Non-Degree Students and Visiting Scholars

Graduate students from other institutions in the United States or abroad who wish to study at Columbia on a visiting basis should select one of five statuses and apply in the appropriate way.

1. Ph.D. Exchange Scholar: Ph.D. students from certain specific graduate schools in the United States may study at Columbia for a limited period of time in order to take advantage of particular educational opportunities not available at their home institutions.  For more information, see

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pdf-files/exchange-scholar.pdf

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3.  Non-Degree Special Ph.D. Students (Visiting Students): Students who are matriculated doctoral candidates at other institutions (usually non-U.S. schools or universities) and who wish to take classes or do research at the Graduate School, but who do not wish to enroll in a degree program, may be permitted to register as Non-Degree Special Students. Admission to this standing is made by the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School in consultation with the faculty in a department relevant to the student's research interests. Special student status is limited to a maximum of two terms.

• Non-Degree Special Students take classes for credit, and/or conduct research under the formal guidance of members of the Columbia faculty.
• They receive full student status including an official statement of attendance at Columbia.
• They are charged tuition at the Extended Residence rate to take classes, or at the Matriculation and Fees rate to do guided research without taking classes. For current tuition rates, see:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/sub/finaid/finance/coa/index.html

To apply for the status of Non-Degree Special Student, contact the Admissions Office of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (please see http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/pages/pstudents/admissions/information/non-degree.html). 

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4.  Visiting Ph.D. Scholars: Graduate students who wish to visit the university to conduct independent research, without enrolling formally in classes and without receiving formal guidance from the Columbia faculty, may apply for the status of Visiting Ph.D. Scholar. 

• Visiting Scholars are not charged tuition.
• Individuals may be named visiting scholars for up to one year. The designation may be renewed for no more than one additional year.
• Visiting Scholars receive free reading privileges in the libraries and may obtain four-week borrowing privileges on payment of a monthly fee.
• They may audit lecture courses with the permission of the instructors. Visiting scholars may use the Marcellus Hartley Dodge Physical Fitness Center and the University's other recreational facilities on payment of a fee.
• They are not enrolled students and do not receive an official statement of attendance or a grade transcript, offices, housing, administrative support, or other university services.

To apply for the status of Visiting Ph.D. Scholar, please contact the relevant department or institute of the university.  For the Political Science Department, inquiries may be addressed either to the Departmental Administrator, or to a faculty member with whom you are interested in working (see http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/).  In order to consider an application, the department will require a student's curriculum vitae, research proposal, academic transcript, a notarized translation of the transcript, and one letter of recommendation.  The department can accommodate a limited number of Visiting Scholars.  It will invite a Visiting Scholar only after it has identified a department faculty member who is willing to serve as that person's sponsor.  If it accepts an application, it will issue a letter of invitation.

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5.  Post-baccalaureate applicants who are not Ph.D. degree candidates elsewhere but who wish to take non-degree graduate level courses at Columbia should register as Postgraduate Non-Degree Students through the School of Continuing Education.  For more information, please see http://ce.columbia.edu/Visiting-Students.

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NOTES

• All non-degree students must pay Columbia Health Insurance or show comparable coverage. Visiting Scholars must come with their own health insurance.
• Columbia Housing is unavailable to non-degree students and visiting scholars.
• All international non-degree students must pay an ISSO fee.  Visiting Scholars pay only an application fee.
• Non-Degree Special Students who are non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents will normally come to the U.S. in F-1 student status.  Upon admission, the student will receive information on how to obtain the F-1.  The following link describes the requirements for the F-1 visa: https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/cu/isso/ay0607/avc_instruct.html.
• Non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents who come as Visiting Scholars normally require a J-1 visa in the category of Researcher.  Upon submission of all the documentation required by the U.S. government, the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) on the Morningside campus will issue the DS-2019 form needed to support the J-1 application. Federal regulations require that the applicant for J-1 status has sufficient funds for the period of stay at Columbia (currently set at $2000 per month) and that the applicant meet the health insurance requirements of the U.S. Department of State while in the United States. The application for the DS-2019 will be sent by the department once Visiting Scholar status is recommended by the faculty. 

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