NetID & Email
Cornell NetIDs
Your NetID is a unique identifier that, combined with a strong password, provides access to non-public Cornell resources and information.
Activate Your NetID, Email, and Two-Step Login
After the university has received your enrollment response and processes your deposit, you will receive an email from netid-activation@cornell.edu at your admissions email address letting you know that your NetID was created and what to do next. Sometimes this email goes to spam/junk folders, so check there if you do not find it in your Inbox. It can take up to two business days for your NetID to be created after your deposit is processed.
- After you receive the activation email, sign in with your Application Status Page login information to activate your NetID and email.
- Don't forget to set up Two-Step Login so you can access services vital to getting started as a new student. This two-factor authentication service prevents the use of stolen Cornell passwords by requiring confirmation from something a third party does not have, such as a mobile phone. Learn more about NetIDs, Cornell email, and Two-Step Login.
Please activate your NetID immediately. Your email account will be set up when you activate your NetID. Your email address will look something like this—ewe1@cornell.edu—where "ewe1" is your Cornell NetID.
After you activate your NetID, it will be your permanent account and you will use it to log in to Cornell services moving forward. NetIDs carry both additional privileges and additional responsibilities. Use a strong, unique password with your NetID and keep it private.
Your Email Options
All incoming Cornell students are set up by default with Gmail through a Cornell Google Workspace for Education account. You also have the option to instead use Outlook through Microsoft 365 for your Cornell email needs.
Regardless of which email option you choose, you can still use the collaboration services offered through Cornell Google Workspace for Students.