How to Apply to Computer Science at Cornell: The BS in Duffield Engineering and the BA in Arts and Sciences, Admission to a College Then Affiliation With the Major, with Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At Cornell University, undergraduate computer science is offered by the Department of Computer Science in Cornell Bowers Computing and Information Science, through two colleges: a BS in Computer Science through Duffield Engineering, or a BA in Computer Science through the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Cornell’s website, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. BS or BA

• What is the same: core CS courses, a practicum or project, technical electives and external specialization courses are the same for all CS majors, whichever college admits you.
• BS (Engineering): Cornell describes it as best for students who want to enrich their degree with engineering and science; it includes required science courses and Engineering distribution areas.
• BA (A&S): best for students who want to enrich their degree with liberal arts study; it includes a foreign language and A&S distribution areas in social sciences and humanities.
• Outcomes (published by Cornell): for the Class of 2025, 96% were employed full-time or in graduate school six months after graduation, with a mean starting salary of USD 128K.

2. Admission to a college, then affiliation with the major

• When you apply: you indicate your interest in CS on the Common App, but admission is to Duffield Engineering or A&S itself, not directly to the major. Apply to Engineering for the BS and to A&S for the BA.
• After you enroll: complete the prerequisite courses, then apply to “affiliate with” the CS major, typically in the second semester of sophomore year. You may apply while taking your last prerequisites; the application is reviewed after final grades are posted.
• Processing schedule: applications submitted 1 January to 31 May get a decision by 1 July; those submitted 1 June to 31 December get a decision by mid-January. Engineering students also submit the relevant Engineering form (Major Affiliation, Change of Major or Double Major).
• Is affiliation guaranteed? Cornell says meeting the requirements makes you eligible to apply; whether every eligible applicant is accepted is not published. Check with Bowers academic advising.

3. Affiliation requirements

• General (both colleges): a C (not C-) or better in every completed CS, MATH and CS-designated “critical math” course at the time of review, even courses not required for affiliation.
• CS courses (both colleges): CS 2110 Object-Oriented Programming and Data Structures (or honors CS 2112) and CS 2800 Mathematical Foundations of Computing (or honors CS 2802), each with a C or better and an average of at least 2.50.
• Math, Engineering: MATH 1920 Multivariable Calculus for Engineers with a C or better (or an S on the MATH 1920 CASE exam, or approved external transfer credit). Students using CASE or transfer credit must take one more critical math course with a C or better.
• Math, A&S: MATH 1120 Calculus II or MATH 1920 with a C or better; MATH 1120 can also be met with a 5 on the AP Calculus exam (written as “Calculus AB BC” on the page), an S on the CASE exam, or approved transfer credit. Students using AP, CASE or transfer credit must take one more critical math course, and the average of MATH 1120/1920 and other completed critical math courses must be at least 2.30.
• Critical math courses include Probability Models and Inference; Probability, Vectors, and Matrices in Computing; Probability and Statistics (ECON); Engineering Probability and Statistics; linear algebra (MATH 2210 for A&S, MATH 2940 for both); and Basic Probability.
• Suggested sequence: in first-year fall, take CS 1110 or CS 1112 (or the next course if you placed out); in spring, CS 2110 plus MATH 1920 (Engineering) or MATH 1120 (A&S); in sophomore year, CS 2800, CS 3110 (Engineering may take CS 3410) and linear algebra.

4. High school coursework and essays

• Engineering requires: 4 units of math including calculus, 1 unit of physics and 1 unit of chemistry; recommended but not required: 1 unit each of computer science and biology. One of your two teacher recommendations must be from a math, science or computer science teacher; international or ESL students are strongly encouraged to have the second come from a teacher who can address English proficiency.
• Engineering essays: two long responses (200 words each: why engineering, why Duffield Engineering) and four short answers (100 words each).
• A&S requires: 4 units of English, 3 of math (including pre-calculus; an extra unit of advanced math recommended), 3 of science (an extra unit of advanced science recommended) and 3 of one foreign language. One essay, up to 650 words.
• Global Start Cantabria: each year a small cohort of incoming Engineering students spends the first semester at the Universidad de Cantabria in Spain.

