Student Life
The Office of Student Life is located on the first floor of the Cornish Commons and can be reached at (206) 726-5003 or studentlife@cornish.edu. Students can schedule appointments with individual staff members via the scheduling links found on Compass in each staff member's bios. The Office of Student Life is dedicated to enhancing and complementing Cornish College of the Arts students’ educational experience through programs, services, and opportunities that aid in their personal development, including accommodations and accessibility services, Cornish Student Senate, Registered Student Organizations, and personalized support from a Student Success Coach. Student Life also provides students with an ORCA card for usage on local transportation and access to NellieCare, a 24/7 telehealth service.
Student Grievances
Please see the Student Handbook for information on Academic and Non-Academic Grievances.
Housing & Residence Life
Living on campus offers students a unique living-learning experience that nurtures creativity and intellectual curiosity. All undergraduate students who fall into any of the following categories are required to live on campus and purchase a meal plan for the first two years of attendance:
First-year and second-year students under the age of 21
Students with freshman or sophomore class standing under the age of 21
Students who begin their studies at Cornish College of the Arts within 2 years of high school graduation (or equivalent) and are under the age of 21
If a student’s status changes during the academic year, they will not be released from this housing requirement until the following academic year.
Students may submit an Insurmountable Hardship petition to have this requirement waived by the Dean of Student Affairs. For more information regarding this process, email studentlife@cornish.edu.
Residence Hall Charges 2024/2025
The following rates reflect the housing cost per student. These rates include all utilities and amenities and are subject to change.
Triple $4,696 Semester $9,392 Academic Yr.
Standard Room $5,272 Semester $10,544 Academic Yr.
Kitchenette Room $6,512 Semester $13,024 Academic Yr.
Campus Safety & Security
Cornish College of the Arts believes in providing a safe and welcoming environment to enhance the well-being of students, faculty, staff, and visitors, along with the protection of all college assets. The College is located in a downtown urban environment; therefore, every member of the campus community is expected to take reasonable precautions to protect themselves and their property.
The Office of Campus Safety & Security is a team committed to ensuring the safety and security of Cornish College of the Arts’ campus community. Overseen by the Director of Operations, they are comprised of a Director of Campus Safety and Security, a Site Supervisor, and 10 Security Officers. The department is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round and has jurisdiction at all campus buildings.
Cornish College of the Arts vests in its Office of Campus Safety & Security responsibility for overall campus safety and investigations of any alleged crimes. It is strongly requested that any office, department or employee of the College that receives information relating to alleged crimes immediately report that information to Campus Safety & Security.
If a campus community member is involved in an off-campus offense, the College will cooperate, when requested, with local law enforcement concerning an investigation of reported crimes.
Additionally, Campus Safety & Security personnel are obligated as representatives of the College to enforce institutional rules and regulations. They have the authority to ask persons for identification to determine whether individuals have lawful business at the College and to administer trespass notices to those who do not. Campus Safety & Security staff have the authority to issue parking tickets on behalf of the College. The security staff is non-sworn, contracted through Allied Universal Security Services and licensed through the State of Washington. They receive training in the following subjects: criminal law, civil law, public relations, sexual violence, emergency response, interpersonal communication, crisis intervention, defense tactics, Title IX compliance and protection of persons and property.
Cornish Library
The Cornish Library supports students throughout their time at Cornish and beyond. The Librarians hold advanced degrees in Library and Information Science, in addition to undergraduate degrees and the occasional additional Masters degree. This enables them to delve deep into the topics and questions that students bring to the library.
All incoming first year students receive an orientation to library services and an introduction to academic research. Through these workshops, Cornish Librarians help students develop key research skills necessary to achieve their creative and academic goals. Throughout all four years, Cornish Librarians assist with research questions of all types and provide information literacy instruction tailored to individual courses and projects.
The Cornish Library is located on the 2nd floor of the Main Campus Center and is home to several study areas and comfortable spaces to read and relax. Other facilities and services include a private study room, a computer lab, fee-based black-and-white and color printing, free document scanning, and a media center for playing/copying analog and digital media formats.
The Library Collection includes books, ebooks, scripts, scores, magazines, newspapers, sound recordings, Blu-Rays, DVDs, slides, digital images, and a 16th-century illuminated manuscript. These items focus on the visual and performing arts as well as humanities and sciences topics related to the curriculum.
Online collections include electronic books with broad subject coverage as well as extensive academic databases of journal articles, digital images, streaming music, videos, and more.
Interlibrary loan is available for materials not held in the collection, and students are eligible for free access to Seattle Public Library and King County Libraries and all of their online databases.
The Library’s online catalog, research databases, and information about all library services are available at www.cornish.edu/library. Detailed policies on loan periods and overdue/lost materials can be found on the website and in the Student Handbook.
Counseling Services
Counseling Services assists students with their personal, academic, and artistic pursuits by providing supportive mental health counseling, referrals in the Seattle community when appropriate, and outreach programs that promote student mental health and emotional well-being. Our services are preventative and educational in nature and are offered from a developmental perspective. Counseling Services is located on the first floor of the Cornish Commons behind the Office of Student Life. You can call 206.726.5027 for more information or visit our website at www.cornish.edu/student_life/student_support/counseling_services/.
Student Health Insurance
In accordance with the Affordable Care Act, all college students are legally required to have health insurance. There are a variety of options for health care for students. Students can be covered under a parent/guardian’s policy until age 26 or can choose their own health insurance plan. To explore all options, please visit healthcare.gov.
Nellie Care
Cornish students have access to Nellie Care, a program from our partners at TimelyCare, that provides 24/7 medical and mental telehealth care for all students at no cost per visit. Whether feeling sick or overwhelmed, the program will connect students to a licensed provider for free from a smartphone or any web-enabled device. Medical providers can diagnose common conditions (e.g. cold, flu, sinus infection), and the TalkNow service gives students a safe space to talk about anything at any time (e.g. relationships, depression, among other topics).
For more information on this service, contact the Office of Student Life.
Study Abroad
Cornish College of the Arts believes that international understanding can enhance a student’s development as an artist and as a citizen of the world. To that end, the College supports summer study abroad sessions and is pleased to provide the opportunity for its students to enrich their Cornish degree programs with a meaningful international experience.
Minimum Requirements for Eligibility
Junior standing during the semester abroad
Minimum 3.0 GPA
Completed Cornish Application for Semester Study Abroad
All coursework must be approved in advance if it is to be used to meet Cornish degree requirements. Interested students should apply through the Registration & Records Office. Students should plan on applying no later than nine months before the term of the intended study; see the Study Abroad page of the website for deadlines. Ideally, students are encouraged to contact the Registration & Records Office at the end of the fall term of their sophomore year.
Writing Center
The Writing Center provides Cornish students with free, personalized writing support through individualized half-hour consultations in person and online through screencasts. Writers use the Writing Center to work with consultants on any kind of writing and at any stage of their writing process. The Writing Center welcomes alumni to use services after graduation, as well. The Writing Center is located in the Main Campus Center in room 212, next door to the library. For more information about hours, services, to book an appointment, or send in writing for feedback, visit cornish.edu/writing-center or the Writing Center Canvas page. Email WritingCenter@cornish.edu with any questions.