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Use this site as a starting point to support your time at Cornell and beyond.
Planning your arrival into the Cornell MBA
Attend Destination Johnson
For admitted students, be sure to register for Destination Johnson in the spring, to get an immersive welcome and informational experience on campus.
Enrollment checklist
There are several items you must complete before you begin your program. Some of them are noted as things that require a NetID. Your NetID will be sent to you by the University in late Spring:
Accept your offer
Log into your MBA application to accept your offer, submit your enrollment deposit, and initiate the process for getting us your official documents.
Submit your official test scores
As a part of the official enrollment process, the admissions team must receive an official test score report by the stated deposit and official documentation deadline for the round in which you applied.
Please note that it is your (the applicant’s) responsibility to contact the testing service to directly authorize the release of your official score report. Offers of admission are not binding until Admissions can verify your official academic records and test scores.
Official test scores must be sent to Admissions by mail or via institutional codes:
Mailing address
Cornell University Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
Attn: Application Coordinators
114 Sage Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
Institution Codes
GMAT Two-Year MBA Program Code: 5JW-BM-96 or choose recipient: “Cornell University: Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management: Cornell MBA”
GRE: 8296
TOEFL: 2098 – Department Code 02
Please note: the IELTS test does not use an institutional code. To send official IELTS test scores, contact the test center directly where you took the IELTS test and request that your official test scores be sent electronically to our institution.
E-download Account Name
Cornell University Two Year MBA Admissions Office
E-download Account Address: mba@johnson.cornell.edu
Submit your transcripts
Please follow the instructions below for official transcript submission. Official transcripts are due by your deposit and official documentation deadline. If they are sent by mail, the transcripts must be received in a sealed envelope and include the school’s official seal and/or signature.
Please have transcript(s) mailed to:
Johnson at Cornell University
Office of Admissions & Financial Aid
Attention: Application Coordinators
114 Sage Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
Official transcript(s) submitted electronically must be sent from the institution directly to mba@johnson.cornell.edu. Please visit our application requirements page for additional information on official transcript submission.
Complete your Re Vera background check
All matriculating students must complete a background check with Re Vera Services to confirm that the information provided in their application is an accurate reflection of their experience and accomplishments. Once you have accepted your offer, you will receive a link directly from Re Vera Services to initiate the verification process. Please see our application guide for details and reach out to the admissions team if you have any questions.
Complete University new student forms (late spring – requires NetID)
Once you have received your NetID, review and complete the To Do List for graduate and professional students on Cornell’s New Students website. It is particularly important for you to complete the Health History & Immunization Compliance and the Student ID Card Request in a timely manner.
Review health plan (requires NetID; apply for waiver if applicable)
As a residential MBA student, you will automatically be enrolled in Cornell’s Student Health Plan (SHP). Students with partners or families can enroll their dependents in SHP. The university also offers optional student dental and vision plans.
Some students may be eligible to waive the SHP requirement if they meet certain criteria. To review your eligibility and to submit a waiver application, visit the Student Health Benefits website. (Please note that waivers are extremely limited for international students.)
If you do waive your coverage, you will be assessed a university health fee each semester. This allows nearly all students to access Cornell Health with a modest copay.
An MBA is a strategic investment in your future. Familiarize yourself with our financial aid opportunities and policies, research your financing options, and make a plan.
Find housing
The housing and rental markets in Ithaca are fast-moving and competitive. Start your housing search early and explore your options.
Get a head start on career prep
In months leading up to your August start semester, read our career planning guidance and begin laying out a generic or detailed career plan for during and after your matriculation.
Review and add important dates to your calendar from the section just below.
Important dates
The schedule for the Cornell MBA Class of 2028 is under development. Please watch this page for additional updates and please note that all dates are subject to change.
A note about weekends
Please understand that weekends in an MBA program are not free. Some midterms and final exams are held on weekends; dates will be shared when they are confirmed. Additionally, weekends are frequently needed for group work, professional club meetings, academic review sessions, and recruiting preparation and activities. We recommend you avoid making major weekend plans, especially during your first semester.
