Items are required unless noted otherwise. Expand an item for more detail. Deadlines and requirements on this list may vary for students in special programs or alternate locations.
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Submit your Enrollment Response Form and enrollment deposit by May 1 to reserve your place in the incoming class.
After submitting your enrollment deposit, it may take up to two business days for this status to be updated.
Access your Application Status Page to reply to your offer of admission.
Your Cornell NetID is a unique electronic identifier that, when combined with a password, provides secure access to your Cornell email and other non-public Cornell resources and information.
Cornell provides additional security protection for personal data by requiring Two-Step Login to access important online resources, including Student Essentials, Canvas, and Student Center. Two-Step Login is a two-factor authentication service that prevents the use of stolen Cornell passwords by requiring confirmation from something a third party doesn't have, such as your phone or another device. Because some tasks you need to complete before arriving on campus will require Two-Step Login, enroll during the NetID activation process.
Cornell also recommends the following before you arrive on campus:
Learn more about NetIDs, Cornell email, and Two-Step Login.
Access the housing application at Apply for Housing on Campus.
Review your dining options.
In addition to the traditional meal plans and debit plans, be sure to check out City Bucks - a pre-paid, declining balance account accessed through your Cornell Student ID Card that eliminates the need to carry cash at many off-campus locations.
You are required to submit a photo online for your Student ID Card.
Depending on your relationship to the university and the services that you sign up for, your ID card can also be used as an electronic door key and to access a variety of functions and facilities on campus, including athletic events, CornellCard charges, dining units, fitness centers, libraries, and transportation services.
Access form: Student ID Card Request
In order for the university to provide the most up-to-date information to your parents/guardians about Cornell, including newsletters and invitations to Cornell events and programs, fill out this form as completely as possible.
Access form: Parent/Guardian Address Request
Meeting your New Student Health Requirements involves submitting health history information and documentation of required immunizations. Some students are required to have a physical exam.
This process can take several weeks to complete. Plan ahead to meet the June 12 submission deadline.
Your status on the To Do List will remain "incomplete" until your information has been:
If we discover problems with any of your forms or submissions, you will receive an email directing you to view a secure message in myCornellHealth.
If you are unable to meet your health requirements before coming to Cornell, you must contact Cornell Health's Requirements Office as soon as possible to make a plan for meeting your requirements as soon as you get to campus. See instructions here.
Access instructions: Health Requirements for New Students
Failure to come into compliance with Cornell's New Student Health Requirements will result in progressive penalties, culminating in withdrawal from the university.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to self-identify with Student Disability Services (SDS) and request accommodations and services as needed. Students with a broad range of conditions such as medical and mental health conditions, learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism, and sensory disabilities use our services to address their access needs.
Find out more about eligibility and documentation for disability services.
Questions? Call SDS at (607) 254-4545 or visit our website: sds.cornell.edu.
Access form: Disability Self-Disclosure Form
Cornell Fitness Centers (CFC) offer fun, stress-relieving, safe, convenient, and enjoyable exercise programs with five centers located around campus that provide an extensive variety of cardio and weight equipment. CFC's Group Fitness Membership includes more than 60 group exercise classes each week for members.
Access form: Fitness Centers Enrollment.
Your status on the To Do List for this item will not update and your status will remain "in progress" until after the waiver period has ended on July 31, 2024.
Please review the information below and log in to Gallagher Student Health to view the status of your Student Health Plan enrollment or waiver request and provide additional information if required.
Cornell requires that all active students have health insurance that provides access to comprehensive care.
Please log in now to:
If you do not enroll in SHP or receive an approved waiver, you will be enrolled in SHP by default* and your bursar account will be charged for this coverage.
Some students are not eligible to waive enrollment in SHP. This includes funded graduate students (e.g., most Ph.D. students) and international students.**
Not sure what to do? Check our website, where you can:
Still need help? Contact us!
If you have already requested a waiver through Gallagher Student Health, it is your responsibility to monitor the status of your waiver request and respond to any requests for more information prior to the waiver deadline of July 31, 2024. If you fail to provide the requested documentation, your waiver request will be denied and you will be charged for enrollment in SHP.
* Students in remote-only programs, the School of Continuing Education, or executive MBA programs may not be required and/or eligible to enroll in or waive SHP. See our website for more information.
** Exceptions may be granted to international students who are covered by a US-based employer health insurance plan which also meets the requirements of coverage. Please contact us prior to the waiver deadline for more information.
Your college may have specific tasks for you to complete during the summer in addition to course enrollment. Check your Cornell email regularly so that you don't miss any important communications.
For more information, visit College & School Links.
For enrolling students, we require an official high school transcript with final grades be sent directly from your high school to Cornell.
Have your secondary school counselor access the Final Report form at www.commonapp.org and return the completed form and your final high school transcript to us by July 1.
If electronic submission is not an option, you may print a copy of the form from the Common Application website to share with your secondary school counselor. If your high school is mailing your documents, they should be sent to:
Undergraduate Admissions Office Cornell University 410 Thurston Avenue Ithaca, NY 14850
Final transcripts will not be considered official and will not fulfill the transcript requirement unless they are sent directly from your high school. If you have questions about your Final Report or transcript, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office at [email protected] or (607) 255-5241.
Set aside 15 minutes to watch Cheating, a short video in which Cornell students, professors, and alumni talk candidly, poignantly, and sometimes even humorously about student cheating at Cornell. They discuss real-life ethical dilemmas that you might face; share their perspectives on why students cheat; give reasons why students shouldn't cheat; and offer tips on how you can avoid the predicaments that lead to cheating.
All Cornell students must meet the swim requirement in order to graduate. If you are able to meet this requirement, sign up for a time beginning August 1. Select a time that will not conflict with other required events. If you cannot swim or do not feel confident about your swimming skills, enroll in Beginning Swimming (PE 1100) during course add/drop.
