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Our Policy

"Cornell University makes admissions decisions without regard to the ability of students or parents to pay educational costs. Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who demonstrate financial need will be assisted in meeting that need through one or more of the following: federal and state grants, employment opportunities, loans, Cornell Commitment programs, scholarships from endowments and restricted funds, and Cornell grants.  Annual adjustments will be made in self-help and family contribution levels. Cornell will continue its commitment to excellence and diversity in the student population. Self-help levels for individual students may reflect the University's recognition of outstanding merit, unique talent, commitment to work and community service, and its commitment to diversity in the class."

Approved by the Board of Trustees, March 27, 1998 for students entering in the Fall of 1999 and thereafter.


Cornell awards aid on the basis of demonstrated financial need rather than on merit. This allows the university to assist a large number families as equitably as possible.

Financial need can be defined as the difference between the family contribution and the cost of attendance. Financial need is determined by reviewing your aid application forms - the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and your family's most recent income tax returns. The Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment reviews each financial aid application.

Once the financial need has been determined, your award is prepared. Depending on your level of demonstrated financial need, you may be eligible for state and federal funding, Cornell grants, low-cost loans, and work study opportunities. If you are eligible for financial aid, you and your family can expect a predictable financial aid package from year to year, provided that family circumstances remain consistent.

The consistency of your package applies both to what you can expect in the aid award, and to what you and your family will contribute. For example, if your parents are divorced or separated, and the university requests a contribution from your non-custodial parent for your freshman year, that parent will be expected to contribute each year. Additionally, if you are admitted to Cornell as your parents' dependent, you will be considered a dependent for aid purposes throughout your undergraduate years.


Satisfactory Academic Progress

Policy for Undergraduate Financial Aid Applicants

Federal regulations (General Provision CRF 668.1) require that Cornell University review the academic progress of students who apply for and/or receive financial assistance. To be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, students must maintain specified grade point averages and proceed through the program at a pace leading to completion within a specified time frame. This regulation applies to each financial aid applicant, whether a previous recipient or not.

This policy on satisfactory academic progress relates specifically to full time undergraduate students who apply for and/or receive federal financial aid and/or Cornell University scholarships and grants. In addition to meeting the standard for receiving financial aid, students must also meet the academic standards of their college at Cornell University. Please review individual college information in Courses of Study. Note that the criteria for the New York State Tuition Assistance Program satisfactory academic progress differs from the federal and Cornell University satisfactory academic progress criteria.

Financial Assistance Programs Affected

Federal Programs
  • Pell Grant
  • Perkins Loan
  • Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
  • Work Study
  • Paul Douglas/Byrd Teacher Scholarship
  • Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
  • National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)
  • Direct Loan
  • Stafford Loan
  • Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students
   Institutional Programs
  • Cornell University Endowed Scholarships
  • Cornell University Grant
  • Cornell University Loan
  • NY Higher Educational Opportunity Grant (HEOP)
  • NY Educational Opportunity Grant (EOP)

Annual Evaluation

Annual financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) evaluation will be completed at the end of each academic year and cannot take place until final grades have been posted. This review will determine academic eligibility for the upcoming Summer, Fall, Winter and/or Spring terms. Every student who applies for financial aid as listed above must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress regardless of whether they are a first time applicant or have received financial aid in the past. Any financial assistance offered for the year ahead is subject to cancellation if the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress were not met in the year prior.

Incoming freshmen and new transfer students will be considered for financial aid for one academic year prior to the evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress. At the end of the first academic year of attendance at Cornell University all students will be evaluated based on the standards of their designated academic level. They will then be reviewed annually until graduation. Students who transfer to Cornell University in January will not be evaluated until they have completed three regular semesters.

The Office of the University Registrar will evaluate the students’ academic records. A report identifying all students who have not met the eligibility criteria will be generated, sorted by college, and forwarded to the college and the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment. Each student’s record will be reviewed under the direction of the Associate Director of Financial Aid for Compliance and Regulation. Students will be notified of their failure to meet the SAP guidelines via a letter from the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment.

Required Grade Point Averages

By the end of the second academic year (measured by period of time, not grade level), a student must attain a C average, or an academic standard consistent with the college’s graduation requirements. For the purposes of this regulation, the Degree GPA will be used. Credits that have been transferred to Cornell are not included in the Degree GPA.

Undergraduate College
Architecture, Art and Planning
Arts and Sciences
Engineering*
Hotel
Human Ecology
Industrial and Labor Relations
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences		   GPA Graduation Requirement
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.7
2.0

* While there is no GPA graduation requirement for Engineering, the basic requirement for making satisfactory academic progress in Engineering is GPA greater than or equal to 2.0 each semester.

Required Completion Rate

The maximum time frame for completing an academic program cannot exceed 150% of the length of the program as measured by credit hours or semesters. In order to ensure that steady progress is being made, students must make incremental progress toward the degree with passing grades. Progress is measured for all students by academic class year as defined by the college. The minimum number of credits does include transferred and advanced placement credit hours.

Academic Class Year
End of Freshman Year (1-2)
(2-1)
End of Sophomore Year (2-2)
(3-1)
End of Junior Year (3-2)
(4-1)
End of Senior Year (4-2)
(5-1)
End of Fifth Year (10 semesters)
End of Sixth Year (12 semesters)
End of Seventh Year (14 semesters)* 		  Minimum # of Credits Required
22
33
44
55
66
77
88
99
110
132
154

*A maximum of seven academic years is permitted to complete bachelor’s programs normally considered to be five academic years in length.

Probation and Denial

Students failing to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards will be placed on one year financial aid probation. Financial aid probation is granted once during an applicant’s undergraduate academic career at Cornell University. Students on probation are eligible for financial aid. They will be notified in writing of their status by the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment and a list of these students will be provided to the individual colleges. Parents/legal guardians also will be notified that the student has been placed on probation.

By the end of the probationary period, the student must have the stated minimum grade point average and completion requirements as defined above. Failure to comply with the Satisfactory Academic Progress grade point average requirement and completion schedule beyond the one year probationary period will result in the denial of all federal and institutional financial aid. Students will be notified of their financial aid ineligibility via a letter from the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment. Parents/legal guardians also will be notified that the student has is being denied financial aid.

Students terminated from receiving financial aid can reestablish eligibility by successfully completing the required number of credit hours and by attaining the overall required grade point average by the end of the next academic year. Neither paying for one’s classes nor sitting out a semester is sufficient to reestablish the financial aid eligibility of a student who has failed to meet SAP. If a special or unusual circumstance contributed to a student’s lack of satisfactory academic progress, the student may appeal the denial of financial aid.

Appeal Process

The letter of denial from the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment will describe the appeal process and an appeal form will be provided. Examples of special or unusual circumstances are a personal injury or illness, death of a relative, or other circumstances as determined by the student’s college.

The appeal must be submitted to the student’s college for evaluation. The college will respond to the appeal in writing within two weeks of receiving the complete appeal with a copy provided to the Associate Director – Compliance and Regulation in the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment.

Undergraduate College
Architecture, Art and Planning
Arts and Sciences
Engineering
Hotel
Human Ecology
Industrial and Labor Relations
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 		  Appeal Contact
Academic Petitions Committee
Academic Records Committee
Assistant Dean, Student Services
Petition Committee
College Registrar
Academic Standards Committee
Academic Achievement and Petitions Committee