Columbia University is an elite private university that is located in New York. It is part of the Ivy League Schools, which is a group of prestigious universities known for their academic excellence. It was established in 1754 and is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York as well as the fifth oldest in the United States. In this article, we will be covering Columbia University scholarships and need-based aid.
There are approximately 8,000 undergraduate students and 24,000 graduate students who are attending Columbia University. These students are among the best in the world, having passed the very tough competition of the Columbia University application process.
Many of these students also do not pay much for tuition, room, and board because of the generous Columbia University Scholarships. If you are admitted, Columbia will help you financially so that you will be able to attend.
Cost of Attendance
Before we look at various scholarship options, let’s look at the cost of attendance at Columbia University. Per year, the tuition fees is $48,000 per year, room and board is approximately $20,000 year. Counting the personal expenses, the total cost of attendance is over $80,000 per year.
Because the university is located in New York, the cost of living is very high. Students need to keep this in mind.
However, Columbia University offers generous scholarships to its students. Let’s take a look at the financial aid policy.
Columbia University Scholarships
Columbia University gives scholarships according to students’ needs and not academic achievements. In other words, there are no merit scholarships, talent-based scholarships, or athletic scholarships available for students, but only need-based scholarships.
On the side note, if you are an accomplished athlete, you will have a much better chance of getting admitted to Columbia University than non-athlete especially if you compete at a national level. If this is the case, make sure to contact the coaches at Columbia University so that they can make the case to the admissions to admit you. If you are a decent student and a great athlete, your chances of admission greatly increase.
Columbia University is committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated need of every student. The need is calculated through the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Based on the information that you provide, these documents will come up with a number called the Expected Family Contribution, which is how much your parents are expected to pay for your education. Then, the university will cover the difference between the cost of attendance and your Expected Family Contribution through Columbia University Scholarships and Grants.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Columbia University practices need-blind policy. This means that your financial situation will have no effect on your admissions. Many universities are need-aware, which means that if you require a large amount of scholarship award, your chances of being admitted will decrease. However, in Columbia, how much you require from Columbia will have no effect on your chances of admission.
Columbia University provides full-ride scholarships to students whose parents make less than $65,000 a year. This means that your parents will be asked to contribute $0 per year toward your education. However, you will be asked to cover part of your personal expenses through work-study and summer work.
If you want to learn more about this, visit the Columbia Financial Aid Page!
How to apply for Columbia University Scholarships
So, how do you apply for Columbia University scholarships? To be eligible, you need to submit three documents, which are FAFSA, CSS Profile, and IDOC. FAFSA is used for federal aid grant, CSS Profile is used for institutional aid, and IDOC is a service where you can upload your financial documents. FAFSA and CSS Profile will ask you questions about your and your family’s finances and will calculate the Expected Family Contribution based on your responses.
You need to submit these documents by November 15 if you are Early Decision applicant and by February 15 if you are a Regular Decision Applicant. I would submit them as early as possible to get these documents out of the way.
If you want to see these details on Columbia University’s website, visit the Financial Aid Application Page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia University has provided a page where they provide answers to frequently asked questions about Columbia University Scholarships and Financial Aid. There are some useful questions that are included, so visit the FAQ Page to learn more about how Columbia University Scholarships works!
Another useful page that you should read is the Myths about the Financial Aid Page. Here, they address common misleading views about financial aid. These myths include “Is my family penalized for saving?” and “Will my financial aid stay the same for all four years?” These are very informative articles, so I hope you read it!
Net Cost Calculator
If you want to quickly calculate how much you will pay, you can use the Net Cost Calculator. It takes around 20 minutes to finish and give you a rough estimate of how much you will pay per year. So, if you are serious about applying to Columbia, this is a great tool to get an estimate of what you will pay at Columbia! However, please note that your actual award might differ quite a lot and that this is a just a rough estimate.
Financial Aid Appeal
Once you are admitted to Columbia University, you will get your financial aid package. If you think that this financial aid package is unsuitable for your family’s financial circumstances, you can file an appeal. The financial aid office at Columbia will do its best so that finances don’t stand in your way of attending Columbia. For more information, visit the Appeals Page.
I hope that this article on Columbia University Scholarship and Need-Based Aid was helpful. If you are from New York, I highly suggest to visit the New York Scholarships Category and have a look at state universities. These provide affordable tuition and generous scholarships to in-state students, so it will be worth your time to check these universities out. If not, I would go to Authority Scholarships Website and check out universities that are in your state.
