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Discover CALS

See how our current work and research is bringing new thinking and new solutions to some of today's biggest challenges.

A student examines plants in a greenhouse.

Unite Your Purpose with Your Passion

From food science to global development to communication, Cornell CALS turns knowledge into impact.

Find Your Fit

Let curiosity guide you as you explore our inspiring spaces, our pioneering community of seekers and solvers, and an adaptable curriculum that can flex to your interests and ambitions.

Get to Know Us

Kick off your journey with this on-demand virtual information session from the Cornell CALS admissions team. Learn more about the academic opportunities and admissions processes at CALS and discover what makes our college so unique!

Video: Introduction & Academics
Play Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Info Session 2025 - Part 1: Introduction
Video: Student Experience
Video: First-Year Admissions
Video: Transfer Admissions
Students sitting in groups on the Ag Quad in the shape of letters that spell 'CALS' with lush green trees and blue sky in the background.

The CALS Experience

Imagine a campus in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes, where lakeside views meet groundbreaking research. At Cornell CALS, collaboration isn’t just a buzzword—it’s our heartbeat. Whether you’re decoding plant genomes or designing sustainable food systems, you’re part of a purpose-driven community that combines its land-grant legacy with Ivy League excellence. CALS is more than classrooms—it’s a canvas for your dreams. So grab your hiking boots (and your lab coat), because here, exploration and impact are woven into daily life.

Life on campus

Experience Cornell in a day
Explore Ithaca
Enjoy culinary delights
Dive into activities
Connect with community

Mind, body and spirit

Prioritize your well-being
Move to your own rhythm

World-class academics

Meet inspiring professors
Engage in groundbreaking research
Discover global experiences

From Exploration to Action

Discover life-changing experiences beyond the classroom, and begin to transform the world around you.

71%

complete one or more internships

51%

engage in faculty-led research

30%

study abroad

Student Spotlights

Kate Stephens ’26 posing next to banners at the CARET conference

Field Note

Kate Stephens ’26: Advocating for ag research, extension and teaching in DC
Kate Stephens ’26, a CALS senior from north-central Montana studying global development and communication, was selected as a student delegate for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) conference held in Washington...
  • Agriculture
  • Communication
  • Global Development
Jonathan Chai in a green house with datura and squash flowers

Field Note

Jonathan Chai ’24: Exploring plants, insects and floral microclimates
Jonathan Chai ‘24 worked for two years as an undergraduate research assistant in the lab of Robert Raguso , professor of neurobiology and behavior. Raguso’s lab made the first discovery that insects are attracted to plants as much by humidity as...
  • Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Agriculture
a woman in a lab coat stands holding a petri dish

Field Note

Real-world experience is shaping me into the clinician I want to become
by Sydney Zarb ’27 As an undergraduate in Cornell Animal Science, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian, I want to more deeply understand solutions that benefit cows, the environment and the people that depend on them. I am particularly...
  • Animal Science
  • Animals
  • Bacteria
Emma Alexander standing on top of Phnom Kulen Mountain

News

Global intern explores archives, creates community

Being a Global Intern in Cambodia helped Emma Alexander explore her career interests and opened a world of possibilities in global studies.

  • Communication
Students holding hands crossing a creek

News

Students learn in global communities

International summer experiences sent groups of students abroad to pursue their personal and professional goals. At the Nov. 19 International Research Showcase, they'll share their work with the Cornell community.

  • Biological and Environmental Engineering

How to Apply

Cornell summer students walk through a sunny Ho Plaza towards McGraw Tower.

1. Choose a major

Open the door to a world of knowledge, and create your own experience.

At Cornell CALS, your interests will lead you to a focus, and from there you can build an experience that spans disciplines, research areas and hands-on opportunities to chart your own course.

Explore your options

All about your CALS major

2. Review our first-year application process

Take the next step — we want to know all about you!

3. Apply with Common App

Start your journey, and prepare to join our community.

Three students petting a calf at CALS Fest.
Students at CALS Fest. Credit: Heather Ainsworth (CALS)
Two students work in a food science lab.
Students in FDSC 4190: Food Chemistry Lab conduct a lab experiment focused on food hydrocolloids, measuring the effects of viscosity and emulsion stability. Credit: Allison Usavage
A group of students wearing graduation caps and gowns wave red CALS flags in Schoellkopf Field.
Commencement 2025. Credit: Ryan Young (UREL)