Processing Time

Checklist update processing times vary with application volume. Near deadlines, submitted materials may take up to two weeks to appear as “received” in your applicant portal. Portfolios and design supplements are due on the application deadline: November 1 for Early Decision and January 2 for Regular Decision. The deadline for required materials is November 13 for Early Decision and January 19 for Regular Decision. 

First-year Applicants

After completing your Cornell University Writing Supplement, go to My Colleges > Cornell University > “Review and Submit Writing Supplement”. Once you have reviewed this section, you will be prompted to pay the application fee by electronic payment. Cornell’s application fee is $85.

If paying the fee would present a financial burden, you may qualify for a fee waiver. To request one:

1. Review the Common App fee waiver eligibility criteria found in My Common Application > Profile > CommonApp Fee Waiver to confirm that you meet at least one of them.
2. Select “Yes” when asked, “Do you meet one or more of the Common Application fee waiver eligibility criteria?”
3. Provide your signature to complete the fee waiver request.
4. In My Colleges > Cornell University, at the bottom of the General section, there is a question: “Are you eligible for an application fee waiver?”  Respond to this question  with Yes, I am eligible for a fee waiver as outlined in the profile section of the Common Application.”
5. Answer questions found in the My Colleges > Cornell University > Fee Waiver Eligibility section.

If your fee waiver request is approved, a grey checkmark will appear next to the application fee item in your applicant status portal.
 

Transfer Applicants

Cornell University’s application fee is $85.

Submitting the Fee

After completing your application, select Submit Application from the top menu bar of the Common Application. You will be prompted to pay the application fee by credit card (or confirm an approved fee waiver).

Requesting a Fee Waiver in the Common Application

1. Review the Common App fee waiver eligibility criteria to confirm that you meet at least one of them.
2. Select “Yes” when asked, “Do you meet one or more of the Common Application fee waiver eligibility criteria?”
3. Provide your signature to complete the fee waiver request.
4. In the Cornell University questions, select “Yes, I am eligible for a fee waiver as outlined in the profile section of the Common Application.”
5. Answer the additional fee waiver eligibility question in Cornell’s application section.

If your fee waiver request is approved, a grey checkmark will appear next to the application fee item in your applicant status portal.

For information on how to submit other materials for your application, please visit Application Material Submission Instructions.