University of Columbia: Ranking, Courses, Acceptance rate, Admission, Fees, Scholarship & Placements

Columbia University Highlights

Columbia University is a prestigious private research university regarded for excellent placement opportunities and academics. With a diverse history and rankings, the university offers professional, graduate, and undergraduate programs across fields such as sciences, humanities, law, arts, and engineering.

Owing to its academic reputation, alumni engagement, and groundbreaking research, its QS ranking is 7. Columbia University ranks at number 7, considering the US News & World Report Ranking. The international student's percentage (including Indian scholars) is 30.

Established in 1754, this private research center is an accredited institution where the programs feature research options and scholarships. Nestled amidst New York's urban environment, the university is a hub for cultural enrichment and intellectual innovations. Some of the world's best artists, writers, scholars, and scientists have embedded their names in this renowned institution. The educational institute offers on-campus accommodation services for 90% of scholars at 20 residence halls. This institute is one of the widely preferred academic springboard for top students who are keento study in the USA.

The advantages of studying in the USA for Indian students and other overseas candidates are below:

Alumni

With a record of top achievers, this university has significant alumni. Note that Columbia University's alumni include the following:

• 46 Olympians
• 84 winners of the Nobel Prize
• 4 Presidents
• 90+ Pulitzer Prize Winners
• Celebrities

Recruiting Companies

The top recruiters include prestigious brands like Dell, ByteDance, Amazon, Facebook, eBay, Vivo, and Intuit.

Placements

Around 33% of graduates achieve a full-time job in different sectors like the Internet, telecom, and technology. 26% of graduates have been recruited by eminent companies such as Biz2Credit and Berenberg Capital Markets.

Strategic Location

For Indian students traveling to New York to pursue a course from this university, they won't experience problems with transportation. There's a bus stop and subway station located outside the university.

As such, there are no disadvantages to studying at Columbia University. But one has to overcome the following challenges:

• The main campus is only 35 acres in size.
• It is an expensive university with an average cost of attendance comprising 74.87 lakhs (excluding tuition expense of 58.26 lakhs and accommodation cost of living of 16.61 lakhs).
• On-campus accommodation is expensive (approximately 7.11 lakhs every year).

Columbia University Rankings

National Rankings: Columbia University consistently ranks among the top 5 universities in the United States according to major ranking bodies like U.S. News & World Report.

• U.S. News & World Report: Columbia University is ranked 12th in the United States. This ranking is based on factors like academic quality, faculty resources, and student outcomes.
• Forbes: Columbia is ranked 5th in the U.S. Forbes evaluates universities based on return on investment, alumni success, and student satisfaction.
• Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: Columbia is ranked 11th in the U.S. due to its strong academic programs and high research output.

WorldRankings: Globally, Columbia University is usually placed in the top 20, ranked 18th in the QS World University Rankings 2024 and 11th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.

• QS World University Rankings: Columbia University is ranked 22nd worldwide. The QS rankings consider academic reputation, employer reputation, and faculty/student ratio.
• Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings: Columbia is ranked 11th globally. THE rankings focus on teaching, research, international outlook, and industry income.
• Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU): Columbia is ranked 7th globally, excelling in research output and faculty quality.
• U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities: Columbia is ranked 6th globally, highlighting its influence in academic research and scholarly achievements.

To know more about other universities in the USA, click here.

Columbia University Admissions

Columbia University has various academic programs for postgraduates and undergraduates.Indianstudents who want to study in the USAmust check the following requirements to apply for admission.

UG Admission

The application fee for UG or undergraduate admission is 85 USD. Aspirants need to secure 3.0 or 85% marks in the GPA score. The university is concerned about each candidate's English proficiency. That's why students who have secured a 7.5 IELTS score and TOEFL iBT of 100 can apply for admission.

The standardized test score should not be less than 1440–1570 (SAT) and 34–35 (ACT). Other requirements are:

• A letter of recommendation.
• A statement of purpose.
• A personal essay.
• A completed mid-year report.

PG Admissions

The PG or postgraduate admission application fee is 6,967- 9,836 INR for Indian scholars and 20,492 INR for MBA candidates. One has to secure a GPA score of 3.0 or 85%. To assess the student's English skills, the university takes the admission process further only for students with a TOEFL iBT of 100 and IELTS of 7.5.
The GMAT rating should be between 700 and 760. Aspirants must include:

• A letter of recommendation.
• Statement of purpose.
• Resume.
• Five years of work experience.

Ph.D. or EngD Admissions

If an Indian scholar wants to qualify for the Master of Science degree in this university, the cost of MS in the USA for Indian students is the prime consideration. MS or Master of Science degree must qualify for the EngScD or Ph.D. programs. A scholar with a decent bachelor's degree in engineering can apply for admission to MS only or MS leading to the Ph.D. program.

Eligibility Criteria

Columbia University's acceptance rate is low. So, a candidate needs to secure at least 75% alongside a 1440–1570 SAT or a 34-35 ACT to increase the admission chances.