Pre-arrival programs and opportunities
We offer pre-arrival preparation opportunities to incoming students. Please watch your New Student Guide emails for information on career preparation workshops, international student webinars, and more.
Tues, 06/30/26 & Wed, 07/08/26: International student webinars
Incoming international students are invited to attend two webinars specifically for international students. The first will help prepare students for their arrival to the U.S.A.; this webinar will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 from 9:00-10:00 am ET. The second will be about recruitment during their time at Johnson and will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 from 9:00-10:00 am ET. More information will be available as part of the New Student Guides.
Mon, 08/03/26 & Tues, 08/04/26: International Student Orientation (ISO)
Incoming international students must participate in international student orientation (ISO); held in Ithaca just before check-in. The programming during this time will help international students build connections between staff members and other students, help with cultural adjustment, and offer important recruitment preparation resources.
We strongly encourage you to arrive in the United States a minimum of a few days before the program starts so that you can begin to acclimate to the local time zone, settle into your apartment, and start adjusting to life in Ithaca.
Students with significant previous experience in the United States may be eligible for a waiver for ISO. More information on the waiver process will be shared in the New Student Guides in the spring.
Core exemption exams
Some core courses within our Two-Year MBA curriculum are eligible for core exemption. Students who successfully exempt a course will not receive course credit, but their schedule will be freed from that requirement.
The following core exemption exams will be held prior to the official program start:
NCC 5000 Financial Accounting
NCC 5030 Marketing Management
NCC 5020 Microeconomics for Management
NCC 5060 Managerial Finance
Exemption exams for NCC 5010 Data Analytics and Modeling and NCC 5080 Managing Operations will be held later. Dates will be announced once they are confirmed.
All students interested in sitting for exemption exams must register in advance. For more information about exemption exams, please review the ‘Core course exemption’ section lower on this page.
Program start / fall semester
You’ll spend your fall semester engaged in our core curriculum.
Wed, 08/05/26: Class of 2028 program start, check-in and touchdown begins
The Class of 2028 will check in and begin their program on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. All students are expected to be in Ithaca, ready to begin their MBA experience that morning.
Mon, 9/07/26: Labor Day holiday (no class)
Cornell observes the federal Labor Day holiday. Offices will be closed and classes will not be held.
Fri, 10/09/26 – Tues 10/13/26: Fall break (no class)
This is your chance to take a break and catch up on career preparation. Please note that it’s possible there will be some career-related activities during the fall recess.
Wed, 10/14/26: Second-half fall semester core begins
Your second-half core courses start on October 14, 2026. You do not need to register for classes; you will be automatically enrolled in all of your fall coursework.
Wed, 11/11/26: Veterans Day (classes held)
Please note that we are unable to observe this Federal Holiday due to the accelerated nature of the fall core. We thank all of Johnson’s Veterans for their service.
Wed, 11/25/26-Sun, 11/29/26: Thanksgiving break (no class)
No classes will be held during this period.
Mon, 12/07/26: Last possible day of fall core class sessions
This will be the final day of fall core class sessions can be held. You will still need to plan to be in Ithaca because you will have final exams and projects to complete before you are fully done for the semester.
Sat, 12/19/26: Last possible day of fall core finals
You will receive more details about your second-half core finals during the fall semester. In the meantime, please know this will be the last day your second-half core final exams can be held.
Your winter break begins after your last exam! Spring classes will begin on Monday, January 25, 2027. Please note that some students can expect to have summer internship interviews in late December; many others will have internship interviews in January.
Spring semester
In the spring semester, you’ll choose a Johnson immersion that will combine hands-on, integrated courses in a specific industry or career interest. You will also take your final first-year core courses: Data Analytics and Modeling and Managing Operations.
Spring classes begin Monday, January 25, 2027.
Please note that some internship interviews and recruitment activities will happen in late December & early January.
Academic pre-work
Your fall semester core curriculum is taught at an accelerated pace. Complete the pre-work described below before you arrive to set yourself up for success.
