Columbia’s Core ValueA Guide to Financial Aid & Educational Financing

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Columbia Financial Aid

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We strive to make Columbia accessible for all students, especially those from low- and middle-income families. Here’s how:

Our need-based aid is in the form of grants and work-study positions. Loans are not a component of Columbia financial aid packages.

For students coming from families with calculated total incomes of less than $60,000 annually (and typical assets), parents are not expected to contribute to the cost of Columbia.

For students coming from families with calculated total incomes between $60,000 and $100,000 annually (and typical assets), Columbia offers a significantly reduced parent contribution.

Parents earning over $100,000 still can qualify for significant financial aid from Columbia.

Students who take advantage of study abroad, research, internships and community service opportunities can apply for additional funding and exemptions from academic year and summer work expectations.

Columbia College and Columbia Engineering enroll 6,000 undergraduate students from nearly 100 countries and all 50 states with half receiving over $122 million annually in grants and scholarships.

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What Is Financial Aid?

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Columbia meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need of every admitted first-year student who has applied for financial aid, and continues to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all four years of study. There is no official income limit for financial aid eligibility. Because eligibility for need-based financial aid is determined by many factors, including income, assets, family size and number of children in college, we encourage you to apply if you are at all concerned about your ability to pay.

Our goal is to make sure you have enough funding (from your family and from Columbia) to cover everything. Your aid is determined by taking total costs (tuition and fees, housing and meal plan, books and personal expenses), and subtracting your family contribution (parent contribution and student contribution). The remainder is your aid (made up of federal and/or state grants, work-study and Columbia grants). Financial aid packages at Columbia contain no loans.

Our Need-Blind PolicyAdmission is need-blind for United States citizens and permanent residents and persons granted refugee visas by the United States, meaning that financial need has no bearing on the admissions decision. Financial aid is available for foreign students,

though financial need is taken into consideration at the time of admission. Each year Columbia admits a large number of foreign students, many of whom receive a substantial amount of financial aid.

Work-StudyA work-study job will help fund extra expenses like books, toiletries and other necessities. Rather than being assigned a job at Columbia, you get to choose from thousands of options (checking out books at the library, greeting visitors at the student center, prepping equipment for science labs, or working in one of our administrative offices). You might even choose a work-study job off campus, like working at MoMA PS1 contemporary art center or America Reads. If you find an unpaid internship or research project that you’re passionate about, you can apply for extra funding from Columbia to replace income from work-study.

How to ApplyWe understand the financial aid process may feel daunting, which is why the Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing will assist you every step of the way. Please go to http://cc-seas.financialaid.columbia.edu or call us at 212-854-3711 for details on the financial aid process.

We make every effort to take special circumstances into account when

determining your family contribution. Each year we request three forms: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), College Board’s CSS Profile and federal income tax returns and W2s from you and your parents so that we can evaluate your eligibility and any changes in your financial situation.

NYC on a BudgetLiving in New York can seem very expensive, but because Columbia guarantees on-campus housing all four years and factors your meals, books and personal expenses into your financial aid package, you will have very few extra expenses.

We also help by offering discounted (and sometimes free) tickets to Broadway shows, operas, concerts and sporting events; free admission to museums; discounted movie tickets; and much more. You’ll learn to live like a New Yorker, taking advantage of bargain deals and free activities around campus and the city.

Going to Columbia is a kind of dual citizenship — you are a Columbian and a New Yorker. Each in itself is a life-changer. The combination? Unequaled.

Financial Aid Deadlines

Document Early Decision Regular Decision

FAFSA (School code 002707) April 22, 2015 March 1, 2015 Required for federal financial aid

CSS Profile (School code 2116) November 15, 2014 March 1, 2015 Required for institutional financial aid

Complete 2013 Tax Returns November 15, 2014 N/A (to Columbia)

Complete 2014 Tax Returns April 22, 2015 March 1, 2015 (to IDOC)

Non-Custodial Profile* November 15, 2014 March 1, 2015

Business/Farm Information* November 15, 2014 March 1, 2015

*If Applicable

For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education. The University ensures access to this tremendous education with one of the most generous financial aid policies in the nation.

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We believe cost should not be a barrier to pursuing one’s educational dreams. A Columbia education is possible for students from the full spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds. Consider these facts:

16% of Columbia’s undergraduates receive the Pell Grant, a federal grant reserved for the neediest students in the country. This percentage is among the highest in the Ivy League.

Columbia awards more than $122 million annually in scholarships and grants.

Half of Columbia’s students receive grants from Columbia and the average amount awarded is $42,238.

The median income for families receiving a Columbia grant is $98,814; however, many families earning as much as $200,000 annually may qualify for fi nancial aid.

Financing Facts, Personal Stories

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Hannah DiazNovato, CA Urban Studies

“I grew up totally afraid of college loans — my mom is still paying hers off. I remember the financial aid letter from Columbia sounded too good to be true, but it was actually less expensive for me to come here than it would have been to stay in-state at a public school.

“Because of my family’s income level and Columbia’s no-loan policy, I won’t be in debt after graduation. It’s really nice to know that my mom doesn’t have to put aside money every month to pay for my schooling, and the idea of going on to graduate school seems so much more realistic.”

Deaton Jones Raleigh, NC Economics

“Columbia stood out to me because students here are independent; they take advantage of the school’s resources and everything the city has to offer. I knew I was interested in fashion and journalism, so New York was the place to be. But Columbia could also offer me a package with no loans and no parental contribution — I wouldn’t be here otherwise.

“Fashion and journalism are especially tough industries, and most of the internships are unpaid. The financial aid staff has been really helpful and told me about the Work Exemption Program, which gave me extra grant so I could have the flexibility to do internships. Now I’ve worked at J. Brand Jeans and GQ. There’s really nothing stopping me from pursuing what I’m passionate about.”

Bukhosi MsimangaBulawayo, ZimbabweElectrical Engineering

“As a junior, I met a Columbia admissions officer at a college fair in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, who told me about their engineering program and the huge financial aid resources available. I knew Columbia was it for me.

“I didn’t come here with much — no winter coat or boots! I got a small refund for the first semester that sustained me until my work-study job started, and those paychecks take care of books and stationery, and essentials, like winter clothes. I thought there might be a social stigma as a financial aid student, but that’s not what I found, of course. Everybody is just here for what they’re here for: to learn.”

Nicole Bartnik Bradenton, FLPolitical Science/International Relations

“I’ve been playing tennis all my life, and at first I thought a full athletic scholarship was the only way I could afford college.

“But when I visited Columbia, I was blown away, by the city and the people. Not only is everyone extra smart, but everyone is also involved in something — sports, music, whatever. I didn’t have that in my small-town high school. I’m still dedicated to tennis, but getting need-based aid is so much less stressful. If I went to an athletic scholarship-based school and sprained my ankle or pulled a muscle, my tuition could go through the roof. Having financial aid that doesn’t depend on sports or grades is one of the best things about Columbia.”

Columbia University 100 Hamilton Hall, MC 28021130 Amsterdam AvenueNew York, NY 10027

For more information about Columbia University, please call our office, send us an email, or visit our website:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions212-854-2522ugrad-ask@columbia.eduundergrad.admissions.columbia.edu

Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing212-854-3711ugrad-finaid@columbia.educc-seas.financialaid.columbia.edu