Applied to through a college
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools. Cornell Admissions lists Environmental Engineering under CALS and Duffield Engineering.
Undergraduate · Cornell CALS and Engineering
Cornell Environmental Engineering: a degree offered jointly by Engineering and CALS
Cornell applicants apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, and Environmental Engineering is listed under both CALS and Duffield Engineering. The school says the degree is jointly offered by the two colleges and describes engineers who design renewable energy systems and prevent or repair environmental damage. This guide sets out what the page says.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Cornell says about Cornell Environmental Engineering
Taken from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering's Environmental Engineering major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Cornell's pages for the 2028-entry details.
A joint degree
Offered jointly by the College of Engineering and CALS.
Renewable energy and remediation
Engineers design clean energy systems and repair environmental damage.
Leaders in industry and government
The programme's stated aim.
The SAT or ACT is required
Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official sources
- Cornell Admissions: First-Year Applicantsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Majorsadmissions.cornell.edu
- Cornell School of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Environmental Engineering majorengineering.cornell.edu
- Cornell Admissions: Standardized Testing Policyadmissions.cornell.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering's Environmental Engineering major page, Cornell Admissions' Majors, First-Year Applicants and Standardized Testing Policy pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The major's curriculum pages, course descriptions, college admission requirements, deadlines and financial aid were not read, and the pages do not mention A-levels or the IB by name and are not stated.
The major
What the college and department pages say the major is
The school's page says the Environmental Engineering major inspires students and offers opportunities to engage with the local community, the nation and global society, with a focus on educating the next generation's environmental engineering leaders for industry and government. Environmental engineers design systems to provide energy from renewable sources, prevent, reduce or repair environmental damage, contain hazardous waste and air pollution, and design water treatment plants. The degree is jointly offered by the College of Engineering and CALS. This guide does not describe the curriculum, which it did not read.
Is it the right major?
Environmental Engineering beside Biological Engineering and Agricultural Sciences
Cornell lists these as separate majors, and the colleges differ, so the choice starts at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Environmental Engineering fits if
you want engineered solutions to pollution, water and energy problems.
Biological Engineering fits if
you want biology-based engineering. Avandy's Cornell Biological Engineering guide covers it.
Agricultural Sciences fits if
you want agriculture and food systems. Avandy's Cornell Agricultural Sciences guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A college application and the SAT or ACT
Cornell says you apply directly to one of its colleges or schools, so the college is part of the application; the pages read list Environmental Engineering under CALS and Duffield Engineering. Cornell has reinstituted standardized testing and requires first-year applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The pages read do not mention A levels or the IB by name, and Cornell says all students must show a strong command of English. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Cornell's.
Which college would you apply through?
Both CALS and Duffield Engineering are listed.
Do water, waste and clean energy interest you?
They are the school's examples.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Cornell requires one of them for first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Cornell's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Cornell's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Cornell has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Cornell for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the major page and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Cornell University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Cornell University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Which Cornell college is Environmental Engineering in?
Cornell Admissions lists it under CALS and Duffield Engineering.
Who offers the degree?
The school says it is jointly offered by the College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
What work do graduates do?
The page lists renewable energy systems, waste and air-pollution control, and water treatment plants.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Cornell says first-year applicants are required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does Cornell name A levels or the IB on these pages?
No. The pages read do not mention them by name.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Cornell's wording with no entry-year label. Check Cornell's pages again when Cornell publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Cornell Environmental Engineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics, chemistry and biology, their interest in sustainability and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.