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Applying for Financial Aid

Announcement

We understand that many students are feeling stressed and uncertain about the potential impacts of the 2025 federal budget reconciliation. The Financial Aid Office is closely monitoring the situation and working with Cornell leadership to get clarity.

Once official guidance is available, we’ll share updates and provide support to help you navigate any changes. Your financial well-being remains our top priority, and we are here to support you.

The Office of Student Financial Planning provides financial assistance through gift aid, work, and student loans. Because college scholarships are awarded based on financial need, parental information is required for all unmarried students under 30. Financial aid applicants should be aware of our Financial Aid Policies.

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Step 1: Apply for Aid

Financial Aid Selection

Students must log in to the Financial Aid Dashboard to indicate financial aid selection:

  • Gift Aid & Loans (G)
  • Loans Only (L)
  • Not Applying (N)

Complete the required student survey and Student Statement of Personal Interest (SSPI) if applying for gift aid.

Complete Annual FAFSA Application

Students must submit the annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). School Code 002711 by April 1 each year. 

**You can still apply after the priority date of April 1, but you may receive a delayed financial aid award offer.**

CSS Profile

Submit a CSS Profile  (if requested), using school Code 2822. This step is NOT required for most returning students. You may be asked to submit a CSS Profile if:

  • You are a first-time financial aid applicant, or
  • You’ve had a significant change in financial circumstances.

SUNY Application (Optional)

Students can submit a Graduate Diversity Fellowship Program Application (SUNY) and upload their application using the Secure Document Upload Portal below. Learn more about the Graduate Diversity Fellowship Program (SUNY).

New DVM Funding Opportunities

We are pleased to announce two funding opportunities available to support students in their academic and professional development. Applications are currently being accepted and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more about the conference travel grant and the West Coast externship funding opportunity.

Submit Additional Required Documents

All students are required to check the Financial Aid Dashboard for any additional document requests. Students receiving Health Professions Student Loans must submit their parents' IRS Tax Transcript each year.

**Use the secure document upload portal below to submit all requested documents to the Vet Financial Aid office.**

Secure Document Upload Portal

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Step 2: Finalize Aid

Once you’ve applied for aid, follow these steps to ensure your funding is processed and disbursed on time:

Actively Accept Your Federal Loans

To accept, decline, or reduce your loans, please log in to Student Center. Visit this guide to learn more. For each loan:

  • Check the box under the Accept column.

  • You may reduce the loan amount by entering a lower value in the Accepted box.

  • Click Submit, then confirm by clicking Yes on the confirmation page.

**This must be done before the start of the semester to avoid delays in disbursement or refunds. **

Review Your Financial Aid Summary

Carefully review the financial aid summary you receive from the Office of Financial Aid. This summary outlines the aid you’ve been offered and what you’ve accepted.

Submit Additional Required Documents

Check your Financial Aid Dashboard for any outstanding document requests. All required documents must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office to finalize your aid package.

First-Time Borrowers

If this is your first time borrowing federal loans at the College of Veterinary Medicine, you must visit studentaid.gov to complete the following before any federal loan can be disbursed:

  • Master Promissory Notes (MPN)

  • Entrance Counseling: All students must complete a one-time loan entrance counseling session online in conjunction with signing the promissory notes for the loan.

**All MPNs must be signed online before the start of the fall semester. ** 

HPSL Recipients

If you are receiving a Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL), you must complete:

  • Health Professions Student Loan: Please go to the ECSI website

  • The annual Regulation Z Disclosure requirement:

    • You will receive an email from Heartland ECSI (webmaster@ecsi.net) with instructions.

    • This must be completed before the start of classes for your loan to be disbursed or refunded on time.

**There is a 3-day rescission period, so complete this step promptly. **

VA Benefit Recipients

If you are receiving Veteran Education Benefits, you must:

Calculate Your Actual Expenses

Use your financial aid summary to estimate your total cost of attendance and compare your aid to your actual expenses (tuition, housing, food, books, etc.). Use the Budget Worksheet to help you plan and limit borrowing when possible.

**Do not borrow excessively. Borrow only what you need**

Request Additional Aid (If needed)

If your aid does not fully cover your expenses, you may apply for a Graduate PLUS Loan to cover any unmet needs. The Grad Plus loan is credit-based with a fixed interest rate. There is an origination fee for the amount borrowed, and interest starts to accrue on disbursement.

Sign Up for Direct Deposit

To receive any refunds for living expenses, sign up for Direct Deposit through Bursar Services. This ensures faster and more secure delivery of your funds.

Student Loan Deferment: No Action Required

Cornell University automatically reports your enrollment status to loan servicers through the National Student Clearinghouse after classes begin each semester. This means:

  • Students do not need to complete or submit any deferment forms.
  • The loan servicer will use this enrollment data to place your loans into deferment.
  • This process typically occurs within 10 business days after enrollment data is transmitted
  • Contact Cornell University Registrar directly if you have private loans that do not automatically defer

Want to know when student enrollment is reported? Learn about enrollment certification timelines. Current students can view and request enrollment verification via Student Center.

Step 3: Read About Your Responsibilities

As an applicant for financial aid, you have the responsibility to:

  • Stay informed about financial aid deadlines, and comply with requests for documentation by checking the Financial Aid Tracking Page, as well as reading email and postal mail messages.

  • Accurately complete your application(s) for student financial aid. Errors can result in long delays in your receipt of aid. Intentional misreporting of information on forms for federal financial aid is a violation of law and is considered a criminal offense subject to penalties under the U.S. Criminal Code.

  • Return all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by the Financial Aid Office as promptly as possible. The college is required by federal law to have on file documentation of family resources and of any circumstances necessitating adjustment of a student's budget.

**Expand below to learn more.**

The Financial Aid Applicant's Responsibilities

  • Read and understand all forms you are asked to sign and keep copies.

  • Attend required loan initiation and exit interviews. The college conducts loan initiation and exit interviews for all loan programs in which it participates, as required by federal law. These interviews ensure that all borrowers understand the obligation to repay student loans, avenues for seeking assistance if problems arise, and the consequences of failure to repay.

  • Accept responsibility for all agreements you sign. Signing a promissory note for a long-term loan initiates the disbursement of loan money. It signifies your acceptance of a moral and legal obligation to repay the loan after leaving college. Default on any federal loan or failure to repay a federally funded education grant disbursed for a period in which you were not enrolled makes you ineligible for all federal aid until due repayments are made.

  • Inform the College of Veterinary Medicine Financial Aid Office of any changes in your economic or financial circumstances. This includes any outside resources, (grants, assistantships, fellowships, earnings, loans, endowments, etc.) not counted when your application was initially reviewed and financial need determined.

  • Review the future costs of education loans annually and establish a personal education debt limit compatible with realistic income expectations.

  • Keep this college, your lender, and your loan guarantor informed of your enrollment status and your address at all times. Changes in enrollment status can affect financial aid eligibility and loan repayment schedules. Maintenance of contact with lenders is essential for any situation that deviates from the expected scholastic time schedule or loan repayment schedule. Keep your addresses (home, local, billing) updated with the university online at studentcenter.cornell.edu.