International undergraduates, welcome to your Ivy League experience at Cornell University! If your home institution does not have a reciprocal exchange agreement with Cornell, spend the spring semester on campus through the Visiting International Student Program (VIS).
With eight undergraduate colleges and schools that offer nearly 80 majors, Cornell’s academic offerings are exceptionally wide-ranging. At Cornell, visiting students can create an interdisciplinary academic plan and choose from an array of courses not available at home.
The Office of Global Learning (OGL) manages your VIS experience. We provide advising and support throughout your Cornell experience in cooperation with Cornell’s undergraduate colleges and schools.
To apply to VIS, you must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student at a college or university outside the United States and receive approval from your home institution. Visiting students may have an opportunity to live in on-campus residence halls when available.
What You'll Love About Cornell
Cornell has the largest undergraduate population of the Ivy League—so you'll find a diverse, welcoming student community to join. Jump into campus activities, explore your interests in over 1,000 student organizations, and experience springtime traditions like Dragon Day and Slope Day. You'll get to know other exchange and visiting students at OGL's arrival orientation and social events.
Pick a favorite study spot and do your course projects at Cornell's famous A. D. White Library or one of more than 20 campus libraries. Cornell has the 16th largest library in North America!
Two breaks in the spring semester—February break and spring break—let you take advantage of being within a six-hour drive of exciting cities like Toronto, Montreal, New York, Boston, and Washington, DC. Daily campus-to-campus bus service makes it easy to get to the heart of New York City.
Get Started
Your journey as a visiting international student at Cornell starts with your online VIS application, completed with the approval of your home institution. Some students work with provider programs that assist in the application process.
Our office reviews VIS applications, confirms student eligibility, and issues acceptances, including required immigration status materials and arrival information.
If you come to Cornell as a VIS participant, we will advise you before, during, and after your program. We look forward to welcoming you to campus!
You must have approval from your home institution to be considered for VIS. You're eligible to apply if you also meet these criteria:
You're an undergraduate with at least two full-time semesters of university study complete.
Your record shows solid academic preparation in general and in your proposed areas of study.
You have the equivalent of a United States grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
You can demonstrate your proficiency in English with a TOEFL iBT score of 100, Duolingo score of 120, or IELTS score of 7.5. Alternately, you are a native English speaker or attend an institution where instruction is in English.
Cornell Academics
Explore these links to learn about Cornell's undergraduate colleges and schools admitting students through VIS:
Cornell cannot guarantee enrollment in any college, major, or course.
Majors: The following majors are not available to VIS participants:
Applied Economics and Management
Computer Science
Hotel Administration
Information Science
Most CALS majors
Any major offered through the College of Architecture, Arts, and Planning
Any major offered through the College of Human Ecology
Graduate programs
Degree or certificate programs based outside of Ithaca, New York
Courses: Enrollment permission is subject to college or school restrictions, demonstrated academic qualifications in the form of prerequisites, and class size limitations. The following course areas are not available to VIS participants:
Architecture, Art, and Design (AAP, ARCH, ART, CRP, DESIGN, REAL)
Biomedical Engineering (BME)
Business (AEM, HADM, NBA)
Computer Science (CS)
Information Science (INFO)
Courses that are only open to degree-seeking majors, including core or senior capstone courses and first-year writing seminars
Studio courses
Can I take a class in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences?
Yes, you can enroll in a variety of CALS electives, when available, whatever your major. (Note that two CALS majors, Agricultural Sciences and Global Development, are available to VIS participants. All other CALS majors are restricted.)
But I need this class for my major at home!
VIS can't make exceptions based on your major needs at your home institution. If your studies are focused in one of the restricted majors (see above) or if you need very specific classes to fulfill your academic requirements at home, please take the time to determine if Cornell is the right fit for you academically.
Can I apply for VIS as a graduate student?
No. Graduate degree programs and professional colleges and schools (College of Veterinary Medicine, SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell Law School, Cornell Tech, and Weill Cornell Medicine) are not included in Cornell's undergraduate Visiting International Student Program.
Many graduate students come to Cornell to study or conduct research as visitors. Explore ways to come to campus as a visiting graduate student.
Apply to study at Cornell as a visiting international student by completing the online VIS application. Email us if you have questions about your application.
Log In
Please log into the system as a non-Cornell user. You may sign out and return to your application at any time using the password you create when you start your application.
Gather Your Documents
You'll need to submit the following documents as part of your online application:
Statement of purpose
List of Cornell courses that interest you
Home institution approval
Transcripts of all undergraduate work (and graduate work, if any)
We hope we'll have the opportunity to welcome you to campus! Here are some key factors to consider as you apply. If you're admitted as a visiting student, we will provide further information.
Finances
VIS participants pay full Cornell tuition (endowed rate). Other fees and expenses include—but are not limited to—student activity fee, housing, health insurance, and meal plan if applicable. Cornell financial aid is not available. Explore Cost to Attend to learn about estimated costs, including fees, room and board, and personal expenses.
Housing
Visiting students are responsible for securing their own accommodations on or near campus. Get started by exploring Housing and Residential Life at Cornell. Consider applying for on-campus housing. Living off-campus is another option.
Student Visa
Unless you are a U.S. citizen, you must have a student visa to enter the United States for your Cornell studies.
After you're accepted as a visiting student, OGL will provide information on applying for a student visa. The undergraduate admissions office will prepare your I-20. You will be asked to provide the following information to the I-20 portal:
Scanned copy of your passport
Declaration of finances (required form with bank letter or statement attached)
