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Columbia University

#33 QS World Ranking#12 THE RankingUnited StatesPrivate
  • QS ranking#33
  • Acceptance rate4%
  • Typical GPA3.9+ GPA
  • Tuition / year$67,580

Overview

About Columbia University

Manhattan location = unparalleled NYC internship access; Core Curriculum is rigorous broad education; top journalism school

  • International environmentExtremely diverse; NYC attracts global students; ~16% intl UG
  • Teaching styleDiscussion + lecture; Core Curriculum requires broad humanities/science study

Academics

Subjects and fit

Strongest subjects

  • Business (CBS)
  • Law (CLS)
  • Journalism (GSAPP)
  • International Affairs (SIPA)
  • Pre-med
  • Engineering (SEAS)

Best for

  • Finance
  • media
  • law
  • urban-focused students
  • journalism aspirants

Getting in

Admission requirements

  • GPA: 3.9+ GPA
  • TOEFL 100+ / IELTS 7.0+
  • SAT/ACT required; holistic
  • Difficulty: Extremely Competitive
  • Acceptance rate: 4%
  • Deadline: UG: Jan 1 (ED: Nov 1) | CBS MBA: Apr | Law: Feb 15

On campus

Campus and location

Limited housing guarantee (2 yrs); NYC off-campus very expensive

Money

Costs and scholarships

  • Tuition (USD)67,580 (UG)
  • Living cost (USD)26,000–32,000
  • ScholarshipsNeed-blind for US; meets 100% need; international aid limited at UG

  • Need-Based Financial Aid at Columbia University 2026 (Fully Funded)

    need

    Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Cử nhân, mọi quốc tịch.

    United States1 Jan 2026
    Official link

  • Abby O’Neill Fellowship at Columbia University 2026

    meritneed

    Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Thạc sĩ, mọi quốc tịch.

    United StatesThe great news is that there is no specific deadline to apply for Abby O’Neill Fellowship! While there are no specific dates, it’s important to apply before the Columbia University admission deadlines . Here are the deadlines:
    Official link

  • Graduate Assistantships at Columbia University 2026

    other

    Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Thạc sĩ và Tiến sĩ, mọi quốc tịch.

    United StatesThe great news is that there is no specific deadline to apply for Graduate Assistantships! While there are no specific dates, it’s important to apply before the Columbia University admission deadlines . Here are the deadlines: | PhD Deadline: Exact deadlines vary depending on your chosen department or project.
    Official link
See all scholarships

After graduation

Careers and outcomes

  • Industry connectionsWall Street (Goldman, JPMorgan, Citi, BlackRock); Media (CBS, NY Times); McKinsey; Google NYC
  • InternshipsExtensive NYC internship ecosystem; CBS provides excellent finance/consulting placement
  • EmployabilityTop for finance, media, law, consulting; NYC advantage enormous

The honest view

Why students choose Columbia University

  • Need-blind for US; meets 100% need; international aid limited at UG
  • Employability: Top for finance, media, law, consulting; NYC advantage enormous

Worth knowing

Housing extremely limited & expensive; Columbia can feel fragmented; Core Curriculum controversial

GlowBal's insider note

VERIFIED: Columbia's NYC location is unique competitive advantage. INSIGHT: Pre-professional culture very strong; student protests in recent years have created campus tensions. SIPA is top international affairs school.

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