MBA Math
Your Cornell MBA core courses will be fast paced—make sure you’re ready to keep up by taking advantage of the online lessons in MBA Math before you come to campus. We provide every incoming student with a free account so that you can take advantage of this online program that introduces and reviews key quantitative business terms and concepts that will come up throughout your MBA program.
All students will gain access to MBA Math in the late spring. Access codes and instructions will be shared in our weekly New Student Guide email newsletter.
4Cs leadership assessment
The 4Cs Leadership Assessment is a required assignment used in your Core Team Practicum course in the first week of classes. It also serves as the cornerstone for your leadership development while at Johnson.
The Survey Process
An email will be sent to you from LearningBridge when the assessment launches in mid-July. You will need to immediately select a variety of respondents who can provide feedback about your leadership skills while also completing a self-assessment survey. Note that the more respondents you select, the more you’ll get out of the assessment experience.
Selecting Respondents
Manager: Your direct supervisor- the person you report to. If you worked with more than one manager, you could include them here too.
People You Lead: All people who report to you, for whom you are their supervisor. If you didn’t supervise anyone, please move on to the next category.
Peers: People you work with but who do not report to you or manage you.
Other Raters: Anyone who can provide meaningful feedback on your leadership that doesn’t fit in the other categories.
Recommended reading
Your classes will often refer heavily to the daily business press, and you’ll be expected to keep up a working knowledge of major business events and activities. Once you have received and activated your Cornell NetID, you will be able to review the full text of many business publications through the Johnson Management Library. Stay up to date with business publications like Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, and Financial Times.
Publication access
Sign up for a Financial Times account and Wall Street Journal account using your Cornell email address.
If you have a background in foundational business topics, we encourage you to consider exempting a core course. An exemption can free up time in your schedule, giving you more time for your other courses and recruiting.
Six of the core courses within the two-year Cornell MBA curriculum are eligible for core exemption. Students who successfully exempt a course will not receive course credit, but their schedule is freed from that requirement.
Exemption exams will be held prior to the official start of Touchdown. Once dates are confirmed, they will be listed on the important dates on this page, above.
Students interested in the Management Science (STEM-designated) MBA should note that all six of these core courses count toward the STEM degree designation. Exempting one (or more) of these courses means you will not be able to put that course’s credits toward your STEM degree and would need to add additional Management Science Elective courses to bring your total Management Science credits to 30.
NCC 5000 Financial Accounting
Cornell MBA students take NCC Financial Accounting during the first half of the fall semester of their first year. Accounting is unique in that is the only core course in which there is more than one path to exemption:
Course exemption possibilities
Prior certification
Exemption exam
Prior certification
If you are a CPA (or have passed the Financial Accounting and Reporting section of the CPA examination), CA, CMA, CFA (Level II or higher), or equivalent, you are automatically exempt from NCC 5000—you will not need to take the exemption exam, nor will you be allowed to take the accounting course. Please email a copy of your certificate or scores to the Johnson Registrar Office after June 1 to confirm your exemption.
Exemption exam
The Accounting exemption exam is a problem-based exam similar to the NCC 5000 course exams. Only a passing, not perfect, performance is needed for exemption.
How to prepare
Review any modern Financial Accounting text, such as Financial Accounting by Libby, Libby, and Hodge, published by McGraw-Hill.
You will be permitted to use a provided Texas Instruments BA II Plus calculator during the exam. The use of laptop computers, tablets, or smartphones is not allowed.
If a student is exempt from NCC Financial Accounting either by prior certification or successfully passing the exemption exam, then they will take NCC 5060 Managerial Finance in the first half of the fall semester of their first year instead of the Core Accounting class.
NCC 5020 Microeconomics for Management
Cornell MBA students take Microeconomics for Management, the core microeconomics course, in the first-half of the fall semester. The only way to gain exemption from NCC 5020 is to pass the exemption exam. The exemption exam is the equivalent of a final exam in a rigorous undergraduate intermediate-level course with a managerial emphasis.
How to prepare
Review Microeconomics texts (and study guides including problems) such as Microeconomics by Goolsbee, Levitt, and Syverson.
