Columbia University

While NYC is among the most expensive in the US, here are certain tips that students can follow to keep their costs down:

• Cook at home and avoid ordering from the outside
• Use student discounts on services like public transport, music subscriptions, fast food services, and Museum visits
• If possible, try and live as part of shared apartments
• Limit spending on non essential items
• Try and land a paid internship or part-time job
• Turn off utility items when not in use

Most off-campus apartments near Columbia University have lease terms lasting 12 months.

Some apartments also often have 9 or 10-month terms. The majority of the off-campus accommodation options require students to submit a substantial security deposit along with the first month's rent.

The Cancellation policy varies depending on the timing and the reason. Students may be required to pay a cancellation fee starting at USD 250 (INR 21.8 K) and going up to USD 1,500 (INR 1.3 L) if they cancel at the time of check-in.

Students are required to cancel their housing application via the Columbia University Housing portal.

Yes, students can choose the individual they wish to stay with as part of on-campus housing at Columbia, but the allocation of the roommate is not guaranteed and depends on various factors, including whether your preferred roommate has participated in the same room selection process or the availability of rooms that match your preferences.

Yes, meal plans are very often included as part of on-campus housing at Columbia University, with costs ranging between USD 1,781-USD 3,996 (INR 1.55 L-INR 3.5 L) per term.

The higher the cost of the plan, the greater the number of meals and special discounts that students can avail.

Columbia University does not ask for work experience for most of the programs, particularly in Engineering, Computer Science, and Applied Science, where they prioritize academic excellence. However, there are programs such as Business Analytics, Financial Engineering, or Management Science that mandate submission of relevant experience, internships, or research exposures. In addition, Columbia prioritizes students having leadership potential, problem-solving ability, and real-world experiences.

Yes, several schools at Columbia University are known to offer online courses to students. The Columbia College offers more than 70 online programs to students across a number of prominent fields including: Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Earth and Environmental Science among others. 

The cost of an undergraduate online course is USD 375 (INR 32.8 K), and the annual cost is USD 11,250 (INR 9.86 L) for a course with 30 credit hours. 

Conversion rate: 1 USD = INR 87.68

There are a number of neighborhoods in New York City, that are known for being safe for Indian students, these include: Manhattanville (West Harlem), East Village, Lower East Side, Battery Park City, Tribeca, Bay Ridge and Greenwich Village.  

Source: Apartmentlist