International Student Orientation (ISO): August 14-18, 2026
This is required pre-semester orientation for new Cornellians from outside the United States. It's your chance to get to know your peers and mentors, have a few extra days to make yourself at home on campus before the rest of your class arrives, and get familiar with campus and community resources. Our Each One, Teach One group, domestic students of color, will be on campus at the same time and share some programming with you, so there will be a good-sized group of people to get to know.
You can expect to make some friends, get to know more about campus, Mount Vernon, and Iowa culture, and figure out where to find key resources like medical care and banking in Mount Vernon. We'll also make sure you know where to find houses of worship, hiking trails, groceries and personal items, hair care, and a great cup of coffee, pastry, or goofy gift. If you're missing any items you need for your room, we'll take you on a group shopping trip so you can find what you need.
You'll move in on Wednesday or Thursday, August 12 & 13 and we will have shuttles from the Cedar Rapids International Airport (CID) to campus. ISO starts Friday, August 14 and transitions into NSO with the rest of the incoming class on August 20. There is no cost for this program.
Please be sure to let us know your travel plans by completing your travel checklist item on your New Student Checklist.
Questions?
Email intercultural_life@cornellcollege.edu or call +1 319.895.4484 with questions and we'll get you answers.