How do I track the status of my application?
Admissions online document tracking is only available during certain times in the admissions process.
If, at that time, you discover that any items are listed as "not received/processed," please have the school submit a duplicate copy of this missing information to us via email at ugrad-confirm@columbia.edu as soon as possible. Emailed materials will take up to one week for processing. You will have time to submit the missing credentials before decisions are released without being penalized.
According to our Application Instructions, we will consider a file complete with only one Teacher Evaluation on file.
We do not track Midyear Reports/senior grades or additional materials.
Related FAQ Topics: Applying, Combined Plan, Transfer
I received a B- in a required prerequisite class. Do I still qualify for guaranteed admission?
For students who began at an affiliate school in fall 2011 or later, the minimum grade for each pre-engineering prerequisite course must be a B (3.0) on the first attempt. As a B- is less than a B on a 4.0 scale, receiving a B- or less would preclude a student from guaranteed admission, and would put the student in our competitive review process.
Students who began at an affiliate school prior to fall 2011, there are no minimum grade requirements for guaranteed admission.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
What kind of housing do Combined Plan students receive?
Combined Plan students are guaranteed housing in their first year.
While Columbia will do its best to accommodate students’ requests to live on campus after the first year, there is no guarantee that Combined Plan students will be offered a room on campus beyond the first year. Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA) assists Columbia students and affiliates in their search for housing in non-Columbia owned buildings in the metropolitan area. OCHA maintains a website and regular office hours to provide advice, resources and an online database of available housing.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
When are financial aid forms due for Combined Plan applicants?
Forms should be completed as soon as possible, and no later than March 1, 2017.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Which classes count towards Columbia’s prerequisite courses?
Please speak with the liaison at your school in order to determine which classes fulfill Columbia pre-engineering and major course requirements. Our Pre-Curriculum Course Descriptions describe the topics covered through our prerequisite courses, which may help you guide you and your school liaison.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Why can’t I apply to the Financial Engineering major?
Financial Engineering is a concentration in the Industrial Engineering & Operations Research department that requires an application after at least one semester of study at Columbia. Entrance in this program is very competitive.
Students interested in the Financial Engineering track should consider Operations Research, Engineering Management Systems or Industrial Engineering as fields of study.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Will any advanced credits I earned in high school (e.g., AP or IB courses) transfer?
If your institution has awarded you any college credits for work done in high school, Columbia will accept this credit. Please speak with your liaison to determine whether these credits fulfill Columbia prerequisite courses. The liaison must note this awarding of credit in his/her letter as part of your application and the courses must appear on your transcript.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Will any courses I’ve taken elsewhere (at non-affiliate institutions and/or study abroad programs) fulfill Columbia's prerequisite courses?
Please speak with the liaison at your school, who should be familiar with your school’s policies. If the course appears on your home institution's transcript and if your liaison approves by noting this in his/her recommendation letter, we will accept credit taken at other institutions as fulfillment of the prerequisite course. Official transcripts from all institutions attended are required. Please note that additional information about your school's credit policies may be required as part of your application.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Will I be able to take non-technical liberal arts electives at Columbia?
Depending on your department and schedule, you may be able to take non-technical elective courses.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Will I get the same financial aid package from Columbia as I received from my affiliate school?
As Columbia awards only need-based financial aid, your aid package may change. Please see the financial aid section on our website for more information.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Should I apply after three years or after four?
You should speak with the liaison at your school, who can advise you on an appropriate course of study and/or other institutional requirements that may determine when you will apply. While most students apply in their third year, you may apply in your fourth year and still be considered for guaranteed admission. Students may apply only up to one year after they have graduated.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
What assistance is available to help Combined Plan students with their post-Columbia plans?
Combined Plan students have full access to The Center for Career Education, the Office of Preprofessional Advising, and the Office of Fellowships, which provide individual advising, programming and rich resources to help students explore and prepare for internships and jobs, graduate school and fellowship programs. Graduating student survey results demonstrate that Columbia engineering students are equipped to pursue a variety of paths upon graduation.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
What courses are used to calculate my GPA?
Your pre-engineering GPA includes all of the science and mathematics prerequisite Foundation Courses and Major-Specific Courses, as listed in our Curriculum Guide. Your overall GPA includes all courses you have completed towards your home institution's degree, up through the spring semester of application.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
What if a prerequisite class is not offered at my affiliate school?
Please speak with the liaison at your school to determine how the prerequisite class may be taken. Depending on the course, you may be able to take the class at another institution or through independent study.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Are there quotas for the number of Combined Plan students admitted?
No. The Combined Plan Admissions Committee will review applications individually.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Can I apply if I do not attend an affiliate school?
Yes. You are permitted to apply, and your materials will be reviewed by the Combined Plan Admissions Committee. Please note that the requirements for guaranteed admission are used as guidelines in this review process, as the process is most competitive. Since your school does not have an articulation agreement with Columbia, you are not eligible to apply under the guaranteed admissions program.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Can I apply to the Combined Plan program if I have not fulfilled all of the requirements for guaranteed admission?
Yes. Your application materials will be reviewed by the Combined Plan Admissions Committee.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
If I am a Combined Plan student, can I pursue an internship while I am at Columbia?
Yes! Combined Plan students have access to the Center for Career Education, which assists students with finding appropriate internship opportunities and preparing for postgraduate careers.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Can foreign/international Combined Plan applicants get financial aid?
Financial aid is available for foreign students, but it is limited. Columbia does not guarantee that it will meet 100% of a foreign student’s demonstrated financial need. A “foreign” student is one who has neither U.S. citizenship nor U.S. permanent resident status.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Do I have to take physical education classes?
No. Combined Plan students are exempt from the Columbia Physical Education requirement.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Do you offer a Combined Plan program for the M.S. in Engineering degree?
For all information about the graduate study of engineering at Columbia, please contact the Office of Graduate Student Services at seasgradmit@columbia.edu.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
Do you offer fee waivers for the Combined Plan application?
Yes. Please obtain documents demonstrating eligibility from your Financial Aid office and contact the Combined Plan program by e-mail.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
How many classes will I take in a typical Columbia Engineering semester?
Depending on the course of study, Combined Plan students will take five or six classes per semester (including laboratory supplements to classes).
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
How many Combined Plan students are at Columbia?
We have a total of approximately 150 students in the two years of the Combined Plan.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
I’m planning to visit Columbia. Are there any Combined Plan specific things I can do?
In addition to a general information session and campus tour, you may be interested in our Engineering tour. Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to RSVP.
If you have any specific questions regarding the Combined Plan program, you may speak to an admissions officer available during your visit, or you may e-mail us at combinedplan@columbia.edu.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
May I reapply to the Combined Plan program?
Yes. You will need to resubmit a new application along with an updated transcript and materials. Please note that students who entered the affiliate school in Fall 2011 or later may only qualify for guaranteed admission in their first application cycle; any subsequent applications will be reviewed in the competitive review process.
Related FAQ Topics: Combined Plan
What is the Combined Plan Program?
Columbia offers a five-year plan in which you can attend Columbia College for three years and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science for two additional years, graduating with both the B.A. and B.S. degrees. If you are interested in the Combined Plan Program (sometimes known as "3-2"), you should apply to Columbia College.
Another five-year program allows you to complete your four-year B.S. program in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and then, with an additional year of study in Columbia College, to earn the B.A. degree as well. If you are interested in the "4-1" Program, you should apply to The School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Related FAQ Topics: Applying, Combined Plan