Columbia is approximately 51% male and 49% female between the two undergraduate schools.
How is housing selected for upperclassmen?
Students will enter into a lottery system in order to select their future housing; they may choose to group with friends and live in one of Columbia's suites, or they may decide to enter into the lottery alone and live in one of Columbia's many singles. Over 70% of all undergraduate rooms at Columbia are singles.
Can I seek off-campus housing?
Housing at Columbia offers a wide variety of living opportunities-from corridor style to apartment style living, from residence halls in the middle of the main quad to those on quiet side streets only five minutes walk to the center of campus. The University-wide Office of Off-Campus Housing Assistance supports all affiliates in seeking non-Columbia owned properties.
Can I live on campus during school breaks?
Yes. Continuing students may stay on campus during shorter breaks and apply to stay on campus during summer break through the Columbia University Undergraduate Housing office.
Are students required to live on campus?
Columbia is first and foremost a residential college; first-year students are required to live on campus. Upper-class students may choose to live off campus if they wish, but nearly all of the student body chooses to reside on campus all four years.
Can students who are non-U.S. citizens get internships or jobs in New York City or on campus?
Students may work part time on campus. There are a number of University offices who hire international students, including the University Libraries and the Columbia University Tutoring and Translation Agency.
Students are also eligible to work part-time during the academic year and full-time during vacation periods for international organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc. When a student is particularly interested in full-time employment, sectors with foreign offices, larger legal departments or greater financial options often yield the best results. When students with international background do find a job, it is often one that utilizes language skill, global knowledge, and so forth.
Practical training is employment in one's field of study. Optional Practical Training (OPT) - OPT is defined as “employment related to one’s field of study.”
It offers you valuable opportunities to supplement your education through work experience in your field of study. For more specific information about volunteer or paid work as an undergraduate student at Columbia, please refer to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) as well as the Center for Career Education (CCE), which also maintains a database for searching for part-time jobs.
What kinds of internship opportunities are available for students?
Columbia's location in New York and access to internships are among the most distinct advantages of our educational experience. The Center for Career Education (CCE) oversees the thousands of internships available for undergraduates each year. These opportunities can be either during the academic term, while complementing a student's academic coursework, or over the summer, when a student can commit to a full-time internship.
How safe is the campus and neighborhood?
Although Morningside Heights is consistently named one of the safest precincts in New York City, the Department of Public Safety further ensures the security of Columbia's campus and its students. Columbia students have direct access to the public transportation, which eliminates walking far distances to travel between campus and other locations. Should you feel unsafe in the neighborhood, you can ask the merchant at businesses featuring the Red Lion sticker in their windows to phone Columbia Public Safety or the police and wait for security personnel to respond.
Where is Morningside Heights?
Morningside Heights is a residential neighborhood located on the west side of the island of Manhattan. It is approximately a ten-minute walk from the northwestern tip of Central Park and another ten-minute walk to the heart of Historic Harlem. Columbia is located on the #1 subway line and various bus routes. On the #1 train students can get to Times Square in approximately 20 minutes, go uptown to Columbia's Medical Center in 15 minutes, and get to Columbia's Baker Field Athletic Complex at the northern tip of Manhattan in 25 minutes.
How accessible is the subway?
The New York City Subway System, with 422 stations, is one of the most comprehensive subway systems in the world. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Columbia's subway station is Columbia University-116 Street on the #1 subway line, located at 116th Street and Broadway, just a few steps from our main gate. (There are also several bus routes serving Morningside Heights.) The subway connects to all major train stations, and mass transit also connects to the three major airports. The transit fare is $2.75 per trip with various options for weekly and monthly Metrocards.
How can I start a club?
Clubs are organized by five governing boards-the Activities Board at Columbia, the Club Sports Governing Board, Community Impact, the Intergreek Council and the Student Governing Board. Each governing board oversees a particular set of organizations and has specific guidelines for prospective groups. Student life fees fund the over 450 clubs and organizations at Columbia. Check out the various governing boards in order to learn how to start up a new group that will offer something distinctive to the campus community.
What student clubs and organizations exist on campus?
Columbia features over 500 religious, service, ethnic, artistic, political, activist, publication or hobby student organizations and clubs, as well as various forms of student government. We have developed a complete list of clubs and organizations.
If I speak a language other than English, may I be exempt from the Foreign Language requirement in the Core Curriculum?
Yes, if you are fluent in another language, and you pass the placement exam on campus, you may be exempt from the foreign language requirement.
What majors are offered in Columbia College?
There are 59 Departments of Instruction offering more than 80 different Areas of Study for students in Columbia College. A complete listing of majors and concentrations offered by Columbia College is available under Columbia College Programs of Study.