For Undergraduate Courses:

A candidate needs to present documents such as the following:

• Official high school transcripts
• Personal essay
• Letter of recommendation
• The application form from the college
• English proficiency test results TOEFL iBT of 100 and IELTS: 7.5

For Postgraduate Courses:

An applicant must include the following documents:

• All academic transcripts
• Letter of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose
• A degree certificate from the previous accredited college
• Standard English language proficiency test results containing TOEFL iBT:100, IELTS: 7.5

Columbia University Programs:

Below are the educational programs for Indian students to study in the USA.
Undergraduate Programs at Columbia University

Business Courses:

• Business Analytics
• Accounting
• Executive MBA
• Finance
• Management
• Marketing
• Real Estate

Engineering Courses:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Environmental or Environmental Health Engineering and more

Medical Courses:

• Anesthesiology
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Surgery
• Radiology
• Psychiatry

There are other courses available for aspirants who wish to study abroad.

Postgraduate Programs at Columbia University

On-campus, online, full-time, and part-time courses are available. A candidate needs to check the program option before applying for the master's degree courses as mentioned below:

• Actuarial Science
• Applied Analytics
• Bioethics
• Construction Administration
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Human Capital Management
• Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS)
• Insurance Management
• Narrative Medicine
• Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
• Nonprofit Management
• Political Analytics
• Sports Management
• Strategic Communication
• Sustainability Management
• Sustainability Science
• Technology Management
• Wealth Management

Columbia University Intakes

Columbia University primarily admits students for the Fall semester, with applications opening in August and deadlines typically in January for undergraduate programs. Some graduate programs also offer Spring intakes.

Columbia University Acceptance Rate

The Columbia University acceptance rate reflects this competitiveness. In recent years, the acceptance rate has hovered around 3.9%, making Columbia one of the hardest universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university evaluates applicants on various criteria, including academic excellence, extracurricular involvement, leadership qualities, and personal essays. The rigorous selection process ensures that only the most outstanding candidates are admitted.

• 2023: Columbia’s acceptance rate was approximately 3.9%. This low rate resulted from a record number of applicants due to test-optional policies and increased interest from international students.

• 2022: The acceptance rate for the class of 2026 was 3.7%, as Columbia received over 60,000 applications but admitted fewer than 2,300 students.

• 2021: Due to the pandemic, Columbia adopted a test-optional policy, which saw an increase in applications. The acceptance rate for the class of 2025 dropped to 3.66%, one of the lowest in the university’s history.

Columbia University Accommodations

The university accommodation includes a live campus, Wi-Fi, a 24*7 library, a dining hall with tables and chairs, and more. Most dorms are situated in Manhattan Valley and Morningside Heights neighborhoods.

Columbia University Cost

The cost of pursuing a course at Columbia University is expensive, with an average cost of 74.87 lakhs. The tuition expense is 58.26 lakhs, while the accommodation costs around 16.61 lakhs.

Cost of Course

The following are the costs of some of the courses offered at Columbia University based on the Indian students:

• MS: 27.3 L - 76.1 L
• MIM: 43.8 L - 76.1 L
• MBA or PGDM: 70.2 L
• MA: 19.7 L - 60.5 L
• BE/B Tech: 49.9 L - 52.4 L
• BA: 49.9 L - 50.9 L
• M Arch: 50.7 L - 81.1 L
• MPH: 22.7 L - 52.1 L
• BBA: 49.9 L - 52.4 L
• LLM: 60.1 L - 64.3 L
• Ph.D.: 35.1 L

Cost of Living

The cost of living for first-year students includes the following:

• Carman Hall: 9,986 USD
• Furnald Hall: 9,986 to 11,096 USD
• Wallach Hall: 9,986 to 11,096
• John Jay Hall: 9,986 USD
• Hartley Hall: 9,986 to 11,096 USD

For graduate scholars, 2-3 BHK apartments cost 1,390 USD. While a studio comprising a kitchen and private bathroom is 1,550 between 3,400 USD, a 1BHK flat is within 2,300 USD.

Columbia University Scholarships

The university grants scholarship applications only to pupils who can describe their requirements. The need-based financial assistance meets 100% of the financial requirements for students in the first year. Students seeking need-based financial grants must fill out the CSS or College Scholarship Service form. The basic documents required are W-2 forms or records of current income, tax returns, untaxed income records, bank statements, and assets.

International and Indian students applying for graduate programs are eligible for some scholarships. Unlike the UG scholarships, the following scholarships are limited to specific admitted students solely:

• Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship
• International Merit Scholarship
• Northwest IB Scholarship
• Interschool Fellowships
• Business Studies Scholarship

Some external scholarships include the following ones:

• KC Mahindra Education Trust Scholarship
• Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarships
• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships
• Debesh-Kamal Scholarship for Higher Studies
• Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships

To know about the USA study visa requirements, click here.

Columbia University Placements

Columbia University has a high % placement rate of 95% after graduation (full-time, part-time, hybrid, remote, etc.) for students within three months of graduation. The average salary for graduates is between 500,000 USD and 90,000 USD annually.

33% of graduates can work full-time in various sectors such as the Internet, technology, and telecom. On the other hand, 26% of graduates are recruited by eminent companies, including Berenberg Capital Markets and Biz2Credit.

FAQs About Columbia University