Please note that the Columbia College Visiting Student Program differs from the Visiting Student Program offered through Columbia’s School of Continuing Education. Please consult their website to determine which program is most appropriate.

The Visiting Student Program at Columbia College is open to students who are currently enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate program at another college or university and will have completed one full year of college credit by the time of enrollment. This program has been designed as an opportunity for students to broaden their college experience and is intended as a supplement to the undergraduate program at their home institution. Visiting Students to Columbia College are not ordinarily permitted to apply for transfer admission.

Visiting students in Columbia College are expected to take advantage of the endless resources of New York City.

As a Visiting Student, you may take any course in Columbia College excluding the following courses in our Core Curriculum:

• African Civilization AFCV C 1020: African Civilization (Global Core)
• Contemporary Civilization HUMA C1101 and C1102: Introduction to contemporary civilization
• Humanities C1001-C1002: Masterpieces of European Literature and Philosophy (Literature Humanities) 
• Humanities C1121: Masterpieces of Western Art (Art Humanities) 
• Humanities C1123: Masterpieces of Western Music (Music Humanities) 
• Logic and Rhetoric ENGL C1007: University Writing
• Science SCNC C1000 and C1100: Frontiers of Science

Visiting Students are eligible to enroll in most courses within Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, and Barnard College, as long as those courses are "open to" Columbia College students.  Columbia does not guarantee that Visiting Students will be able to enroll in any specific class until the time of registration and as a result we encourage students to have a wide selection of courses ready at the time of registration. Visiting Students may not enroll in any of Columbia’s graduate schools without the permission of the instructor and permission from their Advising Dean in the Center for Student Advising.

General Information

Full Time or Part-Time?

Visiting Students at Columbia College must maintain full-time student status by registering for a minimum of 12 points per semester and can not exceed 22 points per semester. Most Visiting Students schedule 15-18 credits per semester.  We recommend that you plan out your curriculum at Columbia College in advance and consult your dean or academic advisor at your home institution to make sure the credits will transfer back to your home institution.

Housing

While we will try our best to accommodate students who wish to live on campus, we are not able to guarantee admitted students a room on campus. Admitted students will be notified at the time of admission if we are able to guarantee a room on campus.

Financial Aid

There is no financial aid available from Columbia for Visiting Students; however, financial aid from your home institution may be transferable to Columbia. You should consult with your home institution’s financial aid office.

About Applying

The Visiting Student Program at Columbia College accepts students for both fall (September) and spring (January) semesters. Students may enroll for a maximum of two semesters, either consecutive fall/spring semesters or spring and then the following fall semester. Visiting Students to Columbia College are not permitted to apply for transfer admission.

Application deadlines

For spring semester: Applications must be postmarked by October 15th. Students will be notified by mid-November.

For fall semester: Applications must be postmarked by March 15th. Students will be notified by mid-May.

A completed application must include:

• Visiting Student Application and Essay
• Statement of Good Standing and Letter of Recommendation
• Official Transcript from your current college or university. If the official transcript is not in English, please also submit a notarized English translation of the transcript.
• A non-refundable check or money order for $80 made payable to Columbia University.

The Application

Students must download the Visiting Student Program Application and mail in a completed application with the application fee by the appropriate semester deadline. This application may not be used to apply to the Visiting Student Program offered through the School of Continuing Education. These are two separate and distinct programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Visiting Student Program in Columbia College and the Visiting Student Program offered in the School of Continuing Education?

The program in Columbia College:

1. Students must study full-time (register for a minimum of 12 credits per semester);
2. Tuition is charged per semester (and you are also charged for room/board, if applicable, and mandatory fees, including Student Activities);
3. The program is available during the academic year only, and does not extend to the summer term;
4. Campus housing may be available, particularly during the spring term;
5. The program is open only to undergraduates in a degree-seeking program at another institution;
6. Classes are available primarily in Columbia College;
7. Separate application process, but no standardized test scores;
8. Students submit applications directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for Columbia College.

The program in the School of Continuing Education:

1. Students may study part-time;
2. Tuition is charged per class;
3. The program is available during the academic year and the summer term;
4. Campus housing is typically not available during the academic year;
5. The program is open to high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students;
6. Classes are available in multiple divisions of the University, including Arts & Sciences, Barnard, Engineering, Business, etc;
7. Separate application process, requiring $65 application fee and standardized test scores (and more);
8. Students submit applications directly to the School of Continuing Education.

What are the requirements for admission as a Visiting Student?

Students must be currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program at another college or institution and have completed at least one full year. Students should have a 3.0 or better GPA (or equivalent) and be in good standing at their home institution. An applicant should use the essay to express his/her knowledge of Columbia and how the program will help enhance his/her overall educational experience.

How competitive is the admissions process?

In recent years, the number of students admitted each semester has ranged between 20 and 35.  Admission is competitive.

What is the cost of the Visiting Student Program?

The estimate of the cost of attending Columbia College (tuition and fees) for the 2011-2012 academic year can be found here.

Can students apply from institutions outside the United States? Can foreign students apply?

Yes.

My native language is not English. Do I have to take the TOEFL?

To be considered for admission to Columbia, you must be comfortable with rapid and idiomatic spoken English. If your home language is not English and if your primary language of instruction has not been English for at least five years, you are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. You may direct your inquires about this test, administered several times per year at test centers all over the world, to TOEFL, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541 USA (www.toefl.org). A minimum score of 600 (paper based test), 250 (old computer-based test) or 100 (new internet-based test) is necessary for admission to Columbia. Your score must be reported directly to Columbia by the testing service, using report code 2116. If you have scored a 650 on the Critical Reasoning/Verbal section of the SAT, you may be exempt from taking the TOEFL.

Is housing guaranteed?

While we will try our best to accommodate students who wish to live on campus, we are not able to guarantee admitted students a room on campus. Admitted students will be notified at the time of admission if we are able to guarantee a room on campus.

How many classes do I need to take?

Visiting Students must maintain full-time status (minimum of 12 points per semester). This is the equivalent of three or four classes.

Is it going to be difficult to get into the classes I want?

Visiting Students do not register for courses until they arrive on campus at the start of the semester; therefore, we cannot guarantee that the courses you want to take will be available at the time of registration. That said, we have found that Visiting Students have the same success rate signing up for courses as the general College population. Entry to courses in the Visual and Performing Arts and the Creative Writing Program is competitive. Please also be aware that Visiting Students must get permission from their academic adviser at Columbia and the appropriate faculty member if they wish to take classes in any of Columbia’s graduate divisions.

What other Columbia programs and activities are available to me as a Visiting Student?

Visiting Students may take advantage of most of the programs and activities available to Columbia College students. They have a special advisor through the Center for Student Advising who assists with course selection and connects them with campus resources. In addition, they may take advantage of advising through the Center for Career Education (such as career fairs, workshops and panels and networking nights) with the exceptions of on-campus recruiting, the national and international internship programs and individual counseling. Visiting students can participate in any extra-curricular organization with the exception of our Division I athletic teams.

Can Visiting Students apply for transfer admission?

The Visiting Student Program has been designed as an opportunity for students to broaden their college experience and is intended as a supplement to the undergraduate program at their home institution. Visiting Students to Columbia College are not permitted to apply for transfer admission.