or 2 January (RD) with a resume and the 650-word business essay
• Dyson: 4 years of maths including calculus, plus chemistry and biology; Nolan: pre-calculus, chemistry and 3 years of a language
• SAT or ACT required; TOEFL 5.0 (5.5 recommended) / IELTS 7.5 / Duolingo 130
• For aid, submit the CSS Profile by the deadline

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Same deadlines and testing; four years of English-medium study waives English tests
• Aid is need-aware as an international applicant; Dyson charges the non-New York rate

Transfer students:

• Apply by 15 March, no later than as a rising junior; up to 60 credits transfer
• For Dyson: GPA 3.5+, with college calculus, microeconomics, statistics and writing at B or better

Sources: Cornell University, First-year SC Johnson College applicants; First-year applicants; Standardized testing policy; Transfer applicants; SC Johnson undergraduate admissions; Dyson B.S. in Applied Economics and Management; Dyson application requirements; Dyson degree requirements; Nolan B.S. in Hotel Administration; Nolan application requirements; Cost to attend; International financial aid. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Cornell for the latest details.