FACULTY RESEARCH Ph.D. PROGRAM M.A. BIOTECHNOLOGY UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Ph.D. PROGRAM Welcome Prospective Students Introduction Admission Requirements Frequently Asked Questions Financial Aid Housing Contact Us Apply Now Current Students Graduate Student Handbook Ph.D. Requirements Pre-research Seminars Department Resources Columbia Resources Student Directory Incoming Class Previous Classes Forms Frequently Asked Questions What is the deadline for Ph.D. applications? What faculty are available for me to do my thesis research work with? I submitted my application to the graduate school. I am wondering if the graduate school has forwarded it to your department. Also, can you tell me if my application is complete. What is the correct address for sending my application materials? Will my application still be considered if it is submitted after the deadline? In order to save your time in evaluating my application, I want to know if my scores are enough to receive financial aid. If my scores are OK, I shall mail my application materials to you. What is the stipend for 2008-2009? Is housing provided by the University? How many total students do you admit each year? How many international students do you accept? When are admissions decisions made? I plan to apply for graduate study, however, I will be taking the GRE subject test in December, the scores for which will not be reported until January. Will an application complete minus the GRE subject scores submitted by the application deadline still be considered for acceptance once the subject scores are received a week and a half later? I want to be part of a particular professor's research lab. What do I have to do? I cannot afford to pay my application fee ($85). Can you waive this fee for me? I have submitted my application, and I would like to know whether or not I have been accepted. What is Columbia's institution code for the GRE and TOEFL? What is your department code for GRE/TOEFL score reporting? Is the GRE Subject test required? If I have a Master’s degree from an American university, do I have to submit scores for the TOEFL exam? Is it necessary for me to take the TSE (Test of Spoken English)? Can I send photocopies of my test scores since it is expensive to have the originals sent? I would like to know if my degree is the equivalent of an American university BA or BS degree. Can you tell me if I can be admitted with my current degree? Can I be accepted in the spring semester for the Ph.D. program? I am interested in visiting your Department and meeting with faculty. Is this possible? Q: What is the deadline for Ph.D. applications? A: The deadline is December 1. Q: What faculty are available for me to do my thesis research work with? A: The link below will give you a list of faculty to choose from as well as additional links to their individual research interests. Ph.D. Program Faculty Q: I submitted my application to the graduate school. I am wondering if the graduate school has forwarded it to your department. Also, can you tell me if my application is complete. A: The Department usually does not begin its part of the admissions process until the application deadline. I do not have access to the applications until that time. If you are a domestic applicant and would like to check the status of your application you can go to: https://www.ais.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/ssv/adol You can also email the Admissions Office if you would like to inquire about your application In addition, if you included the notification postcards with your application, the Admissions Dept. will send you one of them to let you know your application is complete. Q: What is the correct address for sending my application materials? A: The materials go to: Office of Admissions Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Columbia University 107 Low Library 535 W. 116th Street, MC 4304 NY, NY 10027 Q: Will my application still be considered if it is submitted after the deadline? A: Yes, Your application will be considered if it's submitted after the deadline; however, keep in mind that there are a limited number of admissions openings, around 20, so the later you submit your application the less your chances are that there will be a opening available for you. Q: In order to save your time in evaluating my application, I want to know if my scores are enough to receive financial aid. If my scores are OK, I shall mail my application materials to you. A: I'm sorry, but I do not make decisions regarding the acceptance of students so I don't really know if your scores are adequate or not. However, for your information ALL students admitted to the Department are fully funded, that is they receive full tuition coverage, a stipend of $29,328 for academic year 2008-2009, medical insurance, as well as subsidized housing in the area. Regardless, my advice is to send in your application if you are interested in coming to Columbia. Q: What is the stipend for 2008-2009? A: $29,328 Q: Is housing provided by the University? A: Yes, if you are admitted to the Ph.D. program, you are guaranteed Columbia housing as long as you maintain timely progress towards the degree. You can expect to pay around $725-$1200 a month for an apartment share and around $1000-$1525 if you are able to get a studio apartment. Q: How many total students do you admit each year? A: Around 20 Q: How many international students do you accept? A: There is no official limit, but to give you an idea, last year we admitted 5 internationals. Q: When are admissions decisions made? A: Decisions are made on a ongoing basis beginning the first week of March and going up until the first week of April. Q: I plan to apply for graduate study, however, I will be taking the GRE subject test in December, the scores for which will not be reported until January. Will an application complete minus the GRE subject scores submitted by the application deadline still be considered for acceptance once the subject scores are received a week and a half later? A: Your application will still be considered even though the subject test scores will not be in by the December 1 application deadline. Q: I want to be part of a particular professor's research lab. What do I have to do? A: Students are admitted to the Department, not to work for a particular research group. To work in any research group in our Department you first have to be admitted by our Admissions Committee and approved by the Graduate School. If you are interested in working with a particular professor, you should consider applying to the Department. If you are interested, please send us your address and we will send you an application. Q: I cannot afford to pay my application fee ($85). Can you waive this fee for me? A: I do not have the authority to waive the admissions fee. However, according to Robert Furno, the Director of Admissions for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, your application will be reviewed without prejudice if you cannot afford to pay the fee. If you are accepted to Columbia, appropriate payment arrangements can be made at that time. You should include a letter with your application stating your reasons for financial hardship so the Admissions Department understands why you have not paid the admissions fee. Q: I have submitted my application, and I would like to know whether or not I have been accepted. A: If you are admitted to the program, you will receive an email letting you know that you are accepted followed by an official acceptance letter from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. If you are not accepted, you will receive a letter informing you that you were not admitted into the program. Q: What is Columbia's institution code for the GRE and TOEFL? A: Columbia University GSAS's Institution Code is 2162. Q: What is your department code for GRE/TOEFL score reporting? A: The GRE Department Code is 0203. The TOEFL Department Code is 35. Q: Is the GRE Subject test required? A: A GRE Subject test in one of the following fields is strongly recommended: Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics Q: If I have a Master’s degree from an American university, do I have to submit scores for the TOEFL exam? A: Yes, you do. You must receive a Bachelor’s degree from an institution in the U.S. or an English-speaking country in order to be exempt from having to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. Q: Is it necessary for me to take the TSE (Test of Spoken English)? A: No Q: Can I send photocopies of my test scores since it is expensive to have the originals sent? A: You may send the photocopies of your scores, however, I cannot guarantee whether or not your scores will be accepted. Official scores will of course be preferred. Q: I would like to know if my degree is the equivalent of an American university BA or BS degree. Can you tell me if I can be admitted with my current degree? A: You will need to contact the International Students and Scholars Office to find out if your degree is equivalent to an American university degree. Q: Can I be accepted in the spring semester for the Ph.D. program? A: I’m sorry. We only admit students in the fall semester. Q: I am interested in visiting your Department and meeting with faculty. Is this possible? A: Each year we have an Open House, usually the last week of February, for prospective students we are interested in admitting. We will contact those applicants directly once we have finished the application evaluation process. HOME DIRECTORIES NEWS & EVENTS RESOURCES EMPLOYMENT CONTACT US