What athletics are offered at Columbia?
Columbia University competes at the NCAA Division I level (Division I-AA for football) as a member of the Ivy League. Columbia sponsors varsity teams in 31 intercollegiate sports in addition to many intercollegiate club and intramural teams as well. For more detailed information, please visit the Columbia Athletics website.
Does Columbia have ROTC?
Columbia has an agreement with the Navy to offer a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program. As part of the NYC NROTC program, Columbia students complete their training at the SUNY Maritime campus, participating in Naval Science classes, military training and physical training. Graduates serve in the Navy or Marine Corps as officers and receive tuition and fees from the Navy during their time at Columbia.
Candidates interested in this program should apply both for the NROTC National Scholarship and for admission to Columbia simultaneously, taking note of NROTC entrance requirements. More information on the NROTC program can be found on Columbia's website or the official NROTC website (www.nrotc.navy.mil) and questions may directed to nrotc@sunymaritime.edu or (718) 409-7242.
Columbia also offers students the opportunity to participate in Army and Air Force ROTC programs through cross-town affiliations with other programs. More information can be found on the Columbia ROTC website.
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.
Can undergraduates take classes at Columbia’s graduate and professional schools?
Yes. Columbia undergraduates may generally take up to four classes toward their degree in most of the graduate and professional schools at Columbia, with the exception of those at Columbia Law School and the Columbia Medical Center. Special restrictions may apply.
What academic requirements are necessary for graduating from Columbia College?
All students in Columbia College must complete either a major or a concentration as described in the departmental sections of the school bulletin. Moreover, students must complete the entirety of the Core Curriculum, and in total earn 124 points, approximately 40 classes.
How are classes selected?
First-year students register during orientation week of their first semester.
In subsequent years students are assigned a registration time; this registration time gives seniority to upper class students, and times are distributed by lottery within each class year. Students then can participate in on-line registration for courses.
For more particulars about the registration process, consult the academic bulletins for the College and the Engineering School.
When do students take Core courses?
Students will primarily take Core courses in their first two years, but only in the first year will students be pre-registered for specific Core courses.
Columbia College: students will be pre-registered for Literature Humanities and University Writing. Most students will elect to take Contemporary Civilization in their sophomore year and then have the choice of when to complete the remaining Core courses. In general the Core will make up roughly one third of the courses a student will take in the College.
Columbia Engineering: students will be pre-registered for The Art of Engineering, University Writing and Principles of Economics. Most students will complete most of their technical Core courses in their first two years to better prepare them for specific majors. Students will complete the remaining humanities requirements throughout their tenure at Columbia. In general the Core will make up roughly one fourth of the courses a student will take in the Engineering School.
How large are Core classes?
Though celebrated for their content, these courses are equally important for their small class format. The hallmark courses in the Core (Literature Humanities, Contemporary Civilization, Art Humanities and Music Humanities) are taught in seminars of approximately 22 students; these courses ensure that education at Columbia begins with an emphasis on every student's active intellectual engagement.
Are there any tutors available?
Tutoring for all subjects is available for students through Academic Success Programs.
How many courses do Columbia students take per semester?
Columbia students usually take an average of 16 points (generally five classes) per semester. Students must be registered full-time and therefore must take at least 12 points per semester.
Does Columbia grant credit for college courses and credits earned during high school?
No. Entering first-year students are not granted credit for college courses taken before graduation from secondary school. However, a maximum of six credits may be awarded for college courses taken after graduation from high school and prior to matriculation at Columbia. For more specific information, please consult the bulletin of Columbia College or The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.
How often do professors teach courses?
Professors lead every departmental level course at Columbia. In the Core Curriculum, full-time professors teach the vast majority of the courses with select advanced graduate students leading some sections.
Does Columbia grant placement, advanced standing or credit for standardized examinations?
Yes. Some placement, advanced standing or credit may be granted for nationally or internationally standardized examinations. Columbia will grant a maximum of 16 credits toward the bachelor's degree. For more specific information, please consult the bulletin of Columbia College or The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Is Columbia on a semester or quarter system?
Columbia College and Columbia Engineering run on a semester system.
Are there advisors for specific departmental majors?
Yes. All departments will assign faculty advisors to every student committing to either a major or concentration in that department.
How large are Columbia's classes?
80% of undergraduate classes taught at Columbia have fewer than 20 students. Since Columbia's Core classes are small seminar classes and since more advanced courses are meant to allow direct connection with faculty, few courses at Columbia are larger than 20 students. Those classes generally are either popular introductory lectures or upper-level classes in especially great demand.
What are the advising and support services on campus?
All Columbia undergraduates will have a single all-purpose adviser from the Berick Center for Student Advising for all four years.