Columbia University is a private research university known for its academics, placements, and international student percentage. There are more than 17,000 international students at Columbia. In fall 2021, it saw an enrollment of 1,134 Indian students at the graduate level. As an ‘Ivy League’ institution that's located in NY, Columbia’s cost of attendance is high-end. The annual tuition fees for Columbia University courses is around 58.2 Lakhs INR.

Quick Reads: Columbia University Campus Facts | Columbia’s Notable Alumni | Columbia University Tuition Budget | Columbia University Class Profile 

The average GPA of admitted students for the UG program is 3.19 (~86%) and for PG programs is 3.6 (~91%) on a scale of 4.0. The most enrolled PG programs at Columbia are of Fu Foundation of Engineering & Applied Science with 3,043 international students. Followed by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with 2,465 international students. The financial aid, offered in form of need-based assistance is what makes Columbia affordable for international students. Half of the Columbia students receive financial assistance, with the average aid amount being 52,000 USD (~40 lakhs).

 

Pros

 

  • Prestigious Alumni: The university has a history of high achievers including 4 presidents, 46 Olympians, 84 Nobel prize winners, over 90 Pulitzer prize winners, and many celebrities.
  • Placements: 33% of Columbia graduates earned a full-time job in the Technology, Telecom & Internet sector. Around 26% of the graduates were hired in financial services by companies like Berenberg Capital Markets, Biz2Credit, etc.
  • Top Recruiting Companies: Some of the top recruiters for Columbia are Amazon, ByteDance, Dell, eBay, Facebook, Intuit, and Vivo. know more about Columbia placements here!
  • Student Friendly Location: The subway station and a major bus stop are right outside the gate of Columbia University which makes traveling pretty convenient for all students.

 

Cons

 

  • Campus Size: The main campus of Columbia University is very small- 35 acres in comparison to New York University 230 acres or Yale with over 373 acres.
  • Cost of Attendance: The University is one of the most expensive universities in USA with an average cost of attendance of 74.87 lakhs which includes tuition fees and cost of living of 58.26 lakhs and 16.61 lakhs respectively. 
  • Expensive Accommodation: Living on campus is an option, but the number of dorms is limited, plus it’s quite expensive. The average cost per year is about 7.11 lakhs per year.

Columbia University Rankings

Columbia University is ranked as one of New York City's top universities. It is ranked #22 in the QS World Rankings 2023. Some of the other rankings are:

  • #7 in Best Value Schools by US News & World Report 2022
  • #11 in World University Ranking by Times Higher Education 2022
  • #2 in National Universities by US News & World Report 2022
  • #6 World Rank by CWUR 2022
  • #4 National Rank by CWUR 2022

 

Columbia University Courses

 

It offers an outstanding and comprehensive array of academic programs. Columbia University programs are offered through 3 undergraduate schools, 13 graduate and professional schools, a world-renowned medical center, 4 affiliated colleges, and seminaries. Columbia University courses are offered in 90 distinct undergraduate degrees, divided into 70 majors within 21 primary disciplines of study through its 20 schools. Apart from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs offered by the university, the university also offers special courses in - health professions, dual degrees, and exchange programs. 

 

Courses Duration
Master of Arts [M.A], Philosophy INR 50,24,686
Master of Science [M.Sc], Data Science INR 54,50,074
Master of Arts [M.A], Anthropology INR 50,24,686
Bachelor of Arts [B.A], Chemistry INR 46,72,862
Master of Science [M.Sc], Computer Science INR 54,50,074
Master of Science [M.Sc], Mechanical Engineering INR 54,50,074
Bachelor of Science [B.Sc], Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics INR 46,72,862

 

Admission for UG Programs

 

Application Portal: Official Admission Office Page 
Application Fee: 75 USD (~0.06 lakhs) to 250 USD (~0.21 lakhs) 
Admission Requirements for PG Program: 

  • All academic transcripts 
  • Relevant undergraduate degree as specified by the program 
  • Statement Of Purpose 
  • Letters Of Recommendations
  • ACT or SAT 
  • All other program-specific additional requirements.
  • English Language Proficiency Score
    • TOEFL iBT- 100
    • IELTS- 7.0

 

Admission for PG Programs

 

Application Portal: Coalition Application or the Common Application. 
Application Fee: 85 USD (~0.07 lakhs) 
Admission Requirements for UG Programs: 

  • Autobiographical information
  • A list of student's activities, achievements, employment, etc
  • Personal essay
  • Standardized exams to study 
  • Official high-school transcripts
  • Letter of recommendation (For Engineering applicants, 1 should be from a science or maths teacher)
  • School profile
  • Completed Mid-year report 
  • Statement of Purpose
  • English Language Proficiency Score
    • TOEFL iBT- 100
    • IELTS- 7.0

 

Columbia University Campus

 

Columbia's Morningside Heights campus is located at Broadway and 116th Street in Manhattan. Over 500 clubs and organizations are available to explore, with help from departments such as Student Engagement, Multicultural Affairs, and Residential Programs. The Gender ration at Columbia university for fall 2021 is 54% female and 46% male. This ratio is very different when it comes to faculty. Out of 1,216 faculty at Columbia university, 29% is female and 71% male faculty. 

  • Several buildings on the campus are listed as National Historic Landmarks, including the Philosophy Hall or ‘the site of the invention of the FM radio’.
  • Acquiring more than 6 city blocks, the Morningside Heights campus is spread over an area of 32 acres with other institutional centers nearby.
  • Manhattanville has been added to the university campuses since 2008 and cloaks about 17 acres of the city area.
  • Stretched over 8 streets, the campus houses Columbia Business School, Jerome L. Greene Center, and School of International and Public Affairs buildings.
  • The total value of the Columbia endowment as of June 30, 2021 was $14.35 billion, up from $11.3 billion in fiscal 2021, reflecting returns, gifts and transfers, and endowment spending.