Loans are a resource that can help fund your education. Typically, you do not have to begin repaying loans until after you have left school. Below is a list of the various loan options available, as well as details and requirements for each.

There are many options for helping fund your education. Cornell is committed to reducing the debt burden of its students, so we encourage you to research all your options. We also encourage responsible use of loans to fund educational expenses.

Scholarship funding, tuition benefits, and other resources intended to cover your annual estimated cost of attendance from organizations other than Cornell are commonly referred to as "outside scholarships." Outside scholarships are awarded separately from federal, state, and Cornell financial aid often based on specific criteria determined independently by the outside organization.

All outside scholarships, tuition benefits, and other resources must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment.

Federal Grants

Federal Student Aid (an office of the U.S. Department of Education) offers a variety of federal grants to students attending four-year colleges or universities, community colleges, and career schools who complete a FAFSA form annually. Federal grants, unlike loans, generally do not have to be repaid.

Cornell grants and endowed scholarships are the cornerstone of Cornell’s undergraduate aid program and longstanding commitment to access and affordability. Cornell grants and endowed scholarships are need-based “gift aid” that do not need to be repaid. Eligibility is based on information you provide on your CSS Profile application(s) as a first-year student, and information you provide on your FAFSA form as a continuing student. 

There are a number of grants and scholarships available to Cornell undergraduate students. Keep in mind that:

CU Emergency Fund

An Emergency Fund, administered through the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment (FASE), has been established to assist currently enrolled students with urgent, unanticipated expenses. The fund is designed to assist with recent or upcoming emergency expenses that are above and beyond the standard Cost of Attendance (COA).

What are Consortium Agreements?

• A consortium agreement is a contract between a matriculated, Cornell undergraduate, her or his Cornell college registrar, and the registrar of a host college or university. This contract grants a student permission to enroll directly in a host university during the summer or academic year and then transfer completed credits back toward her or his Cornell degree.
• Students with a consortium agreement are entitled to their Direct Loan and Pell Grant eligibility from the corresponding academic year.

Winter Session:

Matriculated students taking winter session courses for academic credit may be eligible for additional financial aid.

• Financial aid is transferable during the fall and/or spring semesters for off-campus programs coordinated by the Office of Global Learning, an academic department, or approved field study/internship programs.
• Program coordinators provide the off-campus budgets and the list of participants to the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment, at which time aid offers will be revised for the term(s) students are abroad.
• The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) remains the same for the academic year and Cornell Grants &