NCC 5030 Marketing Management
To be successful in any industry, business leaders require a solid understanding of their core customer. Strong reasoning, communication, and creativity are more important now than ever before. To develop and refine these skills, all Cornell MBA students are required to take Marketing Management in the first half of the fall core.
Exemptions will be offered in very limited cases when the following criteria are met: (1) exceptional demonstration of quantitative marketing skills, (2) exceptional demonstration of qualitative marketing skills, and (3) exceptional ability to build a logical argument for a coherent marketing strategy to address a business problem. All three of these skills will be assessed via an exemption exam.
NCC 5060 Managerial Finance
Cornell MBA students take NCC 5060 Managerial Finance in the second-half of the fall semester of their first year. The only exception is if a student is exempt from core Accounting they will take Core Finance in the first-half of the fall semester of their first year (see the NCC 5000 Financial Accounting section).
Course topics include capital budgeting, the tradeoff between risk and return, and the valuation of stocks.
Exemption from Managerial Finance
The only way to gain exemption from NCC 5060 is to pass the exemption exam.
How to prepare
Review the NCC 5060 course textbook: Corporate Finance (12th edition) by Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe, and Jordan. The Core Finance course covers material that is roughly equivalent to these chapters in the text:
Chapter 4: Discounted Cash Flow Valuation
Chapter 5: Net Present Value and Other Investment Rules
Chapter 6: Making Capital Investment Decisions
Chapter 7.1: Sensitivity Analysis, Scenario Analysis, and Break-Even Analysis
Chapter 8: Interest Rates and Bond Valuation
Chapter 9: Stock Valuation
Chapter 10: Risk and Return: Lessons from Market History
Chapter 11: Risk and Return: The Capital Asset Pricing Model
Chapter 13: Risk, Cost of Capital, and Valuation
Students interested in exempting Core Finance are strongly encouraged to review the above material before taking the exam. You are also encouraged to review this sample Core Finance Exemption Exam.
Exam Format
The exam is comprised of 30 multiple choice questions; you will have 2 hours to answer the questions. The exam is closed book, but you are allowed to bring one 8.5″ x 11″ sheet with your choice of material on both sides. (Please note that you will be required to submit your sheet with your exam upon completion of the test.)
You will be permitted to use a provided Texas Instruments BA II Plus calculator during the exam. The use of laptop computers, tablets, or smartphones is not allowed.
Exam Results
Students who score 75 or above on the exam are exempt from core finance. Once exempt, a student will not be enrolled in the course and will not receive course credit. A student who scores below 75 on the exam will be required to take NCC 5060.
NCC 5010 Data Analytics and Modeling
Cornell MBA students take Data Analytics and Modeling in the spring of their first year. The only way to gain exemption from NCC 5010 is to pass the exemption exam. If you have practical experience applying data analytics methods and have successfully completed similar coursework, you are encouraged to consider taking the exemption exam.
To sit for the exam, you will need permission from the course faculty. Instructions on how to request permission will be shared in the fall term.
How to prepare
Review textbooks such as Statistics for Business and Economics, by David R. Anderson, Dennis J. Sweeney, and Thomas Williams or Data, Models and Decisions, by Dimitris Bertsimas and Robert Freund. A sample exam will be emailed to all students who register for the exam.
NCC 5080 Managing Operations
Cornell MBA students take Managing Operations in the spring of their first year. The only way to gain exemption from NCC 5080 is to pass the exemption exam. The exam will include core course topics such as process analysis, queuing theory/service operations, Monte Carlo simulation, project and quality management, inventory theory, forecasting, linear programming, and basic supply chain management.
To sit for the exam, you must either have work experience in operations or have taken related coursework, in which case transcripts must be provided. Information on how to submit these materials in order to request permission to take the exam will be shared in the fall term.
How to prepare
Review management textbooks such as Matching Supply and Demand, by Cachon and Terweish and Practical Management Science by Winston and Albright. A sample exam will be emailed to all students who register for the exam.
