Application Materials
Carefully read the requirements for your specific program.
Select Non-Degree & Other Certificate Programs within the online application system to access the application. Then select Visiting - Postbaccalaureate as your Program of Study.
You must submit all materials directly, not through an agent or third-party vendor, with the sole exception of submissions by the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program and its three partner agencies IIE, LASPAU and AMIDEAST, and by the Danish-American Fulbright Commission (DAF), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), and Vietnam Education Fund (VEF).
If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact the admissions office at visiting [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
Fee payment must accompany the online application.
Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are required. In the Academic History section of the online application, applicants must list and upload unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary institutions you have attended full-time for at least one term. This includes any summer program(s), study abroad program(s), or transfer coursework (regardless of the number of credits received or whether these credits were transferred to your home institution).
Please note: your transcripts must include your full name, the institution name, and all courses and grades earned at that institution. Your transcripts must also confirm your current enrollment or degree conferral.
Domestic Institutions
You must list and upload unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary institutions you have attended full-time for at least one term. This includes any summer program(s), study abroad program(s), or transfer coursework including any additional mark sheets, official translations, or degree certificates for international transcripts as needed with the exception of:
- Coursework where no credits are earned.
- You completed a total of 11 credits or less (on a traditional U.S. credit system) outside of your degree-granting institution and those credits appear on your degree-granting institution transcript.
If requested, applicants may be required to provide transcripts from any and all post-secondary institutions.
International Institutions
You must list and upload unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary institutions you have attended full-time for at least one term. This includes any summer program(s), study abroad program(s), or transfer coursework including any additional mark sheets, official translations, or degree certificates for international transcripts as needed with the exception of:
- Coursework where no credits are earned.
- You completed a total of 11 credits or less (on a traditional U.S. credit system) outside of your degree-granting institution and those credits appear on your degree-granting institution transcript.
Before your application can be considered complete and ready for evaluation you must submit official transcripts from your institution. For Indian universities, this includes all semester mark sheets. If your university provides transcripts in a language other than English, both the original language document and English translation are required.
Admissions staff will carefully review these official translations for accuracy and authenticity, and investigate any credentials that seem suspect if a student is being considered for admission.
All applicants must submit certified and secure electronic transcripts directly from their institution or via the vendor that provides that service for their institution to transcripts [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (transcripts[at]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu).
If a school does not offer electronic delivery, you must write to transcripts [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (transcripts[at]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu) to provide us with the link to your institution’s web page regarding transcript orders. After verification, we will respond with further instructions.
If requested, applicants may be required to provide transcripts from any and all post-secondary institutions.
Documents required if admitted:
If your institution is within the United States
You must submit a certified and secure electronic transcript sent directly from the institution or via the vendor that provides that service for their institution to transcripts [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (transcripts[at]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu).
If a school does not offer electronic delivery, you must write to transcripts [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (transcripts[at]sps[dot]columbia).edu to provide us with the link to your institution's web page regarding transcript orders. After verification, we will respond with further instructions.
If your institution is located outside of the United States
You will have provided an official transcript from the institution for use in review of your application. No other transcripts are required at this time.
Please note: The School of Professional Studies will not accept as official any transcript submitted directly by an applicant, either in person, via email or by mail.
Falsification, forgery, and misrepresentation of any type will risk forfeiture of admissions and/or enrollment. Forfeiture may occur whenever an integrity lapse is discovered, and may include admissions revocation, expulsion, or another sanction outlined within the Student Conduct and Community Standards. Applicants would not be entitled to request any refund of the application fee, enrollment deposit or tuition in the case that the official transcript deviates from the unofficial.
The statement of academic purpose should address the following:
- The subjects and course topics you intend to study.
- Why you feel you are prepared for rigorous academic study at Columbia – for this you may highlight prior coursework completed, work projects and/or your employment history.
- How the program fits into your overall academic and/or professional goals.
- An explanation for any weaknesses that may appear on your academic transcript or a highlight of any strengths that may not be evident elsewhere (as appropriate).
Starting Summer 2024, the information collected in the Statement of Purpose will be incorporated into the application and you will no longer be required to submit a separate document.
Please upload your résumé or CV. Please be sure to include all relevant work experience, professional organizations, or activities that would be relevant to evaluating your candidacy for admission.
English Language Proficiency
If your first and native language is not English, you must provide official scores on the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET) unless both of the following are true:
- The language of instruction of your undergraduate degree conferring institution is English.
- You completed two or more years at the institution.
Applicant total scores must meet the Columbia SPS minimum requirement of 100 (TOEFL iBT), 7.0 (IELTS Academic) or 120 (DET) to be admissible. You will be required to enter your test scores or your anticipated testing date within the online application, and official test score reports will be required for your application to be considered complete and ready for admission review. TOEFL and IELTS Academic scores are valid for two years after your test date. Applicants receiving scores below the posted minimums may be advised to apply directly to the American Language Program.
- To submit TOEFL iBT scores: Visit www.ets.org and send your official score to our school code 2594. Please note: we do not accept TOEFL best scores.
- To submit IELTS Academic scores: After you have submitted your application, please upload your unofficial IELTS Academic score report. Alternatively, you can also send us your official score through your testing center.
- To submit DET scores: Visit https://englishtest.duolingo.com. Filter by “Graduate” and choose “Columbia University - School of Professional Studies” as the recipient.
Visa Requirements
International students are responsible for ensuring they have read and understand the University’s student visa application eligibility and requirements. Please note that it is not permissible to enroll while in B-1/B-2 status. International students enrolled in a full-time course load—registered for at least 12 points of credit-bearing courses a term—are eligible for a student visa.
Eligible international students who wish to apply for a student visa should do so immediately after they have received their letter of admission to Columbia University. This should be done by completing the Application for Visa Certificate (AVC). Applicants should be aware that after admission into a program it may take up to four weeks to receive the documents needed from Columbia to obtain a student visa, so please plan accordingly.
International students who require a student visa to study at Columbia are required to pay an International Services fee. See your program's Tuition and Fees for more information
You can find the online application for visa certificate by clicking here: http://isso.columbia.edu/. While you are not permitted to submit the application until you have gained admission, we strongly encourage you to read the instructional information provided.
For questions about individual cases, please contact:
International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)
212-854-3587
isso [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu (isso[at]columbia[dot]edu)
http://isso.columbia.edu/