Graduate students in the chemistry department attend classes and perform research throughout the calendar year. It is the policy of the department to provide year-round financial support for five years to graduate students who make satisfactory progress toward the degree. This support comes in the form of teaching assistantships, research fellowships, graduate research assistantships, and several NIH training grant programs and includes stipend and tuition.

Eligible students are encouraged to apply for fellowships from outside agencies. The department assists in identifying and applying to appropriate agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Danforth Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, the Southern and National Fellowship Funds, the National Institutes of Health, and various industries. The Graduate School of Cornell University also provides fellowship support and supplementation of outside awards.

In addition, those who attend the Teaching Assistant Training Program receive a special stipend while participating in the program. For nearly a decade, the Teaching Assistant Training Program has provided incoming graduate students with a comprehensive introduction to both teaching and the department. Students who participate in this five-week summer session attend lectures about undergraduate chemistry courses and facilities, complete special educational projects, lead recitations, and supervise undergraduate laboratories during Cornell's summer session.