Cornell Precollege Studies (Online) lets high school students take regular, credit-bearing Cornell University undergraduate courses online, studying alongside enrolled Cornell undergraduates and earning credits recorded on an official Cornell University transcript. Courses span dozens of subjects and are taught by Cornell instructors.
Sessions:
- Summer: 3-week or 6-week sessions, June 1 – July 31 (see the annual calendar for exact session dates)
- Winter: 3-week session in January (check back in September for Winter 2027 details)
Format: Most courses use Canvas. Some are synchronous (live, scheduled); others are asynchronous (pre-recorded, self-paced). Plan on two to three hours of homework for every hour of class time. Courses cover 15 weeks of college material in a condensed period.
2026 tuition (online — tuition only; no residential or health fees): | Session | Credits | Tuition | |---|---|---| | 3-week | 3 credits | $5,820 | | 3-week | 4 credits | $7,760 | | 6-week | 6 credits | $11,640 | | 6-week | 7 credits | $13,580 | | 6-week | 8 credits | $15,520 |
Tuition rate: $1,940 per credit (set by the Cornell University Board of Trustees).
Not included: $75 application fee, course materials, and (Summer only) a $1,500 enrollment deposit applied toward the total. Winter sessions require no deposit, but full payment is due within 4 business days of course enrollment.
Subject areas (sample): Architecture and the arts, business and hotel management, health and humanities, international relations, science and technology, social change, veterinary medicine, and more.
Financial assistance: Limited scholarships are available through select community-based organization (CBO) partnerships focused on first-generation and/or low-income students. Students cannot apply directly to Cornell for financial aid — contact your CBO advisor to determine if their organization has a partnership with Cornell Precollege Studies.
Sanctions note: Students located in Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, Russia, and certain Ukrainian regions (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk) require written approval from Cornell's Export Control and Compliance Officer prior to enrollment.
Also available:
- Residential Program (Ithaca, NY, on-campus): ages 16–18, 3- or 6-week sessions, $9,274–$22,282 (includes tuition, housing, meals, health fee, programming)
- Commuter Program (Ithaca, NY, local students only): ages 16–19
- Fall Semester (Local Students): Ithaca-area high school students only