University of Pennsylvania Vs Columbia University: Compare Fees, Placement, Reviews
Compare University of Pennsylvania Vs Columbia University based on their rankings, fees, programs, acceptance rate, admission requirements, placements, and more. Analyze University of Pennsylvania Vs Columbia University on various parameters to choose the right university for International students.
Compare University of Pennsylvania Vs Columbia University based on their rankings, fees, programs, acceptance rate, admission requirements, placements, and more. Analyze University of Pennsylvania Vs Columbia University on various parameters to choose the right university for International students.
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University of Pennsylvania V/s Columbia UniversityStudent Ratings
Rating of colleges
3.4/5
7 Verified Reviews
2.7 Internships- 3.9 Part time work
- 3.1 Post study jobs
- 4.1 Quality of faculty
- 3.4 Student Life
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3.8/5
2 Verified Reviews- 3.5 Internships
- 3.5 Part time work
- 4 Post study jobs
- 5 Quality of faculty
- 3.5 Student Life
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University of Pennsylvania V/s Columbia UniversityCourse Comparison
5 Popular courses in colleges
University of Pennsylvania V/s Columbia University MS
University of Pennsylvania V/s Columbia University M.A.
Other courses
- M.Phil (5 courses)
- PG Certificate (26 courses)
- M.Arch (3 courses)
- B.E. / B.Tech (15 courses)
- B.J.M.C. (2 courses)
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- PG Certificate (1 course)
- M.Arch (6 courses)
- B.E. / B.Tech (14 courses)
- B.A. (55 courses)
- MSN (2 courses)
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University of Pennsylvania V/s Columbia UniversityCollege Comparison
About College
Established Year
1740
Number of Campus
1
Number of Scholarships
-/-
Campus Size
299 Acres
Accepted Exams
TOEFL+5 More
Established Year
1754
Number of Campus
1
Number of Scholarships
-/-
Campus Size
-/-
Accepted Exams
TOEFL+2 More
Established Year
-/-
Number of Campus
-/-
Number of Scholarships
-/-
Campus Size
-/-
Accepted Exams
-/-
University of Pennsylvania V/s Columbia UniversityCampus Comparison
Campus videos & images
University of Pennsylvania_video
University of Pennsylvania_video
City Tour
Student Testimonial
Experience Penn
Welcomes International Students
Why Penn Engineering?
PENN Building
PENN Building
PENN Campus
PENN Campus
PENN Campus
Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Annenberg School Library
Chemistry Library
Clinical Research Building
Moore School Building
Atheletic Ground
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Celebration at Campus
Classroom
Classroom
Convocation
Housing
Residential Services
Columbia University in the City of New York
Welcome to Columbia
Into the Columbia
Librarary
Campus
Campus
Business school
Full campus view
Aerial view
Night view
Library
Library
Housing
Housing
Swimming PoolGet a detailed campus view, add a college
Country Facts
Study in USA
Top Ranked and Reputed Universities
Diverse range of world-renowned institutions, offering cutting-edge program- Access to top-notch faculty, resources, and extensive alumni networks
Campus Culture and Safety- Vibrant multicultural environment, fostering tolerance and global exposure
- Stringent safety measures with campus police and emergency protocols
Good Quality of Life- High living standards, comprehensive healthcare, and excellent infra
- Access to diverse recreational activities and and natural attractions
Study in USA
Top Ranked and Reputed Universities- Diverse range of world-renowned institutions, offering cutting-edge program
- Access to top-notch faculty, resources, and extensive alumni networks
Campus Culture and Safety- Vibrant multicultural environment, fostering tolerance and global exposure
- Stringent safety measures with campus police and emergency protocols
Good Quality of Life- High living standards, comprehensive healthcare, and excellent infra
- Access to diverse recreational activities and and natural attractions
Get a detailed view about the country. Add a college!
Student’s views on campus
Views on University of Pennsylvania campus
A
Anonymous
BA in Architecture - Batch of 2027
3.3
The campus is quite happening and safe as well.
