4 Videos,
Last updated on 13 Jan '26Columbia UniversityWhat's new?
- Admissions are now open for the 2026 session at Columbia.
- For PG courses, the priority application deadline is Jan 15, 2026
About Columbia University
Established in 1754, Columbia University is one of the eight private Ivy League Universities in the US. It is known for offering a blend of quality STEM courses, world-class research facilities, and exposure to one of the best academic environments in the world. Emphasis is given on finding solutions to complex problems in areas like AI, Data Science, Environmental Science, and Health, via research.
For that, Columbia maintains its own research facilities like the Irving Medical Center and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Other popular partnerships include those with General Motors and Tesla to build chassis and engines for the Formula Racing Team. It should come as no surprise that getting admission to Columbia is not easy. As per the latest student enrollment data, the Columbia University acceptance rate stood at 4.94% for the Class of 2029.
The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and houses around 21 schools and colleges. Having educated more than 100 Nobel Laureates over its nearly 250-year-old history, the institute is recognized by many as one of the best universities in the world.
Columbia University Information
|
Fact |
Validation |
|---|---|
|
Location |
116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027, United States |
|
Student to Faculty Ratio |
6:1 |
|
Endowment |
USD 15.9 Billion (2025) |
|
Columbia University Average SAT |
1520-1560 (Class of 2028) |
|
Columbia University Average ACT |
34-36 (Class of 2028) |
|
Total Students |
35,769 (Fall 2024) |
|
Total International Students |
1,241 (Fall 2024) |
|
Newspaper |
Columbia Daily Spectator |
|
Notable Alumni |
BR Ambedkar, Barack Obama, Warren Buffett, and Franklin Roosevelt |
|
Sporting Affiliation |
NCAA Division I |
History
The university began its operations in on the orders of Great Britain's King George II. Its first-ever class took place in a schoolhouse near the Trinity Church. 1767 saw the opening of the first medical school under Samuel Bard. The medical school merged with the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1813. In 1858, the Columbia Law School was founded, as was the School of Nursing in 1892, and the Teachers College in 1893.
Today, Columbia stands as one of the finest private universities in the US, housing 16 schools, one Columbia College, and four other affiliate schools under its umbrella.
Confused between On-Campus or Off-Campus Housing at Columbia, and how to apply?
All your Columbia Housing queries have been answered here: How to Navigate Housing at Columbia University?
Check out the videos below to know more about studies in the US:
Commonly asked questions On Highlights
As an Indian student, it's not easy to get into either. Your chances of admission at admission stand at 4.94% at Columbia. If you think this is low, Harvard accepted its Class of 2028 at a rate of 3.6%. This means Harvard asks you to put in that extra effort.
As an Indian student, 3.0 is generally considered the bare minimum if you want to study at Columbia Uni. For Engineering, a minimum 3.3 in your past academics is needed. Make sure to maintain a good profile non-academically as well.
Buckle up if you're an Indian student, as UG courses at Columbia Uni cost somewhere in the range of INR 51 L-INR 59 L. If you're interested in an Master's, then you can expect to pay somewhere in the range of INR 21 L-INR 1.23 Cr.
The Columbia University Tuition Fees for UG students ranges between INR 51.6 L-INR 59.3 L, while the Columbia University tuition cost for graduate students ranges between INR 20.1 L-INR 1.23 Cr, for the entire duration of the course.
Source: Columbia University Official Website
Columbia University Ranking 2026
Columbia has consistently maintained its position among the top 10 universities in the US for several years now. This remains the case for 2026 as well. Columbia University Ranking is #10 in the US and #17 in the world, as part of the latest edition of the Shiksha Popularity Rankings.
By Other Ranking Bodies
US News ranks it #13 in the US, while the Columbia University QS Ranking is #38 in the world for 2026. US News is yet to release the Columbia University World Ranking for 2026, which stood at #10 for 2025. Times Higher Education also ranked it #18 among global universities for 2025.
