If you live off-campus in Ithaca, your financial need is calculated exactly the same way as if you lived on-campus. The major difference is that the bursar will not charge you for your housing expenses and your cost of attendance will be different. You will need to pay your housing expenses directly to your landlord, as outlined in your lease.
As a student staff member or Telluride resident, you are not charged for your room, so you will not see a housing charge on your bursar bill. Your financial aid is adjusted to reflect this change. Whenever possible, we try to reduce the self-help (loan and work component) in your offer. If the amount you receive in “rent-free housing” (plus any other outside scholarship funding you may receive) exceeds the amount of work and loan in your aid package, remaining funds will be used to reduce your Cornell Grant.
Most undergraduate students are considered financially dependent upon their parent(s). Both students and parents must provide financial information when applying for aid. Cornell recognizes that some family situations are unusual or unique and may warrant additional consideration:
Our financial aid programs are thoughtfully designed to ensure every admitted student can access a Cornell education, at an affordable cost. We also understand that financial aid applications may not always capture important information that impacts the amount or type of aid you are eligible for. A financial aid appeal, also known as a special circumstances appeal, is a request to reconsider the specific information you provided on your financial aid application(s) which Cornell used to determine your expected family contribution (EFC).
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Starting your financial aid application(s) early is a small step that can make a big difference.
How to Apply
At Cornell, university funded financial support for graduate and professional degree programs varies by college or school, field, and degree program:
The following is a list of relevant forms, applications, or links regarding financial aid at Cornell University. While we strongly encourage you to submit forms electronically, you may also submit by fax (607-255-6329) if needed.
Only those forms hyperlinked are available. To view these forms, be sure to download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader®
Cornell’s estimated cost of attendance, sometimes called the “sticker price,” is an estimate of the total costs to attend, before financial aid is applied. Your estimated cost of attendance is based on a variety of information provided in your annual aid application materials, including: your undergraduate college, academic program, New York state residency, on- or off-campus housing plans, and other factors.
Cornell meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for all eligible undergraduates with annual aid offers that include Cornell grants and endowed scholarships, Pell grants and NY State grants (when eligible), work-study, and zero or low student loans, depending on total family income.
Annual aid offers are tailored to each student’s unique financial circumstances and are designed to ensure Cornell is accessible to all, at an affordable cost.