Columbia University

Yes, parents can visit students on campus, provided they have a valid B2 visitor visa. To get a B2 visitor visa, the guardians must apply for a visa at the nearest US embassy or consulate, where they must also demonstrate sufficient funds and have a reasonable travel plan.

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.

Columbia University offers guaranteed on campus housing to all undergraduate students, for all four years of their studies (except those in the 2nd year combined plan and visiting students), provided they remain continuosly registered as a full-time student.  However, Master's students are not guaranteed on campus housing, and are allotted rooms based on an in-house lottery system.

Doctoral students in the Arts and Science can take up guaranteed housing, for five consecutive academic years. 

While there are no Indian food options avaiable on campus at Columbia University, there are several restaurants and  dining places, near the campus, that serve Indian food to students. 

Some popular options include:

Yes, students can pay their fees in monthly installments, instead of in one go, at Columbia University.  The university has created a number of monthly payment plans, which students can join by paying a modest enrollment fee, but one that allows them to pay their tuition fees over several months, without any interest charges. These plans include: Fall Term Only, Spring Term Only and on an Annual basis. 

The enrollment fee for Fall and Spring terms is USD 30 (INR 2.6 K) per term, and the annual payment plan costs USD 50 (INR 4.3 K). 

For more information, visit the Student Financial Services Portal of Columbia University.

Yes, international students can change their major, even after enrollment at Columbia University, however, changing majors is only applicable to limited courses across departments.  For example, students enrolled at Columbia SIPA, looking to change their major, must reapply, and ensure they meet the eligibility criteria of the new program they are applying for. 

For more information, students can contact their respective department.

Yes, graduates of the Columbia University MBA, also received signing bonus, as part of the overall placement package, worth around USD 30,000 (INR 25.8 L). The signing bonus was awarded to 70% of the Columbia University MBA graduates of the Class of 2024. 

Source: Columbia University Business School

The Columbia University IELTS requirement, varies for both undergraduate and graduate students. The Columbia University IELTS requirement Graduate students is 100 or more, while the Columbia University IELTS Requirement Undergraduate students is 105 or more. 

International students can also submit alternative language test scores such as TOEFL, Duolingo and CAE.  

Both Columbia and Yale, form part of the top 10 universities in USA. Choosing between them, can be tricky, as each has its own strengths, however, here is a detailed comparison between the two, to help make things easier:

The Columbia University cost of attendance, varies, depending on the choice of the course and the type of accommodation, a student opts for. The average cost of undergraduate courses at Columbia ranges between USD 58,689-USD 67,481 (INR 51.5 L-INR 59.1 L), while that of graduate courses ranges between USD 23,064-USD 140,443 (INR 20.2 L-INR 1.23 Cr) per year.  While the annual cost of attendance is around USD 22,247 (INR 19.5 L) per year. 

Students can estimate the 4 year tuition cost, from the costs mentioned above.