Office of Financial Aid

Welcome! We look forward to helping you through the application process. If you are a prospective, new or transfer student, please contact Admission for additional financial aid information. If you are a current student, please contact the Office of Financial Aid or log on to compass.cornish.edu. We will work to help you find a financial strategy to realize your long term goals at Cornish College of the Arts.

Priority Deadlines

To qualify for the best possible financial aid package, including departmental merit scholarships, apply by your respective priority deadline below:

New Students

File the FAFSA online as early as possible after January 1, 2011 and before March 1, 2011. Financial Aid packages will continue to be awarded to qualifying students throughout the spring and early summer.
Financial aid and scholarships are available to all who apply and qualify, but some funds are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Therefore you should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after submitting your application for admission.
Cornish College of the Arts practices rolling admission, which means that as long as space is available in your major, applications will be accepted until August 15 (Fall semester) and December 15 (Spring semester). At this time space is available in all majors, and we are accepting applications.
Please contact the Office of Admission if you have questions about the timing and process for admission and/or financial aid applications. All incoming freshmen and transfer applicants must be admitted to the college in order to receive an offer of financial aid.

Current Students

File FAFSA online as early as possible after January 1, 2011 and before February 15, 2011. Financial aid packages will continue to be awarded to qualifying students throughout the Spring and early Summer.

Get Ready for 2011 – 2012

To continue to qualify for institutional aid (such as the Cornish Scholarship or Continuing Cornish Grant), all continuing students must complete FAFSA using Cornish School Code 012315 between January 1st, 2011 and February 15th, 2011. Making satisfactory academic progress, that is, earning a fall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00, is a prerequisite to continue to qualify for the grant. Grade point average to continue to earn the Cornish Scholarship is higher. Use 2010 tax estimates if necessary to meet the FAFSA filing deadline and get the best possible aid package.
Claim your education credits in tax years 2009 and 2010. Read Education Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A 1098-T will be mailed to the student address from the Student Account Office sometime in January 2011 to help you claim this credit. Contact the Student Account Office at 206.726.5024 if you have questions.
Do not report your Cornish scholarships or grants on the FAFSA.
Do report your Work Study earnings on the FAFSA under “Taxable earnings from need-based employment programs, such as Federal Work Study…”
Read the Financial Aid Newsletter and apply for Outside Scholarships through May 2011 for academic year 2011 – 2012. Page 4 of the latest edition of the Newsletter contains links to scholarship sites where you can apply.

New and Current Students

Effective August 8, 2008 and upon enrollment, each student must receive from the College, this separate, clear and conspicuous written notice that advises the student of the penalties for drug violations according to the Higher Education Opportunity Act. The same notice is provided to a student upon loss of eligibility as it includes ways to regain eligibility for any lost grant, loan or work study assistance.