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Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

  1. What kind of program does Columbia offer?
  2. Can I get training in clinical psychology at Columbia?
  3. What is the deadline for Ph.D. applications?
  4. Will my application still be considered if it is submitted after the deadline?
  5. Can I be accepted in the spring semester for the Ph.D. program?
  6. How many applications are received by your department? Of those, how many are recommended for admission to the Psychology Department?
  7. What is the application fee?
  8. I cannot afford to pay my application fee. Can you waive this fee for me?
  9. Is the GRE Subject test required?
  10. What is Columbia's Institution code for the GRE's?
  11. What is the department code for GRE/TOEFL score reporting?
  12. Is there a minimum GPA or GRE score, which is required for admission to Columbia's program?
  13. Can I send photocopies of my test scores since it is expensive to have the originals sent?
  14. How may I apply to your program?
  15. What address should I send my application materials to?
  16. 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?
  17. I am interested in visiting your Department and meeting with faculty. Is this possible?
  18. If I am an international student, but have a Master's degree from an American university, do I have to submit scores for the TOEFL exam?
  19. Is it necessary for me to take the TSE (Test of Spoken English)?
  20. I would like to know if my degree is the equivalent of an American university B.A. or B.S. degree. Can you tell me if I can be admitted with my current degree?
  1. What kind of program does Columbia offer?
    2. The department offers a comprehensive graduate program including concentrations in the following broad areas: Behavioral Neuroscience; Sensation and Perception; Cognition; and Social and Personality. Collaboration among different laboratories involving research spanning different areas is quite common. The graduate program is designed to provide a broad base in psychology, while offering an opportunity for intensive research. In addition, supervised teaching is integral to the graduate career, and all students serve as teaching assistants for one semester each year.
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  2. Can I get training in clinical psychology at Columbia?
    3. Degrees in Clinical Psychology are not awarded through this department. Should you require information regarding application procedures for degrees in Clinical Psychology, please see the Teachers College website or write to Teachers College, Clinical Psychology, 420 Main (Box 57), New York, NY 10027; 212-678-3125, or contact Teacher's College, Office of Admission, 146 Horace Mann (Box 302), 525 West 120th Street; 212-678-3710.
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  3. What is the deadline for Ph.D. applications?
    4. Complete applications, including references, transcripts, and GRE scores, must be received by the Admissions Office of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences postmarked December 1 to be considered for entrance in September of the following year.
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  4. Will my application still be considered if it is submitted after the deadline?
    5. Generally, late applications are rarely considered.
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  5. Can I be accepted in the spring semester for the Ph.D. program?

    6. No, the psychology department admits students only once a year, to begin in the fall semester.

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  6. How many applications are received by your department? Of those, how many are recommended for admission to the Psychology Department?
    7. The department has received around 200 applications yearly since 1999, and it averages offers to 12 students.
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  7. What is the application fee?
    8. The application fee is $75 for the on-line application, and $90 for the paper version.
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  8. I cannot afford to pay my application fee. Can you waive this fee for me?
    9. 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. Application fees are waived only for students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program and receiving substantial financial aid. In that case, the financial aid office at their school may write a letter documenting that it would be hardship to pay the fee.
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  9. Is the GRE Subject test required?
    10. While the psychology GRE is not required, it is strongly recommended.
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  10. What is Columbia's Institution code for the GRE's?
    11. The code for the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is 2162.
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  11. What is the department code for GRE/TOEFL score reporting?
    12. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not use department codes, as all application materials should be sent to the admission office only.
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  12. Is there a minimum GPA or GRE score, which is required for admission to Columbia's program?
    13. Admission to the Ph.D. progarm is based on an overall evaluation of applicants' scores, grades, recommendation letters, as well as potential for scholarship in our program. A general guideline for admission is a minimum score of 1200 on the combined verbal and quantitive GREs.
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  13. Can I send photocopies of my test scores since it is expensive to have the originals sent?
    14. The current policy is that the test scores must come from ETS.
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  14. How may I apply to your program?
    15. Applications can be completed on-line or downloaded from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
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  15. What address should I send my application materials to?
    16. Although on-line applications are strongly encourged, paper versions of the application (and additional materials) should be mailed to the Office of Admissions at:

    Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
    107 Low Memorial Library
    535 West 116th Street, MC 4304
    Columbia University
    New York, NY 10027