#19
#11
Commonly asked questions On Rankings
Not if you go by their overall university rankings. While both rank in and around the top 10 universities in the country, Harvard (#2) ranks well ahead of Columbia (#10), in national level rankings, given by Shiksha.
Though Harvard offers more course options, and overall brand recognition, Columbia is considered by many as the better of the two for its Engineering courses, something Harvard is not known for.
Getting into Columbia can be hard but as an Indian student you can get in if you follow some basic steps of the Columbia University application process, take a look -
- First things first, start by registering yourself on the application portal
- Then, you would have to put your personal details and a really good essay on why Columbia?
- Now, upload all the required documents and pay the Columbia application fee
- At the last, all you can do is wait for a decision from the uni.
Yes, Columbia accepts more than 100 transfer students each year. For admission at Columbia as a transfer student, students would need to satisfy the eligibility criteria given below:
- Should have 24 points of credit at another institution or be registered to complete the same
- A high school diploma
- Must be enrolled at an institute where courses are offered by each term (quarters, semesters, etc.) AND a grade is given for each course, every term AND the institute can provide an English language transcript of the same
- Must secure the minimum score, in either of the following: TOEFL-iBT: 105, IELTS: 7.5, Duolingo English Test: 135, or Cambridge English: 191
Columbia University Courses
Students can choose from a lot of courses at Columbia University, with more than 100 degree program options. The Columbia University Courses are split across the undergraduate and graduate levels of study, with more than 80 options to choose from as part of Columbia University Undergraduate Courses, while the Columbia University Graduate Courses include 132 course options to choose.
Columbia University Popular Programs
While students can choose from a big pool of courses, some are popular among them than others. These include Biology, Computer Science, Political Science, Psychology, Business Administration, Economics, and Electrical Engineering.
Columbia University Online Courses
Columbia offers several professional certificates, MicroMasters, and XSeries programs, in online formats, to allow students to upskill across a wide variety of subjects that include Financial Engineering, Public Health, Applied Machine Learning, and Digital Marketing, among others.
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Commonly asked questions On Popular Programs
It is among a select group of R1 institutions in the US, which are known for their very high research activity.
The university's scientists are known for conducting hundreds of innovative tasks in Health sciences each year. Also a number of his medicines have also reached the market, with some notable ones including: Xalatan, Remixade, Reopro, Benefix, Latanoprost & Zolinza.
Bollywood Actress Sara Ali Khan, graduated with a BA in History and Political Science from the Columbia University, before embarking on her acting journey in 2018.
Her very first film, Kedarnath, bough her a Filmfare Award, a Screen Award and an IIFA Award. Some of her other notable works include: Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, Sky Force, Metro In Dino, Atrangi Re and Simmba.
India had around 1,241 students at Columbia, by Fall 2024, the second the largest international community of students, behind only China (6,463). Of these, around 72 were enrolled in UG, 1,153 in graduate, and 16 in non-degree courses at Columbia Uni.
Columbia University offers a number of scholarships to international students. Each scholarship has its own criteria and conditions. Columbia University provides scholarships to students from all socio-economic backgrounds including international students. Columbia is committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted first-year international students. It has a substantial amount of financial aid for international students totalling over USD 17 million for the class of 2027.
Columbia University Admission 2026
As an Indian student, you can apply to Columbia University by submitting either the Common Application, Coalition Application, or the QuestBridge application. You would have to submit certain personal and academic documents along with the application for the relevant authorities to verify your credentials. As part of the Columbia University Admissions, you would have to pay the Columbia University application fee of around USD 85 (INR 7.5 K) for admission to UG courses, and somewhere between USD 120 and USD 150 (INR 10.6 K and INR 13.3 K) if you're applying to a PG course.