5. Dates and materials

• Early Decision (binding): application and fee by 1 November, remaining materials by 13 November, decisions in mid-December.
• Regular Decision: application by 2 January, remaining materials by 19 January, decisions in late March.
• Materials: Common App, Cornell writing supplement, official high school transcript, counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations; USD 85 fee.
• SAT or ACT (required): self-report when applying and send official scores before enrolling. Cornell superscores the SAT and accepts official ACT superscores; the ACT science section is not required.

6. Students at high schools in China

• You follow the same process as all applicants. Cornell does not publish separate requirements for the Gaokao or Chinese curricula; prepare to the coursework requirements above. Engineering applicants need physics, chemistry and calculus.
• English: 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.
• AP, A-levels and IB: A&S students can meet MATH 1120 with a 5 on AP Calculus (and must then take another critical math course). Whether A-level or IB results can meet the affiliation math requirement is not stated on the CS pages; check the Cornell catalog and credit policies.

7. Students at Canadian high schools

• Materials and deadlines are the same; Cornell does not publish separate requirements for Canadian provinces, including BC.
• If English has been your primary language of instruction for the past four years, you do not need an English test.
• Financial aid: Cornell’s “U.S. students” are U.S. citizens and certain eligible non-citizens; Canadians are treated as international students, and admission is need-aware.

8. Transfer students

• General rules: you apply as a transfer if you have earned at least 12 college credits after high school or are enrolled full-time elsewhere. Fall entry only, with a 15 March deadline and decisions from late April through June; USD 85 fee.
• Transferring into Engineering (BS):
  • the SAT or ACT is not required for Engineering transfers;
  • all transfer applicants must have completed, or be taking, four courses: two calculus courses (equivalent to MATH 1910 and MATH 1920), one physics (PHYS 1112) and one chemistry (CHEM 2090); without any of them the application will not be reviewed; AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Chemistry count only with a 5;
  • for Computer Science, sophomore standing also needs roughly an introduction to engineering course, CS 1110 or CS 1112 and two first-year writing seminars; junior standing also needs CS 2110 (or CS 2112), CS 2800, MATH 2940 Linear Algebra and two liberal studies courses;
  • Engineering admits transfers at first- or second-semester sophomore or first-semester junior standing, with up to 33 transfer credits per full-time year and 66 in total (including AP, IB, A-level and other exam credit).
• Transferring into A&S (BA): A&S transfer requirements are listed by college on the Admissions transfer page; this guide has not checked them.
• After transferring, you still apply to affiliate with the CS major under section 3.

9. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 estimated cost (USD): Engineering and A&S are endowed colleges: tuition 73,946, fees 1,024, housing 13,744, food 7,604, books 1,234, personal 2,182, for about 99,734 (travel extra).
• International aid: admission is need-aware; admitted international students have 100% of demonstrated need met; to receive Cornell aid at any point, you must file the CSS Profile when you apply; deadlines are 1 November (ED) and 2 January (RD).

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• For the BS, apply to Engineering: 4 years of math including calculus, plus physics and chemistry; one recommendation from a math, science or CS teacher
• For the BA, apply to A&S: 3 years of one foreign language
• SAT or ACT required; TOEFL 5.0 (5.5 recommended) / IELTS 7.5 / Duolingo 130
• After enrolling, take CS 1110/2110 and calculus in your first year and apply to affiliate in your second year

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

• Same deadlines and testing; no English test needed after four years of English-medium schooling

Transfer students:

• For Engineering, complete two calculus courses, physics and chemistry first; apply by 15 March
• You must still apply to affiliate with CS after transferring

Sources: Cornell University, BS in Computer Science (Engineering); BS application and affiliation requirements; BA in Computer Science (Arts & Sciences); BA application and affiliation requirements; First-year applicants; Duffield Engineering first-year applicants; Arts & Sciences first-year applicants; Standardized testing policy; Transfer applicants; Duffield Engineering transfer applicants; Duffield Engineering transfer requirements; Cost to attend; International financial aid. The course catalog (catalog.cornell.edu) could not be accessed; check it for detailed major requirements. Check Cornell for the latest details.