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Admissions and Financial Aid
Admission
Admission to the School of
International and Public Affairs is competitive, based in large part
on academic excellence and professional focus. The applicant must
have a bachelor’s degree or evidence of equivalent preparation as
determined by the director of admissions. Undergraduate work should
include courses in economics. At the very least, students should
also have taken chemistry and biology at the level taught in high
school. We advise those lacking an economics background and a basic
understanding of chemistry and biology to make up these deficiencies
before entering the program.
Applicant to SIPA’s Environmental MPA program are accepted for the
summer term that begins in late May/early June.
November 1:
Early application deadline
Applicants who submit a complete application by November 1 are
promised a decision by December 1 for the session beginning the
following late May.
January 15:
Deadline for admission with fellowship consideration
February 15:
Final deadline for admission
Please Note: International students and overseas applicants are
encouraged to file applications for admission a month in advance of
the respective deadlines.
Duration of
Study
Students complete the Environmental MPA Program in three semesters:
summer, autumn, and spring.
Tuition and
Fees
Tuition for 2009–2010 academic year will be approximately
$19,495 per semester. Students are also required to pay fees for
certain
specific services at Columbia, such as access to the computer labs.
A complete list of applicable fees will be provided on your billing
invoice.
Estimated
Cost of Attendance
2009–2010 Academic Year |
|
Three
semesters of tuition and fees (total tuition for the entire MPA Program): |
$58,485 |
|
Living expenses |
$20,141 |
|
Personal expenses: |
$7,110 |
|
Books: |
$2,000 |
| Total
estimated cost of attendance for the entire degree: |
$87,736 |
Withdrawal and Adjustment
of Fees
Withdrawal is defined as the dropping of one’s
entire program in a given term as opposed to dropping a portion
of one’s program. Any student withdrawing from the program
must notify the Student Affairs Office in writing. Additionally,
students must complete a Notice of Withdrawal form. Notification
of instructors or failure to attend classes does not constitute
a formal withdrawal and will result in failing grades in all courses.
A student who withdraws will be charged a withdrawal fee of $75.
In addition, the health service fees, the medical insurance premium,
and all application fees, late fees, and other special fees are
not refundable, and any coverage will remain in effect until the
end of the term.
Any adjustment of the tuition that the student has paid is determined
from the date on which the Student Affairs Office receives the student’s
written notification. Students receiving financial aid will not
be entitled to any portion of a refund until all Title IV financial
aid programs are credited and all outstanding charges have been
paid.
All refund calculations will be based on the last day of attendance
as indicated by the schedule below.
| Week of the Term |
Refund |
| 1st week
|
100% |
| 2nd week |
90% |
| 3rd week |
80% |
4th week
|
80% |
| 5th week |
70% |
| 6th week |
60% |
| 7th week |
60% |
| 8th week |
50% |
| 9th week |
40% |
| After 9th week |
0% |
| Note: When a term begins on a Tuesday,
the term week goes from Tuesday to Monday. |
Financial
Aid
Applicants to the program who are U.S. citizens or permanent
residents are typically eligible for federal Stafford student loans
up to $41,000 for the length of the program, covering the bulk
of
tuition. All interested applicants must complete the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available at
all colleges and high schools, online at www.fafsa.edu.gov, or
through the SIPA office of Admissions and Financial Aid,
212-854-6216. The School’s Title IV code is E00128. Students are
strongly encouraged to submit their FAFSA form by February 15.
Following admissions, all students who submitted a FAFSA form will
be advised by the School of their eligibility for federal aid
via an award letter with the forms and materials needed to apply for
Stafford loans.
Additional financing support in the form of private loans can help
to meet the full cost of tuition. Once admitted to the program,
students will be mailed a packet of information titled “Columbia
Comprehensive Educations Financing Plan.” This guide outlines the
financing options recommended by Columbia University. Students
enrolled in the program are eligible to have prior federal student
loans deferred during their term of study. Please contact your
lender for a Certification of Enrollment form and bring it to the
SIPA Student Affairs Office for certification.
Fellowships
The School of International and Public Affairs and The Earth
Institute at Columbia University award a limited number of
fellowship/scholarship grants to incoming students on the basis of
merit and need. International students are considered on the same
basis as domestic applicants. A fellowship application is included
as part of the application for admission.
Health Insurance
All students are required to be covered by health insurance and
are automatically enrolled in the Basic Plan unless it is waived.
How to
Apply
There are three ways to apply to the program.
1. You can apply though our
online application system and complete the entire application
electronically through the application page of the program Web
site
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mpaenvironment/pages/application.html
2. You can download and
print the PDF of the application from the Web site application
page (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/mpaenvironment/pages/application.html)
and complete and submit this hard copy by mail.
3. You can also request a paper application from the program’s
assistant director, Louise Rosen, by phone (212-854-3142), by
mail (420 West 118th Street, Mail Code 3325, Room 1408, New
York, NY 10027), or by e-mail
(lar46@columbia.edu)
If you have any questions about the application systems, please
do not hesitate to contact Louise Rosen.
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