USA · Bachelor's
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
Bachelor of Science in Environment & Sustainability
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
Course Overview
Cornell's BSc in Environment and Sustainability is delivered through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) — the world's leading interdisciplinary environmental sciences programme, ranked #1 in the US for Environmental Science (US News). The 4-year programme is structured around six concentrations: Environmental Biology and Applied Ecology, Environmental Economics, Environmental Policy and Governance, Land Sciences, Sustainable Development, and Water Resources. Students complete required field study (often at Cornell's Ithaca campus or at one of its partner field stations including the Shoals Marine Laboratory in Maine and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) plus a senior capstone research project. Cornell is part of the prestigious Ivy League and is the only US Ivy that includes a state-funded contract college (CALS), which significantly lowers tuition for some applicants — international applicants pay the full Ivy rate but benefit from the broader institutional brand.
Sri Lankan applicants choose Cornell over UC Berkeley / UCLA / University of Michigan environmental programmes because the Ivy League brand carries unique career weight (especially in international NGO and UN system hiring), the CALS-led programme is the most genuinely interdisciplinary in the US, and Cornell's need-blind admission policy for international applicants (combined with strong need-based financial aid) means qualified Sri Lankan applicants from middle-income families often pay 30-60% of the headline USD 67,000 tuition. Graduates qualify for F-1 to OPT (12 months) plus STEM OPT extension (24 months) — 3 years total. Sri Lankan returnees route into the Central Environmental Authority, the Forest Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, IUCN Sri Lanka, the World Bank Colombo Office's climate portfolio, the ADB Colombo Office's environment portfolio, and IWMI (International Water Management Institute, Colombo HQ).
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Sri Lankan A-Level: A, A, B with at least one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics.
- check_circle Edexcel / Cambridge International A-Levels: A*AA with Mathematics OR Biology required.
- check_circle IB Diploma: 38-42 points overall, with at least one Higher-Level science subject (HL Biology / HL Chemistry / HL ESS preferred).
- check_circle SAT 1430-1530 (25th-75th percentile) OR ACT 32-34. Cornell is test-flexible for the 2026-2027 admission cycle (// VERIFY current policy).
- check_circle Two teacher recommendations + counsellor recommendation; CV; personal essay; supplemental Cornell essays.
English Proficiency
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 100 Overall (min 22 in Reading, Listening, 20 in Writing, 22 in Speaking).
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 7.5 Overall.
- check_circle Waived if you completed at least 4 years of full-time secondary or tertiary education in English — Sri Lankan applicants from Cambridge / Edexcel International / IB English-medium streams typically qualify with an MOI letter from the school.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (USD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year) | USD 67,000 | Rs. 21,440,000 |
| Living Expenses (per year, Ithaca, NY) | USD 18,000 | Rs. 5,760,000 |
| Student Visa (F-1), SEVIS Fee & Health Insurance | USD 3,500 | Rs. 1,120,000 |
| Books, Lab Materials & Field Trips | USD 2,000 | Rs. 640,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment (before scholarships) | USD 90,500 | Rs. 28,960,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
F-1 to OPT (12-month standard plus 24-month STEM OPT extension for STEM-designated environmental science tracks) gives 3 years of US work authorisation. Cornell BSc Environment & Sustainability grads route into environmental consulting (Stantec, AECOM, Arcadis, ICF International), conservation NGOs (The Nature Conservancy, WWF US, Conservation International), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the World Bank Group, the UN system (UNEP, UNDP, FAO), plus into US graduate schools (most Cornell undergrads continue to a Master's or PhD) — USD 65,000-90,000 starting (LKR 21M-29M/yr). Sri Lankan returnees route into the Central Environmental Authority, the Forest Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, IUCN Sri Lanka, the Mahaweli Authority, IWMI Colombo, the World Bank Colombo Office, the ADB Colombo Office, and into research positions at the University of Peradeniya Faculty of Agriculture / PGIA, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, and the Open University of Sri Lanka.
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