How to Submit Your Application Fee

Please allow 5 business days for application materials to be added to your checklist.

First-year Students

Cornell’s application fee is $80, and you are required to submit it with your Common Application. Please note that Cornell cannot process your application without the application fee or a fee waiver. Please follow the Common Application instructions. To apply for a fee waiver, please submit one of the following documents:

  • The Common Application fee waiver request completed by your guidance counselor/college advisor as part of the school forms process (online submission available at www.common app.org);
  • The College Board Request for Waiver of College Application Fee form (obtainable from your guidance counselor/college advisor if you used SAT fee waivers) or the ACT Fee Waiver Form (obtainable from your guidance counselor/college advisor if you used ACT fee waivers);
  • The NACAC Application for Fee Waiver Form completed by your guidance counselor/college advisor;
  • A letter from your guidance counselor/college advisor, or a representative from a social service or community agency, stating that the fee would cause financial hardship.

If you cannot apply for a fee waiver by one of these methods, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office at 607.255.5241. Submissions can be sent by mail, or by email to admissions@cornell.edu.

Transfer Students

Applications must be submitted with the $80 application fee or fee waiver in order to be considered. Submitting the application and the $80 online fee or the transfer fee waiver begins the transfer admission process and should be done as soon as possible to avoid delays.

Please note that Cornell cannot process your transfer application without the $80 application fee or a transfer fee waiver. When you apply online, you must submit the application fee online, or you must mark the box indicating you are requesting a waiver.

Cornell is proud to serve students from all economic backgrounds. If submitting our application fee would result in a financial hardship for your family, you can apply for an application fee waiver by following the instructions on the Common Application AND submitting the NACAC Fee Waiver Form or a letter from a transfer advisor, the financial aid office at your current college/university, or a representative of a social service/community agency stating that the fee would cause financial hardship. Submissions can be sent by mail, or by email to admissions@cornell.edu.

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