Sign up opens August 1.
Financial institutions, including the financial departments of colleges and universities, are required by federal laws to be transparent with their policies/procedures and requirements. Our goal is to help students to understand the cost of their education and their financial responsibilities, as well as Cornell's financial policies and expectations for payment.
For this reason, all Cornell students are required to accept the Financial Responsibility Agreement when they first register at Cornell. Signing this agreement is your acknowledgement of your financial obligations related to enrolling in classes, and your understanding of the potential consequences that may result if you fail to meet your obligations.
You have not submitted your Financial Responsibility Agreement. Complete this required form as soon as possible.
Access form: Financial Responsibility Agreement
The CornellCard account is an optional service that allows you to make purchases on the Ithaca campus by presenting your Student ID Card. This service can help you manage your day-to-day expenses.
Access form: Apply for CornellCard (NetID required)
The Cornell Installment Plan (CIP), also known as the Full Service Payment Plan (FSPP), is administered by Transact Payments powered by CASHNet. FSPP allows you to pay your tuition and fees in interest-free increments over a 5 month period, August-December 7th. Using the installment plan may help you borrow less.
For more information or to enroll in the CIP, visit Cornell Installment Plan.
The status of this item will not be updated on your To Do List until August 8.
Bursar student refunds and university stipends (financial aid) can be issued electronically. Students must enter their U.S. banking information and manage their account through Nelnet Business Services.
Bursar bills are electronic, via Cashnet; paper bills will not be sent.
For more information including a complete bill schedule, visit the Bursar website.
The Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making (OSMM) partners with Cornell United Religious Work (CURW) to support the spiritual wellbeing and ethical lives of students. Wherever you are on your journey, whether religious or nonreligious, you are welcome to connect with our programs and communities.
Our multifaith community includes over 50 student organizations and over 50 affiliated chaplains and spiritual leaders. We offer opportunities for worship, spiritual practice, individual support, community service, deep conversations, interfaith friendship, and more!
Access form: Spiritual Life at Cornell
Ithaca's gorges are beautiful, but dangerous, too. Take a few minutes to watch this video on safe and responsible use of the gorges. Two gorges run through the Cornell campus. While the water in the creeks is alluring, it is deceptively treacherous. In this video, you will learn about the dangers you can't see, and ways to safely explore and enjoy the gorges and natural areas at Cornell and nearby.
Review video now (NetID required). Review by August 22.
All new undergraduate students must complete Cornell's online, interactive alcohol and other drug education course before move-in. Even if you are among the many Cornellians who do not drink alcohol or use other drugs, the information provided in the program will be valuable.
You will be manually enrolled in this Canvas training on July 29. The deadline for completion is August 19.
Cornell University is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning, living, and working environment for its students, faculty, and staff members. All new undergraduate students are required to successfully complete Undergraduate Student Responsibility – Sexual and Related Misconduct, an online course required by law that informs students about Cornell University policies related to sexual and related misconduct. It also covers consensual relationships between employees and students, University resources, and bystander intervention options.
The course will take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete. The program must be completed in its entirety. Participants are required to pass a quiz at the end of the course. You will be auto-enrolled in this training. The deadline for completion is August 23.
It may take up to a week after you have submitted your enrollment deposit before you are able to log in to Canvas.
All new students are required to read and review three brief Canvas modules on the Student Code of Conduct, the Code and Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Recognizing and Reporting Hazing and complete an attestation at the end of the modules. Undergraduate students will be auto-enrolled in the Canvas course The Student Code of Conduct on Monday, July 15. This is due August 19.
Community at Cornell is a mandatory program that all new undergraduate students must complete in their first semester at Cornell. It has two parts:
Part 1: An Introduction to Dialogue (due August 2) - A short reading and written reflection assignment.
Part 2: Create Community Across Difference (sessions run August 3 through August 18) - A 2-hour interactive, peer-led, virtual session.
Use Canvas to learn more and access the assignments. Sign in to the To Do List to access your link to the course.
Complete both parts by August 18.
This item will be complete after you complete both parts.
Check the Canvas course for more information.
Whether we're inventing energy-saving particle accelerators, developing hardier crops to feed the world, or imagining new worlds in science fiction, Cornellians are on the front lines of the climate crisis. This brief module introduces you to some of the students, faculty, and staff who are advancing Cornell's mission as a global leader in sustainability and climate change, and invites you to consider how you can join the effort to sustain our world. Learn about the connections between climate change and collective action, and find ways to get inspired, educated, and involved.
Use Canvas (available July 29) to complete this important module. Sign in to the To Do List to access your link to the course. This is due August 19.
All new first-year students are asked to complete the New Student Survey, which will be available August 1 via invitation sent to your Cornell email. This survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Cornell's New Student Orientation includes everything to get you started at Cornell.
Beginning in late June, build your custom program and start viewing "on your own time" events. Your program must include all required college and university events and the optional events that interest you.
Build your personal orientation program.
Transit Access: Fall entrant New-to-Cornell students automatically receive free, unlimited-ride TCAT bus privileges until August 31, 2025. No need to submit a form. Students must use their Student ID Card at the fare box and remain registered to access this privilege.
Vehicle Registration and/or Parking Permits: Parking on the Ithaca campus is extremely limited. Students are strongly encouraged to leave the vehicle home and rely on public transit service provided by TCAT. Beginning August 5, 2024, students must register their vehicle (required; free) and purchase a parking permit (optional; price varies) for their residential area or a commuter lot prior to their arrival. When permits sell out, parking options will be limited to short-term paid parking.
Bikes: Bicycle registration (free) is mandatory if you ride or store a bike on the Ithaca campus.