Columbia University Application Deadline 2026
The upcoming deadlines at Columbia are mentioned below:
| Application Type | Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| Priority Decision - PG | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Regular Decision - PG | Feb 15, 2026 |
| Regular Decision - UG | Early Jan 2027 (Tentative) |
*Some programs may have different deadlines than the ones mentioned above. You're advised to check the deadline for each program via the course page.
Columbia University Eligibility for Indian Students
- Completed Columbia University application
- Official Academic Transcripts
- Prove Verbal and Written English Proficiency
- Personal Essay
- Letters of Recommendation
- A valid passport with passport-sized photos
- USA Student Visa
Columbia University Undergraduate Requirements
Apart from the general requirements above, you'd also have to submit a Class 12th completion certificate and valid scores in either the ACT or the SAT exam. Other than that, you may have to submit a School Profile and any other certifications or achievements of yours, either academic or non-academic.
Columbia University Graduate Requirements
For PG courses, you'd have to submit a Bachelor's degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. Some courses, like the Columbia University MBA, may also ask you to submit valid scores in either the GRE or the GMAT exam. You should maintain a very good non-academic profile to improve your admission chances.
- Application fees :USD 79.9 - 250
- Type of deadline :Depends on course
Documents| Type of documents | Applicable for |
|---|---|
| SOP | Needed for few courses |
| LOR | Needed for few courses |
| Essays | Needed for few courses |
| CV | Needed for few courses |
| Additional documents | Required |
Commonly asked questions On Admissions
Columbia accepts around 4 applications for every 100 it receives. Its acceptance rate was 4.29% for the Class of 2029. NYU accepts twice the number of applications, at an 8% acceptance rate. You would have to work hard to get into either. However, at NYU you have a better chance.
Yes, it is hard to get admission into the Columbia MBA programme because of the high competition. The Columbia University acceptance rate for the MBA programme is around 22%. For the class of 2022, the Columbia Business School receive 6177 applications out of which 1363 are admitted to the Columbia MBA program. International students require a good GPA and academic profile to get into the university Students can know more about MBA in the USA and then apply. Applicants must have a good portfolio and perform well in academics to get into the university.
Per an official media release, the Columbia University student population, for the Class of 2029, stands at 2,946 students. The university received a total of 59,616 applications, for admissions to its courses, however, the only the above mentioned number of students secured a seat at the institute.
Columbia UniversityColumbia University Scholarships
Commonly asked questions On Scholarships
Columbia University does not discriminate between domestic and international students. At the university, scholarship application process is the same for all students, regardless of their citizenship or country of residence. International students are advised to check the application instruction for more information on the procedure and requirements for scholarships.
Yes, as an Indian student, if your family's annual income is less than USD 6,000 (INR 5.4 L), you can get a 100% Scholarship at Columbia. Your parents don't need to contribute anything towards your cost of attendance. More information can be found on the scholarships page.
1 USD = INR 89.86
Yes, Columbia University is known to offer athletic scholarships for a number of sports including American Football.
The scholarships are given on the basis of need & overall performance of a student & are available for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NAIA & NJCAA.
As per data curated from unofficial sources, 34% athletes at the university are awarded scholarships.
Yes, just like a domestic student international students can apply for Early Decision for scholarship at Columbia University. However, some international students may fall out of the ‘need-blind’ scholarship category despite of excellent academic record. In such cases, those students will be deferred to Regular Decisions so that Committee on Admissions may review the entire global applicant pool.
18 monthsColumbia UniversityStudents Ratings & Reviews
2 Verified Reviews- 67% students never faced discrimination in this university
(1) 1 person found this helpfulColumbia University Placement
Columbia University graduates are in very high demand by some of the top companies in the US and abroad. The university saw a higher number of graduates get placed in 2025, compared to 2024. Consulting, Financial Services, Technology, Internet Services, and Real Estate were some of the top industries that offered jobs to students as part of the Columbia University Placements.
