Applying for Aid – New Students
The Financial Aid Deadline is March 15th.
We hope that applying for financial aid is a relatively painless process. It is important to start early and compile all the required information.
To begin you will need:
- Parent 2012 complete tax return (provide both sets if parents are separated)
- Student 2012 complete tax return
- A list of student and parent assets
Federal Loans
U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for $20,500 with the Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan each year. In addition you may be eligible to receive the Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan to cover the remaining cost. To apply for a federal loan, please:
- Complete the Cornell Law School Financial Aid Information Sheet
- File a FAFSA using school code 002711
- Send 2012 tax return to the Financial Aid Office
After you have completed the FAFSA, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). If there is an error message, you must address it by making the necessary changes to your report as soon as possible. If any errors are not resolved, this may result in a delay of processing your financial aid. Once you have made a change, please send an email to the Financial Aid Office so that we can access the corrected report and offer you the appropriate federal loans.
Once you have been awarded the federal loans you are eligible for and would like to receive at Cornell Law School:
- Please visit www.studentloans.gov and sign the online promissory note or notes necessary.
- (The Unsubsidized loan has its own promissory note.)
(The Graduate Plus Loan has its own promissory note)
- Please visit www.studentloans.gov and complete the online Entrance Counseling
- (To fulfill this requirement you have two options: there is a combination entrance counseling option which covers the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Graduate Plus Loan or you can complete one entrance counseling session for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and one for the Graduate Plus loan).
- Complete and return the Federal Verification Worksheet located on our website in the forms section.
If you wish to be considered for institutional scholarships please submit the following:
- Complete the Cornell Law School Financial Aid Information Sheet
- File a FAFSA using school code 002711
- File a Need Access Report
- Submit a complete 2012 parent tax return
- Submit a complete 2012 student tax return
Make sure that you:
- Provide parent information. Applications missing parent information will not be reviewed for grant unless you have requested and have received a waiver from the Financial Aid Office.
- Provide information for both parents in cases of divorce or separation.
- Submit business returns if relevant.
- Submit complete tax returns with all schedules and W-2 forms.
- Apply no later than March 15. Applications received after this date may be placed on hold.
- Contact the Financial Aid Office if there is a problem or if you have any questions.
If you think you are an independent student for grant purposes, please contact the Financial Aid Office well before completing the Need Access Report.
After your financial aid file is complete, your file will be reviewed by our financial aid committee. You will receive communication via regular mail or email, which will contain information about your financial aid.
Note: If you are being offered the Federal Graduate Plus Loan in your notification, and wish to receive this loan, the required paper application is located on our website in the forms section. Please print it out and submit it via mail or fax if you wish to receive this loan. The Department of Education will run a credit check for this loan and will notify you if further documentation or action is required.
For more information, contact:
Financial Aid Office
226A Myron Taylor Hall
Cornell Law School
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-5141
law.financialaid@cornell.edu