Request for Undergraduate Student Support (RUSS)
The Request for Undergraduate Student Support (RUSS) process is used to provide unit or department funds to enrolled undergraduate degree candidates to support course- or enrollment-related expenses that are or could be included in the student’s financial aid cost of attendance (COA).
Funds delivered via the RUSS process are scheduled in Peoplesoft by the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment and disbursed to student University Bursar accounts. In most circumstances, funds disbursed via the RUSS process pay for any outstanding University Bursar charges first, then any resulting credit balance is refunded to the student by the Bursar’s Office via the Cashnet system.
The RUSS process can be used to award funds to enrolled Cornell degree candidates for*:
- course-related supplies, materials, or equipment
- course-related fees
- course-related research expenses
- course-related travel (including study abroad)
- enrollment-related fees (such as student health insurance, housing or food costs)
- enrollment-related personal expenses (such as winter clothing or professional attire)
- enrollment-related academic enrichment (such as conference travel)
- enrollment-related summer living expenses
*funds awarded via the RUSS process may displace self-help aid (work or loans) if the expense the payment is for has been included in a student’s financial aid cost of attendance.
The RUSS process may not be used to:
- make payments to graduate or professional degree candidates
- make payments to students who are not degree candidates (such as visiting or non-matriculated students)
- make payments to students for expenses in terms of non-enrollment (such as summer internships, REU’s, research, travel, or other enrichment experiences)
- make payments to students for expenses that are unrelated to a student’s Cornell studies or research
- make payments to students for course- or enrollment-related expenses funded by other grant or scholarship aid
- make payments designated as prizes or awards for opportunities open to the public
- reimburse students for travel expenses incurred while formally representing Cornell University
- reimburse students for other expenses incurred on behalf of Cornell University (such as office supplies purchased online or from the university bookstore)
If you have any questions regarding the RUSS form or process, please contact Samantha Miller at sm336@cornell.edu.
To award department funding to a student or for a purpose that does not meet RUSS criteria and is not compensation for services or work, please use the I Want Doc process (See also: I Want Doc Tutorial) via the Shared Services Center.
For questions about payments that do not meet RUSS criteria, please consult with the Office of Sponsored Financial Services, the University Controller’s Office, or the University Tax office, as appropriate.
RUSS Form and Instructions
If you need to request an item type, please use the instructions below to complete the request online.