One Step Closer to Paperless
It’s always so exciting whenever our department implements new technology, especially if it allows things to run more smoothly for our applicants and for us. We are feeling the buzz of that excitement this week in the Financial Aid Office!
A few years ago, we began using a document imaging system with the intent to go paperless. The process has gone quite smoothly but we still require a lot of extra hands to open and scan all that incoming mail during application season. But our newest endeavor should curb some of that workload, allowing us to get you what you need more quickly. Yesterday we went live with an electronic document submission page within our website (www.finaid.cornell.edu). Applicants can use this web form to send application documents directly to Cornell online. We are using fillable pdf forms and electronic signatures to make the process simpler and more efficient for our applicants.
As you begin the application process for 2010-2011, we highly encourage you to consider using this new electronic submission process. Paper applications sent through the mail can take up to 6 weeks to process once they arrive at our processing center. Documents sent electronically can be processed within a few days. Not to mention it’s a much more secure way to get your application materials to Cornell.
To get started:
- Save the fillable pdf application (Freshman, Transfer, International, or Continuing) or form to your hard drive.
- Fill out the form electronically, including signatures for student applicants and parents. A typed name is considered a legal and binding signature, so make sure you’re typing your own name where applicable.
- Visit the home page of our website and click on “Submit Application Materials Electronically.”
- Upload as many documents as you need to, 3 at a time. Accepted file types are .pdf, .doc, and .jpg.
- You’ll get an e-mail confirmation when your documents are received by Cornell! update: If submitting documents late on weekdays or on weekends, you’ll receive the confirmation e-mail the following business day. Please do not submit the same document multiple times if you do not get an e-mail confirmation right away. If you have system problems you can email our webmaster: uao-webmaster@cornell.edu
We hope the majority of our applicants will begin using the electronic submission process and we look forward to hearing feedback about how it’s working!
Thanks!
Ruth Torres
This is a great news for international students, who can now submit their documents online. I have applied to Cornell for 2010-11 and submitted my forms electrinically. Unfortunately I had opted to submit my school forms offline. Can I now file the same online by giving email ids of my Counselor & teachers?
Also advise me about the process to file financial aid application forms online.
Thanks
Pranshu
Hi!!
Can we send the tax forms and passport photocopies also through this feature?
Hi Prajna,
Yes you can upload any electronic document you need the Financial Aid Office to have, as long as it is in one of the following formats: .pdf, .jpg, .doc or .docx. The files are sent directly and securly to Cornell using this function.
Hello, Do I need to submit the CSS Profile before being accepted for the 2010-2011 year and if so when is the deadline for submission?
Sharon,
Yes, you need to apply for financial aid at that same time you apply for admission to the university. The CSS PROFILE is due now (Jan 2), along with tax returns and the Cornell Financial Aid Application. Check our website for detailed instructions. http://www.finaid.cornell.edu.
Ruth
Hello. Does the new feature apply to the applications of the current students, or just to those of the prospective students?
Eugene,
It will apply to current students as well. Your renewal application and instructions will come via email to you this week, so be on the lookout for that.
Ruth
Hello,
I am a prospective Cornell student who applied as a freshmen for the 2010-2011 school year. I submitted all parts of my application by the deadline. However, I spent the past week on vacation with family and was not aware that the deadline for financial aid forms was January 2. Can I still submit the forms and apply for financial aid? I am extremely interested in Cornell, but my family cannot bear the financial burden with no aid. Please let me know if applying for financial aid is still possible.
Thank you very much. I appreciate your time.
Joy, Yes you can still apply. Please send your application materials as soon as possible. Thank you.
Hi:
I had submitted the Freshman Financial Aid Application and 2008 tax documents electronically on Dec. 16. When I check the status on Jan. 4, it shows an “prior year’s tax documents” item due on Jan. 2. I am wondering if the “prior year’s tax documents” means 2008 or 2009 tax documents. How long does it take to update the status?
Michael,
You should have received an email confirmation upon receipt of the electronic documents that stated processing time would take roughly 4 weeks. The university was closed for one of those weeks for the holiday break, so you should look for them in another 2 weeks or so. This is the first year we’ve used this feature so we are hoping 4 weeks is an overestimate of the time frame, but there’s no way to be sure just yet.
Prior year’s tax returns in this case means 2008, so it’s not showing on your To Do list yet.
Hi can i know after submitting all the documents,whats the maximum time taken to send the email confirmation message.