Columbia University Placement Rate
92% of the Class of 2025 graduates of the Columbia Business School received job offers after just 3 months of studies. Around 90% of these students accepted the offers. Given below is detailed information about the salary earned by MBA graduates.
| Compensation Type | Percentage of Graduates Who Received | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | 100% | INR 1.57 Cr |
| Signing Bonus | 68.9% | INR 27 Lakhs |
| Other Guaranteed Compensation | 15.5% | INR 28.75 Lakhs |
ROI After Education at Columbia University USA
MBA graduates of Columbia University got twice the return on their investment in tuition fees. Given below is the average salary earned by students in comparison to the initial investment made by them in tuition costs.
|
Course |
Annual Fee |
Salary |
|---|---|---|
|
MBA |
INR 78.6 L |
Median Base Salary: INR 1.57 Cr |
|
Median Signing Bonus: INR 27 Lakhs |
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Top Recruiters
Commonly asked questions On Placements
The highest salary earned by graduates of the Columbia Uni USA is USD 450,000 (INR 4.1 Cr) in the Real Estate industry. This is three times the average salary package students got offered in the Real Estate industry. The average package for students in Real Estate was USD 150,000 (INR 1.34 Cr) for the MBA Class of 2025.
1 USD = INR 89.90
FAANG companies, Consultancy firms, Law firms, and Finance giants hire MBA graduates from the Columbia B-School. Given below is a list of some popular names who hired graduates of the Class of 2025.
| Company | Number of Graduates Hired |
|---|---|
| McKinsey & Company | 62 |
| Boston Consulting Group | 62 |
| Amazon | 21 |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | 24 |
| Bain & Company | 33 |
Consulting, Investment Management, Real Estate, Private Equity, and Investment Banking are the top 5 best paying industries for MBA graduates at Columbia Uni. Given below is the average salary offered by these industries to students.
Industry | the highest Salary offered in USD | the highest Salary offered in INR |
|---|---|---|
Real Estate | USD 450,000 | INR 4.1 Cr |
Private Equity | USD 400,000 | INR 3.6 Cr |
Investment Management | USD 290,000 | INR 2.6 Cr |
Consulting | USD 250,000 | INR 2.25 Cr |
Investment Banking | USD 225,000 | INR 2.02 Cr |
1 USD = INR 89.90
Columbia University Cost
Studies at Columbia do not come cheaply. The tuition fees for UG courses range between INR 51.4 L-INR 59.05 L, while the same for PG courses range between INR 20.2 L-INR 1.23 Cr. An MBA at Columbia costs around USD 91,172 (INR 78.6 L). Apart from the Columbia University Fees, students should also take into account the costs associated with living in NYC.
Cost of Living in New York
The average cost of living is around USD 22,247 (INR 19.2 L). Given below is a detailed breakdown:
|
Particular |
Cost in USD |
Cost in INR |
|---|---|---|
|
New Student Fee |
USD 675 |
INR 58.2 K |
|
Rent & Food |
USD 17,580 |
INR 15.15 L |
|
Other Costs |
USD 3,992 |
INR 3.45 L |
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Duration & Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
MS(76 courses) | INR 30 L - 95 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 9 months-24 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 99 - 114, PTE: 68 & Above, Duolingo: 130 - 134, GRE, IELTS: 6.5 - 7.5, GMAT |
MBA/PGDM(19 courses) | INR 48 L - 84 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 9 months-2 years Exam Accepted: PTE: 68 & Above, TOEFL: 99 - 114, IELTS: 6.5 - 7.5, Duolingo: 130 & Above, GRE, GMAT |
M.A.(137 courses) | INR 21 L - 69 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 9 months-24 years Exam Accepted: PTE, TOEFL: 100 - 114, Duolingo: 130 & Above, GRE, IELTS: 7 - 8, GMAT |
BBA(7 courses) | INR 62 L - 63 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 7 - 7.5, PTE, Duolingo: 135 & Above, TOEFL: 105 & Above |
B.A.(55 courses) | INR 61 L - 63 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4-5 years Exam Accepted: PTE, Duolingo: 135 & Above, IELTS: 7 - 7.5, TOEFL: 100 - 105 |
