Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the University to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.
Located at Morningside Heights in New York, Columbia University is the 2nd largest landowner in the U.S. The campus was designed as per the architects, Mead, White, and McKim. It is spread across 36 acres of land and is built beautifully. Also, the library is known to be designed in a neo-classical style and maintains more than 11 million books and research papers. It features some famous books that are inscribed with names of great writers, thinkers, and philosophers. The campus also includes housing facilities and is located near to the restaurants, cafes, medical stores, general stores, and other shops that provide basic necessities to the students.
Columbia scientists and scholars have played an important role in scientific breakthroughs including brain-computer interface; the laser and maser; nuclear magnetic resonance;the first nuclear pile; the first nuclear fission reaction in the Americas; the first evidence for plate tectonics and continental drift; and much of the initial research and planning for the Manhattan Project during World War II. Columbia is organized into twenty schools, including four undergraduate schools and 16 graduate schools. The university's research efforts include the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and accelerator laboratories with major technology firms such as IBM. Columbia is a founding member of the Association of American Universities and was the first school in the United States to grant the M.D. degree. With over 14 million volumes, Columbia University Library is the third-largest private research library in the United States.
Ranking
Columbia University is ranked 3rd overall among U.S. national universities and 6th globally for 2021 by U.S. News & World Report.
QS University Rankings listed Columbia as 5th in the United States.
Ranked 15th among U.S. colleges for 2020 by The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, in recent years it has been ranked as high as 2nd.
In 2021, Columbia was ranked 6th in the world by Academic Ranking of World Universities.
7th in the world by U.S. News & World Report
19th in the world by QS World University Rankings.
17th globally by Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
International Student Admission
Columbia’s admissions application process is largely the same for all students regardless of their citizenship or country of residence. Please see our Application Instructions for more information on procedures and requirements, and What Does Columbia Look For for more information about how our office reviews applications and distinguishes candidates. Applications are reviewed by region, and members of the admissions office have read and evaluated applications from all over the world and are familiar with a variety of school systems and transcripts. Included with the secondary school report is a "school profile," which includes a description of the school, grading system, curricular and extracurricular resources. If we need more information to make an informed decision or have any questions, we have the option to contact an applicant's school and to do our own research.
Columbia accepts all secondary school curricula and applications are reviewed within the context of a student’s curriculum. Internal and external exam results, such as A Level, International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and other final national exam results, must be submitted if they are required for the completion of, and graduation from, secondary school. If they are not required for the completion of, and graduation from, secondary school, applicants are not required to submit results. Undocumented students are encouraged to visit our Undocumented Students webpage. All prospective students and their families should be aware that Columbia Undergraduate Admissions does not authorize or work with any independent agents anywhere in the world for our recruitment efforts.
Studying at Columbia costs around USD 85,000 per academic year, reason why 75% of international students shy away from even applying to Columbia University. Meritorious students who do apply for admission, they seek some financial assistance in the form of Columbia University scholarships, grants, and bursaries. Like several of the top-ranking U.S. universities, Columbia’s financial aid process is need-based. While there are a few Columbia University scholarships available for graduate students, incoming undergraduate students are primarily assisted through financial aid grants. The average amount aid provided to international students beginning UG programs is USD 66,350, the best amongst other U.S. universities.
Presently, Columbia University scholarships are program-specific and offered through the donations of foundations and Columbia alumni. These scholarships range from USD 7,500 upto USD 30,000. The university ensures that the scholarships and other funding resources are not affected by the COVID 19 outbreak.
The institution acknowledges that for several international students, Columbia University scholarships and financial aid may not be enough to cover all their expenses of studying in the U.S. Therefore, the university encourages international applicants to apply for external scholarships in their respective countries.
Internal Scholarships to Columbia University for International Students
International students are funded via financial aid packages, which include non-refundable Columbia grants and a student term-time job. The student job part includes part-time work-study programs, fellowships, and summer internships & jobs.
Undergraduate Columbia University Scholarships
For the academic session 2018/2019, the university awarded USD 17 million to international students commencing a Columbia undergraduate program. The average financial aid offered to students in last session was USD 66,350. Presently, undergraduate financial aid is restricted to need-based grants. International students are not considered for any department Columbia University scholarships and awards. However, the university guarantees to meet 100% demonstrated financial requirements of first-year and transfer students.
Graduate Columbia University Scholarships
International students commencing graduate programs at Columbia are eligible for a few departmental scholarships, credited towards tuition fees. Unlike undergraduate scholarships, graduate scholarships are limited and not offered to all admitted students.
Admissions at Columbia University are extremely selective. Even then, the university has the fourth-largest international student population in US. According to the Fall 2019 survey, Columbia University received 40,203 applications and admitted 2,214 students from 152 countries into its various undergraduate, graduate and non-degree programs.
As per the student profile of the class of 2022, more than 90% of the admitted students were in the top 10% of their graduating class.
The university grants degrees in humanities and social sciences departments with more than 60 majors, proving itself as one of the best places to study in the USA.
About 50% of the admitted freshmen of Columbia University had an SAT score ranging from 1480-1560
Graduate applicants have a separate application form for each program at Columbia University.
For Ph.D., the students are also required to submit their GRE score, without which their application won’t be considered. The admit rate for an M.D./Ph.D program is 84%
