Future Students

Yes, SUNY Cortland awards academic merit scholarships to a select number of incoming students. These awards are very competitive and all recipients are notified in their letter of acceptance. Accepted students also may apply for a limited number of endowed scholarships. Learn more about the different types of scholarships that students can earn at the university.

First-year students who are interested in early action admission must apply by Nov. 15. Early action is non-binding, meaning that students are not obligated to attend SUNY Cortland if they are accepted. The recommended application date for first-year students is Dec. 1.

The transfer admissions process is rolling. The recommended application date for transfer students who are interested in starting in the spring is Nov. 1; the recommended application date for transfer students who are interested in starting in the fall is March 1. 

Yes. All students can have a vehicle on campus, provided they have purchased a parking permit. Learn more about campus parking information.

Interviews are not considered as part of the official application process.

We do not offer a legacy admissions or scholarship program, although we always welcome letters of recommendation from SUNY Cortland Alumni.

SUNY Cortland housed the first study abroad program in the State University of New York system. The College’s International Programs Office continues that great work today, offering more than 60 programs from campus and the ability to study abroad through hundreds of additional opportunities in the SUNY system. Visit the study abroad webpage to explore the options in greater detail.

Yes. Send a brief email to admissions@cortland.edu with your full name, date of birth, the major to which you applied and the major you’d like to pursue. We will let you know when the change has been made or notify you in the event that we cannot accommodate the request.

Approximately 80%.

Yes, freshmen are required to live on campus for their first two years and transfer students are required to live on campus for one year. After that, students may remain on campus or move off campus.

All residence halls are co-ed by floor for high-rise and suite-style buildings and by wing for the low-rise and corridor-style buildings.

Approximately half of all undergraduate students live on campus, while the rest live in off-campus housing nearby. On-campus housing is available to all students.

The majority of undergraduate students — 95% — are from New York state, but the College receives applications from across the U.S. and the world. SUNY Cortland students represent 31 states and 45 countries.

Send transcripts and other materials to:

Undergraduate Admissions
SUNY Cortland
P.O. Box 2000
Cortland, NY 13045

Colleges that have the ability to send electronic (PDF) versions of transcripts directly to the Admissions Office will be considered official.  Please review your college transcript request options.  If needed, you may have to choose the "Send to a Third-Party Recipient" option and input admissions@cortland.edu as the recipient's email address.

Transcripts emailed to us directly from applicants are considered unofficial and cannot be used to make a decision.  Paper transcripts can be mailed to us by applicants as long as they are still in an official sealed envelope from the college.

Yes. In order to be considered for admission all transfer applicants must choose a major.  To see our academic offerings please view our list of majors.  Please note that transfer students are not eligible for the Undeclared/Pre-major.  

2.5 is the minimum GPA to transfer and admission requirements may vary depending on intended major and number of college credits completed. More details are available on our Transfer Student Requirements page.

You may transfer 64 credits from a 2-year college. Students with credit from four-colleges may receive additional credit hours toward degree requirements at Cortland. The maximum number of transfer credit hours accepted is 90.

Details concerning the credit evaluation policy can be found here: Loading...

Formal credit evaluations occur after acceptance. Potential students can review the Course Equivalency Charts we have for some colleges to determine how their courses match ours. Students can then review the college catalog to find out how those credits fit into the intended major.

Yes. We will award credit for college coursework completed in high school. However, students will need to contact the college that awarded those credits and request an official transcript.

Yes. We require all new transfer students to live on-campus for one year (unless you meet the criteria for living off-campus), and we reserve space specifically for transfer students in several of our upperclassmen residence halls.

Information related to housing policies as well as detailed descriptions of the residence halls is available at: Residence Life and Housing

Merit-based scholarships are awarded to a limited number of transfer students at the time of admission. No separate application is required, and recipients are notified in their acceptance letter.

The Phi Theta Kappa scholarship is awarded to a limited number of transfer students who are members of the PTK honor society.  Please submit a copy of your PTK induction certificate for consideration.

Yes. To be eligible for financial aid, you will have to add SUNY Cortland to your FAFSA. The Financial Aid page will provide you more information on this process.

All new transfer students will attend a Transfer Transition Seminar prior to the start of their first semester. During this one-day session, new students will meet with an advisor from their intended major and register for classes.

In accordance with the federal Clery Act, SUNY Cortland’s University Police Department (UPD) publishes a Campus Safety Report. This includes important safety procedures, monthly crime statistics and the many ways for students, faculty and staff members to report a crime. The Campus Safety Report receives additional input from the Vice President’s Office, Division of Student Affairs, and the following offices: Communications, Financial Aid, Human Resources, Residence Life and Housing and Student Conduct.

The report is available on the UPD webpage.