High school students
Note: The following information applies to students younger than 18 years old at the time of high school graduation. If you will be 18 years old or older when you graduate from high school, you must enroll through Summer Session as an undergraduate student.
Online courses
If you're a high school student interested in taking an online course this summer, please read the online courses page on the Cornell University Summer College website.
On-campus courses
International students and U.S. students from outside Ithaca
If you're a high school student from outside the Ithaca area and you're interested in taking on-campus classes at Cornell during the summer, you must apply through Cornell's Summer College Program for High School Students.
Local students
If you're a local high school student interested in taking on-campus classes during the summer, you may either:
- apply to Cornell's Summer College Program for High School Students and live on campus or,
- enroll directly in Summer Session, with permission (see instructions below) and live at home.
If you're a local high school student who wishes to receive permission to enroll in Summer Session, please follow these steps:
- Review the course description for the class you'd like to take to be sure you meet any course prerequisites listed.
- Send an e-mail to the Cornell University Summer College director, Jim Schechter (jas349@cornell.edu), with "Approval to take a Summer Session course" as the subject. Your message should include:
- your request to enroll in a Summer Session class,
- the name of the class you'd like to take, and
- your name, address, and phone number.
Fax a PDF of your official high school transcript (in English and including your most current grades) to 607.255.6665. We will also accept your transcript by mail (Cornell University Summer College, B20 Day Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-2801). Please write "Summer Session Courses" at the top of the transcript cover page.
- The Summer College director will review your request and send you an e-mail notifying you of the decision.
- If you are granted permission to enroll, please submit a copy of the permission e-mail you received from the Summer College director along with your course enrollment form. For additional instructions, please visit the offline enrollment page.
For more information, please call 607.255.6203 or e-mail summer_college@cornell.edu.
Although you are subject to the same rules and regulations as other students, as a high school student at Cornell there may be circumstances in which more-specific program and/or statutory requirements apply.