Tips: So as a freshman, you will not have the option but to reside in campus housing in the first year of college. Following this, you are allowed to switch after, but till then, you will most likely be given a randomly assigned roommate as well. The campus is quite happening and safe as well. The Springs Flying is something to look forward to, and there are a lot of social gatherings in the form of mixers, games and events. The classes include active participation, which may help save your grades as well. Try to involve yourself in classes, clear your doubts, and prepare thoroughly for presentations. The faculty are very kind and understanding and will guide you throughout. Overall, I am quite satisfied with my experiences.
Reviewed on 22 Apr 2025Read more
R
Rohan Nagesh
Master of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering - Batch of 2025
2.7
The university has a good campus and loads of resources to live a wholesome student life.
Tips: The university is expensive and the city is not really that safe. The workload is high with a lot of assignments. The university offers a diverse range of courses but lacks concentration on one. Prospects of engineering jobs are low with not many university recruiters approaching students for post-study options.
Reviewed on 12 Feb 2024Read more
P
Priyanshu Mittal
MSE Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics - Batch of 2024
3.7
Give a second thought before applying.
Tips: The university life here is very much different from that in India. At least in engineering, students spend most of their time completing assignments and completing lectures. UPenn doesn't offer scholarships to Master's students but you can apply for part-time job as soon as you are on campus which will help you meet your living costs. Though the city is great, I would advise anybody who is coming to definitely give it a second thought as the job market right now is not good and doesn't look like will be better soon.
Likes (Public transportation): Philadelphia has buses, inter and intra-city trains, subways as well as trams. Also, it is easy to get cabs. Philadelphia as a city is small, hence, it is easy to go from one place to another through public transport. Furthermore, the university is located in the heart so one can go to most places by walking or cycling.
Dislikes (Value for money): Being an IVY League, the fee for the program is a lot. But compared to other universities UPenn doesn't have affiliation with the working industry. So the students don't get any benefit while looking for jobs in the market. At least in the US going to cheaper universities would be a better choice
Reviewed on 9 Feb 2024Read more
A
Anonymous
Master of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering - Batch of 2024
3
Challenging and Stressful but equally rewarding experience at this college.
Tips: There are no scholarships available and there is no significant cultural shift. Transitioning with respect to weather may take time. Overall, university courses are good but challenging, and finding jobs and internship can be difficult. While on-campus jobs are available and helpful, they do not offer any tuition fee waivers.
Likes (Quality of faculty): The faculty at this college are highly approachable and knowledgeable. They employ an intuitive teaching method and assign practical tasks. The teaching faculty is mostly of Asian and American background representing all types of specializations in Electrical engineering. The courses are rather challenging and not easy.
Reviewed on 6 Feb 2024Read more
R
Rajnish Gupta
Scientific Computing, MSE - Batch of 0
3.5
Best learning experience.
Tips: The University might not exactly be what you expected. It is a great learning experience, and there are a lot of things to do, that it can become overwhelming and stressful at times. But if I were to choose to do it again, at some other time, with a better job market, I would. Try not to get distracted by a lot of things you see around you, as that can happen initially.
Likes (Public transportation): Philly has great and affordable public transport, you can reach pretty much anywhere in 30-40 mins, and most places of interest, downtown can be accessed in 10-15mins through the subway from University, and the transport runs at longer hours, although not the safest way to travel during certain hours the day if you're alone, but that comes in safety as per the city. The connectivity and timing itself are great.
Dislikes (Indian Food): There are no Indian food options in University dining, and in general Indian food options around Philly are although not limited, but are not excellent, or anywhere close to what you can find in cities like NYC, Jersey or Chicago. There is a lot of frozen food at Indian Stores, but that is not the most healthy option out there.
Reviewed on 5 Feb 2024Read more
A
Anonymous
MSE Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering - Batch of 2024
3.6
Biotech research powerhouse. Amazing opportunities.
Tips: For the CBE department, most research is in the biotech sector and so are the jobs and internships. Professors are very nice and will help you if you ask for it.
