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.
How do I request consideration for an unusual or unique family situation?
Sometimes, unusual or unique family situations impact whether or how much parent financial information is required on your financial aid application(s). If your family situation is unusual or has changed recently, we encourage you to reach out to a Cornell financial aid professional to discuss your situation confidentially.
When applying for financial aid, the documents you are required to submit, and submission deadlines, vary depending on the type of student you are. Please contact the Financial Aid Office if you are unsure which category below applies to you.
More students than ever are able to graduate from Cornell with little to no debt, and about half of all undergraduate students receive substantial financial aid in the form of Cornell grants — this is free money that does not need to be repaid.
After factoring in funding awarded through grants and work-study programs, the cost of a Cornell education may be less than you would expect. And, in many cases, families qualify for no or reduced loans, too.