Others PG(28 courses) | INR 30 L - 1 CrGet Fee Details | Duration: 9 months-2 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 - 114, PTE, Duolingo, GRE, IELTS: 7.5 - 8, GMAT |
B.E. / B.Tech(14 courses) | INR 54 L - 63 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 7 - 7.5, PTE, Duolingo: 135 & Above, TOEFL: 100 - 105 |
B.Sc.(20 courses) | INR 61 L - 63 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 4 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 7 - 7.5, PTE, Duolingo: 135 & Above, TOEFL: 105 & Above |
MPA(5 courses) | INR 55 L - 62 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 1 year-4 years Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE, Duolingo, IELTS: 7 & Above |
MPH(6 courses) | INR 25 L - 57 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 1 year-30 months Exam Accepted: TOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE, Duolingo: 135 & Above, GRE, GMAT, IELTS: 7.5 & Above |
Commonly asked questions On Fees and Eligibility
The Columbia University MS in CS fees, for international students is around USD 64,800 or INR 56.75 L for the first year. The cost is the same for all graduate engineering programs with 12 points per semester, and tends to typically increase by 2-7% from second year onwards.
The overall Columbia University cost of attendance for international students, enrolled in graduate engineering courses, with 12 points or more per semester, is USD 103,304 or INR 90.5 L.
USD 3,666 (INR 3.3 L) per year or USD 22,000 (INR 19.76 L) overall, is what an AI Certificate Program would cost you at Columbia. You would also have to pay USD 105 (INR 9.4 K) as document fee and USD 500 (INR 44.9 K) as the enrollment deposit.
1 USD = INR 89.86
Columbia UniversityStudent profile
Others
58%
Asian
18%
Hispanic
15%
Black
7%
Out of state
63%
In state
19%
Foreign
16%
UG Number of Applicant
Overall Graduation Rate
Columbia University Notable Alumni
Politicians, Scientists, Athletes, Actors, Writers, Businessmen, Engineers, the list is long when we talk about the alumni network of Columbia. Famous names like B R Ambedkar (Former Minister of Law and Justice of India), Barack Obama (Former US President) and Alexander Hamilton (one of the founding fathers of the USA) have all studied at Columbia. The below table lists globally known names who are part of the Columbia University Notable Alumni community-
|
Name |
Profession |
Alumni |
|---|---|---|
|
B.R. Ambedkar |
|
|
|
Barack Obama |
|
 |
|
.jpg) |
|
|
 |
|
|
Sara Ali Khan |
|
 |
Commonly asked questions On Alumni
James Gunn is among those to have attended Columbia. He graduated with a Master of Fine Arts, having pursued his UG studies at St. Louis University.
Gunn has directed several hit comic book movies and shows which includes The Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy, Superman, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker.
College comparison
Compare Columbia University with other similar colleges
| College | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| INR 29.69 L - 95.27 L | #15 US News, 2026 | |
| INR 46.54 L - 55.99 L | #1 US News, 2026 | |
| INR 28.14 L - 84.28 L | #31 THE, 2026 | |
| INR 39.93 L - 79.23 L | #4 US News, 2026 | |
| INR 18.44 L - 63.19 L | #12 US News, 2026 | |
| INR 28.17 L - 37.27 L | #879 US News, 2023 |
CompareColumbia UniversityStudying in USA
Key Facts About USA
Insights on education, demographics & weather.
Columbia University Campus
The university maintains a very strong presence in New York in the form of Columbia University Campuses, located at Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Student Life at Columbia can be described as diverse, one that comes with rigorous academics and no shortage of extracurricular opportunities.
Campus Location
Columbia has three campuses; however, the main campus is the one at Morningside Heights, which is spread over 32 acres of land and houses more than 40,000 students, 100 research facilities, 3 affiliate libraries, and world-class athletics and recreation facilities.