Typically, your confirmation email should be almost instantaneous if documents are uploaded during business hours. If you’re submitting documents in late evening or on weekends, you should receive your confirmation email on the morning of the following business day.
Will be submitting cornell application with 2008 taxes as pdf attachment tonight – will be completing CSS Profile in a day or two — is it okay that it goes out on two separate days? My daughter has already submitted application for CAL for 2010-2011 school year as a freshman — please advise -thanks.
Hi Joyce,
Yes, you can submit them at different times. Even if you sent them on the same day, they would get processed a different times anyway, since they are in different locations initially.
I live in some remote country in Asia Continent, and I’ve heard about Cornell since two years a go and become so fascinate ever since. It’s really fantastic news for me that I can apply/submit my document online..thanks
I’m confused about deadlines. On the finaid site, it says the Deadline is Jan 2 but in the e-mail I got, it said the deadline was April 30th? Because I only checked my e-mail, I missed the Jan 2 deadline and I will be sending in my materials late. Why does the e-mail say the deadline is April 30th instead of January 2nd?
Hi, I applied for regular decision this year and did not realize that the CSS form was due January 5. Can I still submit the form for financial aid or is it too late?
Thank you
Hi!
I submitted the fillable financial aid application online, and mailed the student and parent tax non filar statement before the Jan 2 deadline.However I did not receive email confirmation of receipt of these documents. Checking my financial aid to do list on Jan 17 I see that I am required to submit prior year tax returns. Is it too late to submit the document? Is it possible to scan it and submit it online?
Dlee,
April 30th is the deadline for continuing students. January 2nd is the deadline for regular decision freshman applicants.
Lydia,
Yes, you can still submit application materials for as a freshman applicant. The deadlines exist in order for us to provide timely notifications to families. Other than that, there is no penalty for applying after the Jan 2 deadline for freshman and transfers.
Emmanuel,
It’s possible we may have your documents in our online submission queue, but we will need to check using your name and date of birth. Also, if you submitted a non-filing statement because your parents didn’t file taxes, this would fulfill the requirement for prior year taxes. I will be in touch with you directly via email.
same question with pranshu, Can I now file the same online by giving email ids of my Counselor & teachers?
Also advise me about the process to file financial aid application forms online.
Indz,
This blog post outlines the process for filing financial aid forms online. No, you can not use Email IDs for counselors and teachers. You will use your name, date of birth and your e-mail address. You can start by visiting the document submission page on our website: https://www.finaid.cornell.edu/forms/uploads.cfm
Hi
i mailed in my 2008 tax forms but it still says that it has not been received–i know that the website says i should not resubmit materials if already submitted but it has been so long–should i electronically submit my tax forms instead or mail them again? thank you
Hi Nic,
Please don’t resend anything yet. Mailed forms can take 6 weeks to process because we receive so many. Multiple copies will only cause further delays. We will be notifying applicants in the coming weeks if they are missing materials. Thanks!
please i want to know where to get the forms to fill electronically.i am an international student.thankyou
Hi,
I submitted my parent’s 2008 tax forms and W2’s on December 29, 2009. (I am a regular decision freshman applicant.) However, as of now (Feb 15, 2010), my To Do List online still says that my forms have not been submitted. Should I wait a little longer, or should I resubmit because I somehow didn’t submit correctly the first time?
Thanks!
Joanna,
I would suggest you resubmit, but only after we can look through your file just to make sure there are no mistakes regarding your To Do List. I will contact you directly to look into it further.
I faxed my financial application, Business/Farm Supplement, 2008 parent’s W2 and income tax return Dec 23, 2009. I just received an email saying that my financial application has not been received and if I did not send it recently to send again. Is faxing not a reliable method? I also just faxed my parent’s 2009 W2 and income tax return last week. I’m concerned that maybe it will not get through either. Thank you.
Hi:
My status page request federal verification worksheet. But I cannot find the 2010-2011 verification worksheet when I check the financial aid website. When will it be available?
Thank you very much.
Congratulations and I’m hoping that somehow in not so near future, you would be enabled to take that ONE STEP to really become paperless. The process that you are implementing now is a big help for both students or clients and administration. Long queues during college days are what I dreaded most. Just give stress on efficiency in confirming the receipt of documents. More power to you!
What a great step toward conservation and, of course, efficiency. Reducing the processing of applications from 6 weeks to a few days is a significant achievement.
This is great for the environment. Hope other universities follow your example. 😀
Nice blog. Everything is clear and easy.
Pretty good article. You have a important opinion on this matter and I shall be subscribing to your feed and will hope you shall post frequently on similar matters.