Financial Aid for Summer Enrollment
Summer can be an exciting time to experience new opportunities locally or abroad, a time to catch-up, or get ahead. Students enrolled during the 2008-2009 academic year are eligible to apply for aid when enrolling in Summer Session, but many are asking:
How do I apply for Summer Session Financial Aid?
Click on the following link http://finaid.cornell.edu/forms/20082009forms.cfm to view the forms on our website. Make sure you complete the 2009 Summer Session Aid Application and turn it into the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment. The deadline was March 27th, but applications are reviewed on a continuing basis in the order they are received. Applications received after the deadline are not guaranteed to be reviewed in time for your aid to disburse prior to the start of your courses so the sooner you submit the form the better. Further instructions are included with the application.
What type of aid is available for Summer Session?
Need-based financial aid is awarded to students who demonstrate financial eligibility and are registered for between 6 and 8 credits. Need-based summer aid includes: $1,000 in Federal Work Study (for those enrolled in on-campus summer courses), Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loan, and University Loan. Your eligibility for summer is based on your eligibility remaining from the 2008-2009 academic year unless you are participating in the Engineering Co-op program (*see below). For those registered below 6 credits, an alternative loan from a private lender will be recommended. Alternative loans are also recommended for any costs that are incurred over the 8 credit federal need max. Cornell University Grant, alumni scholarships, and college awards are not available for Summer Session.
What if I have not had federal loans during the academic year?
In order to receive federal aid for the summer, you must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2008-2009 academic year. If you are receiving a federal loan for the first time this summer you will need to sign the electronic Master Promissory Note (eMPN) and complete an online Entrance Counseling session for the type of loan you are receiving. You will need to have your FAFSA pin for both of these. The following Financial Aid webpage has links to these sessions and help if you have forgotten your pin. http://finaid.cornell.edu/types/loans/promissorynote.cfm. The FAFSA, eMPN, and entrance counseling must be completed by June 20th, 2009 in time for your loans to pay by June 30, 2009 at which time these funds will no longer be available per federal regulation.
How will this affect my financial aid for next year?
For students who were aided for the 08-09 academic year, your summer aid is based on your Federal Work Study and/ or loan eligibility that is remaining (except for students participating in Engineering Co-op. *see below). This means that any aid you receive for summer will not affect your Financial Aid for the upcoming 2009-2010 year. Your aid for on-campus courses is calculated based on how many credits you are taking and the length of your enrollment.
What if I am enrolling in a special on-campus or abroad program?
Financial Aid works with all the alternative enrollment programs on campus and abroad to design a budget that will meet your estimated program and living expenses. Your parental contribution will remain as if you were taking courses on campus. Tuition charges are billed through the bursar, but in most cases food and accommodations will be generated as a refund that you as a student will be responsible for paying directly. This means plan ahead and spend wisely so your money lasts the entirety of your program. Please contact your program coordinators for details on the purchasing of airline tickets and what expenses you will be responsible for upon arrival.
What if I decide to change my enrollment by adding or dropping courses?
Any changes in your enrollment could affect your Summer Session aid and may result in you owing money at the end of the summer. In order to avoid this, please notify the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment with any changes you make to your summer enrollment.
What if I am enrolled as an Engineering Co-op program student?
For Engineering Co-op program students only, summer is considered part of your academic year. You will need to complete all the financial aid paperwork that you normally would for a continuing student for 2009-2010. If you are taking Engineering Co-op classes, but are NOT a program student, you need to proceed with a 2009 Summer Financial Aid Application.