Campus Life
- Campus Life at Columbia is as good as it gets anywhere in the world. The university is home to the largest athletics program in NYC and the NCAA Division I. Students can choose from a variety of sports such as Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf & Swimming.
- Athletics at Columbia has seen around 46 individuals represent their countries as part of the Olympics after graduating from the University.
- For those interested in academics, the university is an R1 Research Institution and offers several world-class facilities, including the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
- Researchers at the University are credited with more than 175 new inventions every year on average, and also made Columbia the first site in North America where the Uranium Atom was Split
- As far as housing goes, the university offers a range of room formats on campus, including shared apartments, studio rooms, private apartments, as well as designated accommodation facilities for respective schools. Students can apply via the official housing portal of Columbia
- For dining, several dining halls, food trucks & cafés are spread across the campus, which serve Indian, American, Chinese & Thai food.
Wanna know what life is like as a student in New York City? What to Pack? Best Neighborhoods? Affordable places for Daily Essentials in NYC? The Answers to all your problems can be found below:
Studying at Columbia University: What It's Like to Live in New York City?
Commonly asked questions On Additional Details 1
Yes, the Columbia University campus is generally considered safe for all students, including Indians. The university operates a number of safety services that includes:
- Columbia University EMS, a dedicated ambulance service, always on duty, that provides medical assistance at no extra cost.
- Safety Escort Program: A Walking Escort program, that can be taken up at any time of the day and seven days a week around the university campus
- On-Demand Evening Shuttle: Operates seven days a week, every evening until 3 am around the Morningside and Manhattanville campus.
Morningside Heights is considered among the safest neighbourhoods in New York City.
All Columbia owned buildings in the area are operated & managed by university employees & the institute takes extra measures to provide a safe & supportive residential environment for all members of the community.
Columbia's Department of Public Safety oversees all security & safety procedures, while the Morningside Area Alliance also provides security patrols.
Evening & Night shuttles are available during evenings & nights throughout the neighbourhood to Columbia students over the academic year.
Columbia University FAQs
The significance of being a Division 1 athlete is it comes with better tuition benefits & a higher level of competition as compared to the lower divisions. The chances of D1 athletes becoming professional players is also much higher as a bigger number of scouts watch these games.
The lower division athletes, however, do have more flexibility when it comes to time & pursuing other extracurricular activities.
Columbia University
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
Chandigarh University has better placement record as compare to the Lovely Professional University. Chandigarh University has become only university to hold Limca book of record for placements. CU has been ranked 1st Among Private Engineering Institutes of North India THE OUTLOOK. Chandigarh Univers
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
JEE Main percentile is supportive but not mandatory for admission to growth-oriented B.E. branches like ECE, Electrical, or Mechatronics at Chandigarh University. A strong percentile improves merit recognition, scholarship eligibility, and counseling priority, especially in branches with high demand
J
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
There is no minimum JEE main rankor percentile required to get admission into B.E. Computer Science Engineering at Chandigarh University.JEE scores are mainly used for scholarship eligibility, not as a strict admission cutoff. Students with higher All India Ranks can qualify for fee waivers under CU
s
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, JEE Main-qualified students may receive scholarship-related advantages during counselling for B.E. Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Aerospace Engineering at Chandigarh University. Eligible candidates can be assessed under the Jee scholarship slabs, which can significantly reduce semester fees. Add
R
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 3 weeks ago
A JEE Main score supports admission to specialised CSE branches at Chandigarh University. Candidates with high scores are rewarded with merit-based scholarships, preferential counseling, and preferred seat distribution for the competitive programs of Cyber Security, Cloud Computing, and Data Science
U
Beginner-Level 4
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Columbia UniversityLocation
| University City | New York, New York, USA |
| Size of city | Large |
| Population of City | 86,22,697 |
Columbia UniversityCampuses
116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027
Visit official siteColumbia UniversityContact Information
116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027, United States
New York
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