MAKING BLUE GREEN: FINANCIAL AID AT COLUMBIA
Columbia awards undergraduates more than $90 million in financial aid each year, and offers one of the most generous financial aid programs to be found in United States colleges.
Admission to Columbia is need-blind for citizens of the United States, Canada and Mexico, for permanent residents of the United States, and for those in the United States on refugee visas. We do award financial aid to foreign students, though financial need is taken into consideration at the time of admission. We meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of every student admitted as a first-year who applied for financial aid and continue to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for all four years of study.
In 2007, alumnus John Kluge pledged $400 million for need-based financial aid, half of which is specifically directed toward undergraduate financial aid. It was the largest single gift ever made to any university financial aid program.
In our quest to make Columbia affordable for all students, especially those from low-income and middle-income families, the University recently implemented the following financial aid enhancements:
- We have eliminated loans for all students receiving financial aid and replaced them with additional University grants.
- For students coming from families with calculated total incomes less than $60,000 annually (and typical assets), parents are not expected to contribute to the cost of tuition, fees, room or board.
- Students coming from families with calculated total incomes between $60,000 and $100,000 annually (and typical assets) have a significantly reduced parent contribution.
- To support students pursuing study abroad, research, internships and community service opportunities, Columbia offers the opportunity to apply for additional funding and exemptions from academic year and summer work expectations.
Visit www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/finaid to learn more.
