Community

Students arrive for 2026-27 academic year

  • 11 August 2026

The Hilltop is ready and eager to welcome our new and returning students as we prepare for move-in day. 

Timeline

Cornell offers a wide variety of programs, services, and events during New Student Orientation (NSO). It’s a tradition for athletes already on campus to help first-year students move into their residence halls, making the move a quick and easy process. New students will be assigned to a group called a Flock, and each Flock has a Flock Leader. Flock Leaders are current students trained to support and guide new students to help make the transition to Cornell successful. New students will be moving to campus with exciting talents and interests. Within the new class, there’s:

  • • A state competitor in yo-yoing.
  • • A member of the national honor society for student musicians, Tri-M Music Honor Society.
  • • A dedicated crocheter who has made clothes, plushies, and home decor.
  • • A student who founded the DND Club at her school.
  • • An aerial artist (think trapeze and tightwire) for more than 10 years.
  • • An organizer of a new volunteer electronics repair service in his high school where he taught others how to troubleshoot common problems and held weekly workshops.
  • • A baseball player who competed in the American Legion Baseball League this summer.
  • • A student who started a foundation to support students in his country with speech impediments.
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Students carry bags and boxes during move-in.
Here's a look back at move-in 2025.

Each One Teach One & International Student Orientation

The Office of Intercultural Life welcomes students for International Student Orientation, and Each One Teach One programs the week before NSO. 

Returning students

The residence halls open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22. Check-in for returning students will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23. The Mail and Service Center will offer additional move-in weekend hours from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, to help students collect packages as they get settled into their rooms.

Class schedules

Following the orientation programs and move-in, all students will start their Block 1 classes on Aug. 24. Course schedules are ready for students on our website.