    Applicants should not send any materials to the psychology department.
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  16. 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?
    17. The Department usually does not begin its admission process until near the end of January. If you are a domestic applicant and would like to check the status of your application go to: https://www.ais.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/ssv/adol.
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  17. I am interested in visiting your Department and meeting with faculty. Is this possible?
    18. If you are interested in contacting faculty before you submit an application, please contact those members directly.
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  18. If I am an international student, but have a Master's degree from an American university, do I have to submit scores for the TOEFL exam?
    19. You must take an English proficiency test. International students may, instead of TOEFL, submit results of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) administered in foreign countries by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the British Council and IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia. The Graduate School normally requires a score of 7 or higher on IELTS (For information about IELTS).
    Exception: International students who have earned a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution or from an institution in an English-speaking country, and have studied there for at least two years, are not required to take the TOEFL or IELTS.
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  19. Is it necessary for me to take the TSE (Test of Spoken English)?
    20. No, but international students must hold the equivalent of an American university baccalaureate (B.A.) and be fluent in both written and spoken English. International applicants who are not natives of English-speaking countries must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in time for the score to be included with the completed application. Exam information is available from TOEFL, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ, 08541-6151 or ETS.
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  20. I would like to know if my degree is the equivalent of an American university B.A. or B.S. degree. Can you tell me if I can be admitted with my current degree?
    21. You will need to contact the International Students and Scholars Office to find out if your degree is equivalent to an American university degree.
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  1. Where can I find out about graduate school admission in general?
  2. How many total students does the Psychology Department admit each year?
  3. How many international students do you accept?
  4. What were the GRE and GPA scores of students admitted for the current academic year?
  5. When are admissions decisions made?
  6. I have submitted my application, and I would like to know whether or not I have been accepted.
  1. Where can I find out about graduate school admission in general?
    2. Admission information can be found at the The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
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  2. How many total students does the Psychology Department admit each year?
    3. Columbia's Psychology Department is relatively small; each year it admits about 12 full-time students. Such a highly selective system affords graduate students the opportunity to become acquainted with all department research conducted by faculty and fellow students.
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  3. How many international students do you accept?
    4. There are no rules or quotas regarding admittance of international students. Thirty-five students are currently enrolled in the program, including 8 international students. In the past five years, between zero and six international students have been admitted each year.
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  4. What were the GRE and GPA scores of students admitted for the current academic year?
    5. The range of GRE scores for the verbal section was 640-750 and 600-800 for the quantitative section. The average GRE score for the verbal section was 664 and 760 for the quantitative section. The average GPA for students entering the program was 3.7.
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  5. When are admissions decisions made?
    6. The department begins the review process after January 1 and invites prospective students to the campus by March 1 for interviews, tours, and a chance to get to know faculty and current graduate students. Official notification from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of admission decisions is mailed mid-March.
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  6. I have submitted my application, and I would like to know whether or not I have been accepted.
    7. Students will be notified of all decisions by mail. Applicants may view the status of their application by going to admissions. Please note that Columbia does not post decisions online.
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  1. Which faculty are available for me to do my thesis research with?
  2. I want to be part of a particular professor's research lab. What do I have to do?
  3. How long does the program take? Can I go part time?
  4. What is the stipend for 2009-2010?
  5. Is there financial aid available?
  6. Is housing provided by the University?
  7. What if I want a Master's degree?
  8. What if I already have a Master's degree in Psychology?
  9. Are there other programs related to psychology at Columbia?
  1. Which faculty are available for me to do my thesis research with?
    2. The faculty who sponsor thesis work can be found on the Faculty Research Labs page.
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  2. I want to be part of a particular professor's research lab. What do I have to do?
    3. Students are not admitted to the Department to work for a particular research group. Graduate students in the Department are encrouaged to get to know several different faculty members and become acquainted with their research, and to become involved with research in more than one lab. In order to work in any research group in the Department you first have to be admitted by our Admissions Committee and approved by the Graduate School.
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  3. How long does the program take? Can I go part time?
    4. Students typically complete the program in five years, and it is a full-time program.
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  4. What is the stipend for 2009-2010?
    5. All students accepted to the Ph.D. program in psychology receive a multiyear Faculty Fellowship which provides tuition, health and insurance fees, and an annual stipend for five years. All fellows receive equal awards. The stipend level is adjusted each year to keep pace with the rate of inflation. For 2009-2010, the stipend is $22,500 and $7,500 for the summer 2010.
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  5. Is there financial aid available?
    6. Students may apply for outside, need-based loans. Questions about financial aid can be directed to the Financial Aid Office.
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  6. Is housing provided by the University?
    7. Columbia University provides housing for graduate students. Funded students have a guarantee of only 5 years of housing. Housing beyond 5 years of study is at the discretion of the dean's office and is determined by availability and by timely progress towards the degree. Most accomodations are apartment shares in graduate student apartment buildings; there are a few studio and one-bedroom apartments in University buildings. All are located within a ten-mintue walk to campus. An average single bedroom apartment costs about $1,025-$1,550 per month, a shared double about $670-750 per month. More information can be found on Columbia University Apartment Housing's (UAH) website.
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  7. What if I want a Master's degree?
    8. Students who are interested in a terminal master's degree should consider programs offered by Teacher's College, which include Clinical Psychology, Psychology in Education, Developmental Psychology, and Social-Organization Psychology. The Columbia Psychology program is a five-year consecutive series of classes and research culminating in the Ph.D. degree. Students usually earn a master's degree by the end of their second year, through the completion of research leading to a master's essay and an oral presentation of the master's essay to faculty and other graduate students.
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  8. What if I already have a Master's degree in Psychology?
    9. All students are admitted into the five-year Ph.D. program, and every student must take the sequence of proseminars. Other courses will be evaluated on an individual basis. The program's emphasis, however, is research and there are very few course requirements.
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  9. Are there other programs related to psychology at Columbia?
    10. Yes, Teacher's College offers masters and doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology, Psychological Counseling, Psychology in Education, Psychology and Education, Developmental Psychology, School Psychology, and Social-Organizational Psychology.

    Columbia Business School also offers a doctoral program with fields of study which may be of interest to psychology students (Management, decision risk and operations, and Marketing). Because psychology is such a broad discipline, the other areas at Columbia which may be of interest to psychology students are too numerous to list here. We encourage you to explore Columbia's offerings through their website for prospective students.

    The Center for Neurobiology and Behavior at Columbia University Medical Center also offers a Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior and Postdoctoral training.
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Last modified: Nov 12, 2009 3:00:13 PM EST