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.
All new and continuing Cornell students must also complete the Checklist prior to the start of the Fall semester.
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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.
Visiting and exchange students are automatically enrolled in the Unlimited Meal Plan or the House Meal Plan.
Review your dining information when you receive your housing assignment.
In addition to the Unlimited Meal Plan/House Meal Plan, be sure to check out City Bucks—a pre-paid, declining balance account accessed through your Student ID Card that eliminates the need to carry cash at many off-campus locations.
The status of this item will not update until early July.
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
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.
Access instructions: Health Requirements for New Students
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.
Cornell requires that all active students have health insurance that provides access to comprehensive care.
You will not be able to enroll in the Student Health Plan (SHP) or submit a waiver request until our waiver site opens in early June.
Beginning in early June, you will be required 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.**
Our office will begin accepting waiver requests in early June and the deadline is July 31, 2024. Review your options now so you are ready to make a decision once the waiver period begins. At our website you can:
* 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.
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.
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.
Read the Financial Responsibility Agreement. When you submit this form, we will send a copy to your email address for your records.
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)
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.
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.
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.