How much is tuition?
For the academic year 2012-2013, the breakdown of billed costs is as follows:
Tuition: $45,028
Room and Board: $11,496
Fees: $2,200
Books and Personal: $2,898
Estimated total cost of attendance: $61,642
Additionally, first-year students are assessed a one-time orientation and transcript fee of approximately $521. The purchase of medical insurance is also required for all students who do not have comparable coverage.
Does Columbia provide support for students who have unpaid internships?
Columbia strongly believes that students should be able to follow their passions and experience jobs and opportunities that will lead them toward their professional goals. Columbia supports students with unpaid internships in two distinct ways. First, The Work Exemption Program (WEP) is part of the financial aid program for undergraduate students in Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. The program is designed to enable financial aid recipients to take advantage of such unpaid opportunities as internships, research projects, and community outreach, locally, nationally, and internationally. Students have the option of applying for exemption from the summer savings portion of their financial aid package or exemptions from Federal Work Study during the academic year. Secondly, all students at Columbia are encouraged to apply for the Alumni Internship Fund administered by the Center for Career Education (CCE). CCE also offers an array of alternative funding sources for students that may help fund a summer internship or fellowship.
Can families apply for financial aid in future years if they do not apply the first year?
Yes, under certain circumstances. A family that experiences a change in circumstances may apply for financial aid at any time. For example, it is not uncommon for a family to suffer a job loss or illness or for a younger sibling to begin attending college. Please note, however, that institutional aid will usually be awarded only in cases that involve an involuntary change in circumstances. Parents who decide to retire early or to invest in a business start-up may not be awarded institutional aid. It is a good idea to include a letter describing your family’s change in circumstances with any new financial aid application.
Can international families apply for financial aid in future years if they do not apply the first year?
If you are a foreign student or transfer student who is admitted without institutional financial aid, you are not guaranteed institutional financial aid even if there is a change in circumstances. If you are a US citizen or a US permanent resident, you apply for financial aid every year, and you may be eligible for aid in later years. A family that experiences a change in circumstances may apply for financial aid at any time. For example, it is not uncommon for a family to suffer a job loss or illness or for a younger sibling to begin attending college. Please note, however, that institutional aid will usually be awarded only in cases that involve an involuntary change in circumstances. Parents who decide to retire early or to invest in a business start-up may not be awarded institutional aid. It is a good idea to include a letter describing your family’s change in circumstances with any new financial aid application.
What forms/documents are required for financial aid consideration?
Please visit the Financial Aid website to see a complete listing of all forms required and the appropriate deadlines. All application materials may be accessed online through the Financial Aid website.
Early Decision applicants with US citizenship
Regular Decision applicants with US citizenship
Will my financial aid package be any different if I apply for admission under the Early Decision Program?
No. Some families may think that their chances for financial aid might be worse when applying early, or that they should not ask for financial aid in the Early Decision process. Please be reassured that both Early and Regular Decision processes are need-blind and that financial aid packages are not any more or less comprehensive in the Early Decision process. Columbia College and The Fu Foundation of Engineering and Applied Science award need-based financial aid to all admitted first-year students.
We know Early Decision candidates have made Columbia their first choice, and we make every effort to help these families finance a Columbia education. If, after receiving the estimated Early Decision financial aid offer, an admitted student’s family has concerns about meeting the expected family contribution, we encourage the family to contact the Financial Aid Office and speak with one of our counselors.
Can I be released from my Early Decision contract because of my financial aid package?
It is extremely rare for a family to ask to be released from the Early Decision commitment for financial reasons. If a family determines after discussion with our Financial Aid Office that they cannot afford to finance a Columbia education, the admitted candidate can be released from the Early Decision agreement. The family must speak with a financial aid officer before the release is granted. Ultimately, it is the family’s decision whether or not they feel capable of accepting the need-based Columbia financial aid award.
Those who do opt out of their Early Decision contract are released to pursue other colleges and universities; the admission offer at Columbia University is then cancelled. A candidate who declines Columbia’s Early Decision offer will not be allowed to reconsider Columbia’s financial aid estimate in the spring Regular Decision cycle and will not be able to reinstate the original offer of admission.
Are there any scholarships available for transfers?
There are no academic, athletic or talent-based institutional scholarships at Columbia, as all of our institutional financial aid is need-based. However, our students are often the recipients of merit-based scholarships from outside organizations (state grants/scholarships, local/national merit-based awards, etc.).
