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Cornell University

Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives

EOP and HEOP Application Process for First Time Students

**Note for Fall 2024, we will not able to process applications during Early Decision due to the delay in the release of the new FAFSA.  All applicants will be reviewed during the regular decision process.

  • Follow Cornell standard admissions process.  
  • Complete the Common Application with the Cornell Supplement
  • Complete the Collegeboard CSS Profile
  • Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
  • Complete EOP|HEOP eligibility questionnaire   
    • Submit copies of your TAP notification at the end of the questionnaire. (**see below about converting messages to PDF)
  • Upload financial documents through the IDOC process. 
  • Financial documents will include but may not be limited to:
    • Signed copies of complete tax returns (1040) including any and all schedules from the “prior prior” year for parents (custodial and non-custodial) as well as the student (For example, those students applying to Cornell for Fall 2024 will submit financial documents from 2022);
    • All W-2s and/or 1099s that accompany the tax returns;
    • If there are no earnings, a non-filer statement must be submitted;
    • Documentation of any other type of income, (i.e., Social Security, Unemployment, Public Assistance) 
    • In the case the student’s parents are separated, divorced, or not living together, AND the student has contact with the non-custodial parent ALL documentation is required.
    • In the case the student’s parents are separated, divorced, or not living together, AND the student DOES NOT have contact with the non-custodial parent, the student and custodial parent should complete the Non-custodial waiver process. Students who do not have contact SHOULD NOT attempt to find, reach, or contact parent for the application.

      Visit Cornell Financial Aid to learn more about this process and how to successfully navigate the process.   

**If you are submitting a document that is email, for example your TAP notification, please convert the email message to a PDF. You can follow these easy steps:

  • Open the message (In Gmail, double click the message to open it)
  • Click the printer icon in the upper right corner.
  • There should be a pop-up box that opens. Look for Select Printer or Destination.
  • You should see Adobe PDF.
  • Choose Adobe PDF.
  • Click print.
  • You should see another window open with the message as a PDF.
  • Save document as a PDF.
  • Upload the PDF.