Access Fund
The Access Fund is administered in collaboration with Cornell’s FGLI (First Generation Low Income) Student Support. Funds are made possible through the generous contributions of our alums and donors and available based on donations. This fund is not intended for Emergency Relief. For emergency relief please contact http://finaid.cornell.edu/special-circumstances/emergency-funds. Eligibility is pre-determined by Financial Aid & Student Employment guidelines.
The Access Fund provides enrolled full-time undergraduate, graduate, and professional Cornell students who qualify as low-income based on their financial aid package with up to $500 of financial support to help mitigate on-campus barriers, access basic necessities, and assist with unexpected expenses not covered through financial aid, health insurance, or other university resources.
The Access Fund is NOT an emergency fund
Applications are first reviewed and, if approved, are submitted to financial aid or the business office for disbursement. If the application is not complete or is pending further documentation, the student will be notified by email. Access Fund requests must meet the application guidelines before they are processed and approved. Because of the Access Fund guidelines, students may be referred to additional resources, including financial aid to explore loan options. Please review the information carefully prior to submitting an application for the Access Fund.
Guidelines:
Undergraduate students who are enrolled full-time and qualify as low-income based on their financial aid package may receive up to $500 per academic year (Fall and Spring semesters only). Graduate and professional students who qualify may receive up to $300 per academic year (Fall and Spring semesters only). The total amount awarded per year is allocated into the categories listed below, the sum total of which cannot exceed the limit per academic year. Please see the FAQs for more information.
If you are requesting support for a laptop repair, you will need to provide a written quote/estimate with this application (your application will not be processed without it).
- Transformative Academic Experiences
- Professional attire – Up to $100 (includes backpack or computer bag; cannot be used for casual clothing, tuxedos, gowns, business cards, jewelry or accessories, perfumes or fragrances, purses, handbags, etc.).
- Conference registration only – Up to $500, $300 for Graduate and professional students, (does not include any classes or coursework).
- Support for summer internship – Up to $500, $300 for Graduate and professional students, (application must include a letter of acceptance for the summer internship; cannot include any classes or coursework).
- Laptop Repair – Up to $200 (application will not be approved without a written quote).
- Travel to attend a funeral of a family member – Up to $500, $300 for Graduate and professional students.
- Cornell Fitness Center (CFC) Basic Gym Membership – Up to $165
- Omniride Bus Pass (Ithaca campus only) – Up to $200
- Winter gear – Up to $250 (includes a winter coat, winter boots, winter hat, winter scarf, and winter gloves).
- Sudden Catastrophic Medical, Vision, or Dental Cost (not covered by health insurance)– Up to $500, $300 for Graduate and professional students
- Students must first submit claims to their insurance plan, and have a statement (called an 'Explanation of Benefits', or EOB) from their insurance plan
- Receipts from the provider and/or insurance EOBs for uncovered health care costs must then be submitted to Cornell Health using through the Cornell Health patient portal, myCornellHealth
- From the Home Screen, click on “Messages”
- Then “New message;” then “Send message or attachment to Health Records”
- In the subject line, please indicate "Attn: Cornell Health Billing
- Once Cornell Health reviews and validates the receipts/EOBs, they will notify the Access Fund team who will either forward your request for disbursement or contact with recommendations/additional information.
- Student Health Plan (SHP) enrollees should contact Cornell’s Student Health Benefits (studentbenefits@cornell.edu) with any questions about SHP coverage and benefits before submitting an application
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of expenses may be covered?
This is not an exhaustive list, but expenses may include Cornell gym membership, Student OmniRide bus pass, unexpected medical, vision or dental expenses not covered by insurance, professional interview attire, winter coat and boots, laptop repairs, new backpack, virtual professional or academic conference registration, summer internship or academic experience, and transportation costs to attend a funeral of an family member.
What type of expenses may not be covered?
This is not an exhaustive list, but expenses not covered include tuition, university fees, meal plan, groceries, classroom supplies, food/beverages, rent and utility expenses, parking tickets, late fees, Cornell ID replacement, credit card debt, hotel costs, storage, fees associated with graduate school, textbooks, or other academic expenses calculated into the cost of attendance as part of the student’s financial aid package. Funding is not available for travel, new laptops, academic supplies or furniture. If you are local and need support for groceries, we encourage you to visit the Cornell Food Pantry webpage to learn more and submit an application.
What is the process and how will students be notified?
To apply for grants through the Access Fund, students must submit an application using the link below. Applications should be submitted at least four weeks or 30 business days before the funds are needed. The application will be reviewed and if approved, the student will be notified by e-mail upon receipt of the application. If the application is not approved, the student will be notified through campus groups upon receipt of the application. Depending on the situation, the student may be referred to additional resources including financial aid to explore loan options.
Are funds guaranteed?
While it is our goal to support FGLI student needs, the Access Fund is made possible through the generous monetary gifts of our alums and donors. Resources are limited based on these annual contributions. Therefore the amount of money we are able to approve is based on the amount of available funds.
Contact Information
The Access Fund is administered by the Office of the Dean of Students through the First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support. If you have any questions or would like to refer a student, please email us at accessfund@cornell.edu
Please complete the Access Fund application.
To make a gift in support of the Access Fund, please visit our online giving page.