Do you meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for transfers?
While we do not guarantee that we can meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted transfer students, Columbia has a very generous financial aid initiative.
Some parts of the financial aid initiative will extend to transfer students. Most notably, transfer students receiving financial aid will not be packaged with loans. In addition, transfer students will be eligible to apply for the summer and academic term work exemption program and have their work expectation eliminated during their study abroad term. Due to the limited funding available for transfer students, we will be unable to extend the reductions in parent contributions to transfer students.
How can I afford to send my child to Columbia?
We know that choosing the right college involves a variety of factors, and the cost of the institution and how you will finance your student’s education are extremely important considerations. A student should never decide not to apply to Columbia because they think the cost exceeds their family’s ability to pay. Need-based aid makes it possible for everyone to afford a Columbia education.
Columbia reviews each admitted student’s family’s financial circumstances, determines your financial need, and awards aid to meet a family’s full demonstrated financial need. For many families, Columbia can be as affordable, if not more affordable, than a state-college or university education.
We make every effort to help meet students’ financial needs. In our quest to make Columbia affordable for all students, especially those from low-income and middle-income families, the University implemented the following financial aid enhancements for all incoming and continuing students:
These enhancements build on previous financial aid initiatives and a long standing commitment to make Columbia affordable for all admitted students as illustrated by the following facts:
What is the process for being selected through the Higher Education Opportunity Program or the National Opportunity Program?
The Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) was established by the New York State Legislature in 1969 to assist eligible residents in obtaining higher education at New York private institutions. The National Opportunity Program was created by Columbia in 1986 to provide the same kind of academic and financial support to students from all over the United States. Selection for the HEOP/NOP programs at Columbia involves meeting both academic and economic guidelines.
There are no additional application forms for HEOP/NOP; all eligible applicants to Columbia will be considered for these programs. Applicants may be contacted for a telephone or in-person interview by a member of the Opportunity Programs and Undergraduate Services (OPUS) staff.
In order to be eligible for HEOP, applicants must:
HEOP/NOP Economic Eligibility: Household income can be at or below the amounts listed for the number of family members, with the exception of the “single head of household” instruction.
Size of Household | Amount |
| 1 household member | $20,665 |
| 2 household members | $27,991 |
| 3 household members | $35,317 |
| 4 household members | $42,643 |
| 5 household members | $49,969 |
| 6 household members | $57,295 |
| 7 household members | $64,621 plus $7,326 for each additional family member thereafter |
Please contact the Academic Success Program at 212-854-3514 or asp@columbia.edu with further questions or concerns.
Does Columbia provide support for students applying to major fellowships?
The Fellowships Office works with students at all levels in preparing for a variety of fellowship applications. In recent years, Columbia students have won more Fulbright grants than those of most other universities, in addition to many other prestigious fellowships and grants.
Is it possible to be able to work while going to class?
Columbia holds classes from early in the morning until late at night. This allows students to hold on-campus jobs, pursue internships in the city and adjust their schedules to make the most of their academic and extracurricular experience. Many students, moreover, have no classes on Fridays, so many use Fridays as an opportunity to pursue internships and other commitments. The Center for Career Education also provides students with opportunities for employment on and off campus.
Will my chances for admission be affected if I apply for financial aid?
All applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States or students granted refugee visas by the United States are read in a need-blind manner, no matter where they attend school or where they reside. The term “need-blind” means financial need has no bearing on the admissions decision. All other applicants are evaluated in a need-aware manner, which means that the admissions committee takes into consideration how much financial aid a student requires when rendering an admissions decision. Columbia admits a large number of foreign students who receive a substantial amount of financial aid.
Columbia is committed to meeting the full need of all applicants admitted as first-year students for all four years of study, regardless of citizenship.
As a foreign student, you should determine what amount you feel you and your family could afford to pay each year for four years of study. If you conclude that you and your family will be unable to assume the estimated total cost of attendance, you should apply for financial aid at the same time you apply for admission. If you are traveling to Columbia from another country, you will also want to consider travel expenses. If you do not apply for financial aid at the time of applying, you cannot be considered for financial aid in the future unless there has been a drastic and unforeseeable change in your family’s circumstances.
The Columbia University Financial Aid website has information for foreign students interested in applying Early Decision and Regular Decision.