The courses are tough but are of very high quality. However, the CBE courses are very theoretical.
Dislikes (Safety): Philadelphia is not a very safe city. There are lots of break-ins and thefts. Cycles parked outside will get stolen even if locked. The Penn campus is very safe with good security. Penn also has shuttles that run at night and walking escorts for student safety.
Reviewed on 2 Feb 2024Read more
A
Anonymous
Robotics, MSE - Batch of 2024
4.3
Lots of work and hard courses but great program. Effort is respected
Tips: The classes consist of diverse ethnicities and you hence experience an initial cultural shock. Scholarships are not available for MS students. RA opportunities are also very selective for MS students. TA opportunities are much easier to come by. Quite happy with my choice of university.
Likes (Student Life): Regular socializing events are conducted on campus. Study environment is not too stressful. Happy hours are organized once a month by every department and apart from that all the festivities also have an associated event. Regional festivities are dealt with by the Pan-Asian community and it depends on their yearly budget.
Dislikes (Permanent Immigration): Hard to find a job that sponsors H1B. The green card process is another big headache. H1B is got through a lottery system and is then renewed every 3 years until you are eligible to apply for a green card. And you need to hold the green card for a certain number of years before you are eligible for citizenship.
Reviewed on 6 Jan 2024Read more
Views on Columbia University campus
A
Anonymous
Computer Science Master's Degree - Vision, Graphics, Interaction and Robotics - Batch of 2026
Offered by Columbia University
3
Ivy League Tag does not work anymore.
Tips: No overwhelming cultural shift that I have experienced as of now. I didn't get any scholarship, they pay you nothing, no on campus jobs and even if you get any, you'll be paid peanuts. You basically take a crore rupees loan, study and work like a machine and still end up with no internship call, no certainty about jobs.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Excellent faculty, coursework, teaching and most importantly research. But don't expect to get paid for your research. They won't pay you. They'll ask you to take it for credit. All professors are great researchers and top in their domain but not all are good teachers.
Dislikes (Value for money): It's very expensive with zero or very few on campus jobs paying you peanuts. No proper career fair for internships. Uncertainty of jobs, constantly changing government regulations, disregarding all the effort and money we put to study here. Disregard for your skill and knowledge.
Reviewed on 28 Sep 2025Read more
N
Nithishma Allu
MS in Computer Science - Batch of 2024
Offered by Columbia University
4.6
Columbia University: Fostering Brilliance and Innovation
Tips: Networking is the key. Make as many connections as possible. New York is an amazing place to be and make the most of it. There is a Shardarshish scholarship which waves 50% tuition fees and also numerous graduate research assistant roles available if interested.
Likes (Quality of faculty): The diversity of faculty is amazing with most of them graduating from the top universities. Their knowledge on the subject is remarkable and they challenge you to be better and work harder. They let you engage in projects and conduct many office hours for discussions
Dislikes (Internships): The coursework and the brand value added because of Columbia University is great which lands you in a good internship but there are comparatively fewer career fairs than other universities. The career advisors are super helpful in guiding and suggesting changes to resumes and cover letters.
Reviewed on 11 Feb 2024Read more
A
Anonymous
MS in Data Science - Batch of 2026
Offered by Columbia University
3.6
Columbia is an expensive school, and the competition is very fierce.
Tips: Be mentally prepared before coming, the scholarships are rare, you need to be best at what you do. The competition is fierce, and things are not so dreamy anymore in the USA. But if you are good at it, you can make it. I am satisfied, hopefully I will get a job, and it will be easier for me.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Mostly, the faculty are adjunct faculty, giving a more practical experience. The faculty is diverse and well-rounded, and the way things are done here is different from in India. They are more concerned with practicality than with theoretical knowledge, so you need to study and prepare on your own.
Dislikes (Value for money): Columbia is an expensive school, and the competition is very fierce. Off-campus jobs don't pay well compared to the living costs. There are better private schools that offer scholarships you can attend. Brand value still matters in today's world, though.
Reviewed on 1 May 2025Read more
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