Admissions and Aid
Applying to ILR
All First-Year and Transfer Applicants must submit the Common Application and select Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) for both their school and major. Information on Cornell's application requirements, deadlines and instructions can be found at the Undergraduate Admissions Office (UAO) website.
Successful applicants to ILR have a record of academic success, experiences that have exposed them to ILR-related topics, and a Supplement essay that shows a strong interest in the areas they hope to explore in our school. All applicants should review course offerings in all of our departments to fully understand the range of issues studied at ILR.
Tuition and Aid
For the most current information on tuition, access to our financial aid calculator, and details on our initiatives to make Cornell affordable for admitted students, please visit our Financial Aid website. Keep in mind that ILR is one of Cornell's New York State contract colleges.
Information Session
First-Year
High school seniors and students with a high school diploma who have earned less than 12 credits at a college or university must apply as first-year applicants.
Review the Common App guide for instructions and tips for completing the application.
Early Decision (ED): ED at Cornell is a binding agreement. If you are accepted through ED, you must withdraw any applications submitted to other schools and cannot submit additional applications to any other institution. Students who apply early to ILR can be admitted, deferred to the regular decision pool, or refused.
High School Course Requirements: 4 years of English and 4 years of Math
Standardized Tests: Students applying to enter for the Fall 2025 term are not required to submit SAT or ACT results. The ILR Admissions Committee will continue to use the academic record, essays and references to evaluate an applicant’s academic strength and fit with the School. Some applicants without standardized testing results may be asked to submit additional grade reports or other college-preparatory results during the review process.
Students applying to enter for the Fall 2026 term are required to submit SAT or ACT results.
See Cornell University’s standardized testing policy for more information.
Transfer
Students who have earned 12 or more credits at a college or university after the date they received their high school diploma or GED must apply as transfer applicants. Transfers can begin their studies at ILR as first- or second- semesters sophomores or first-semester juniors.
Please review the Transfer Guidelines for information on course requirements, the transfer of credits, and submitting required materials.
Visiting Student status is for those who desire instruction in ILR courses, not for students who wish to transfer to ILR. You will not be a candidate for a Cornell degree or receive financial aid. Visiting Students must apply using the transfer application.
Transfer students are not required to submit SAT or ACT results.
Internal Transfer
Current Cornell students who are considering a transfer to ILR should email ilradmissions@cornell.edu to schedule a meeting with an admissions counselor. Review our Internal Transfer Guidelines for information on the internal transfer requirements, process and application.