International Student Admissions

Columbia University School of the Arts welcomes applications from international students. In fall 2012, international students from over 44 countries composed nearly 22 percent of the student body.

International applicants should have the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree, and should understand idiomatic English and speak, write, and read English with a high degree of facility.


Advice for International Students
Before you apply, and especially if you are accepted, here are some important things to consider:

• Funding sources for international students are extremely limited; It is critical that international students arrive with a plan in place for funding the entire length of the program, not just the first year;

• All School of the Arts students, both international and domestic, are ultimately responsible for funding their education.  While the School of the Arts offers some fellowship support based upon a combination of merit and need, such funding is not guaranteed and, if granted, would likely apply only to the first and/or second year(s);

• Each School of the Arts MFA Program requires at least two years of full-time study.  Some allow up to five years for completion of the thesis project, though during the thesis period (aka “Research Arts”) tuition is greatly reduced.  Current tuition and fees can be found here;

• If you are admitted, Columbia’s International Students and Scholars Office will, as part of your visa application, require proof of your ability to fund only your first year of education;

• While loans to international students by U.S. lenders are available, all require a cosigner who is a credit-worthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident. For more information, click here;

• A monthly tuition payment plan is available.  Information about the TuitionPay Payment Plan, can be found here;

Timely tuition payment is critical each semester.  Current students who are beyond the first semester and who have student account balances over $999 from a previous semester are not allowed to register for subsequent semesters.  This may place international students in jeopardy of violating their student visas.


Application Requirements
Please see the Apply page for all information (application requirements for international students do not differ from those for all applicants).

International applicants must supply certified translations of all documents not in English.


TOEFL and English Proficiency Requirements
All international students whose native language is not English and who obtained a degree from an undergraduate or graduate institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must submit proof of adequate skills in the English language in the form of a satisfactory TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 600 or higher for the paper test, or 100 or higher for the internet test.  Until such scores are officially verified, all offers of admission to international students shall be provisional.

The TOEFL test score must be submitted with your application.

TOEFL scores are good for two years from the test date.  Applicants whose scores were received over two years ago must retake the test and resubmit their current scores with the admissions application.   Applicants should request that TOEFL direct results to school code 2171, department code 15.

Students whose transcripts reflect advanced study at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction may request to have the TOEFL requirement waived by e-mailing admissions-arts@columbia.edu.  An original certified transcript from the institution, in English, will be required to verify the waiver request.  If no transcript has been received, the offer of admission will be provisional until we receive and approve the official transcript.

TOEFL is the only English proficiency test accepted by the School of the Arts for application.


Important Visa Information
An F-1or comparable student visa is required for all international students who attend Columbia University. International students who are accepted will receive information on applying for the visa in their acceptance packets (students may not apply for the visa until after they are accepted).   Be aware that certain visas may limit international students’ ability to work in the United States.


Financing Your Degree
It is recommended that any applicant wishing to be considered for financial aid complete all appropriate applications by February 15, 2013. Please see Financing Your Degree for more information.