Attention: Your browser does not support Javascript or you have disabled JavaScript. JavaScript is used to open the link in a pop-up window.
Home

Admissions

Newly_admitted_students_banner

Newly Admitted Students

Congratulations on your admission to the Columbia Journalism School!

Prepping for the J-School

Class Overview

The Office of Admission and Financial Aid received about 1200 applications for our four degree programs and admitted roughly 512 students who come from a wide variety of previous jobs, places and backgrounds.

 

In our largest degree-granting program, the full-time Master of Science, those admitted hail from 29 states and the District of Columbia. The top states represented among the admitted students are New York, California, Texas, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In addition, 28 percent of the class is international hailing from 36 countries and 6 continents, with the largest representation from India, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Singapore, France, and Sweden. This year, 66 percent of those admitted to the M.S. class are female and 34 percent are male.  Finally, there are 274 colleges and universities represented from across the globe with Journalism, English, Political Science, International Relations and History as the most popular undergraduate majors.

In the Master of Arts class, 36 percent are male and 64 percent are female, with 41 percent coming from outside of the United States.  The Master of Arts students come from 16 states and 18 countries and 6 continents with the largest representation from India, Australia, Brazil and South Africa.  Of the four students admitted to the doctoral program in communications, one is male and three are female, and one comes from outside the United States. We admitted 7 students into our new M.S. dual degree program with Computer Science. Among these 7 students, 4 are male and 3 are female, and four are international students. Lastly, in terms of racial diversity, 23 percent of the entire class identified as African American, Asian, Latino or Native American.

Along with budding and seasoned journalists, we are also proud of the diverse work experience represented in our admitted class which includes teachers, lawyers, doctors, military officers, engineers, collegiate athletes, playwrights, artists, businesspeople, scientists, accountants, photographers, authors and designers.

 

Back to Top

Open House

You are cordially invited to attend our April Open House for newly admitted students!

Download Open House Agenda

Please REGISTER HERE for this year's Open House. 

We will also hold a virtual open house where professors and administrators will answer questions about awards, visas, housing and much more. A recording of the virtual open house will be available here. Please check back for more details.

To see previous year's webcasts about student life, financial aid, technology and more with members of the J-School faculty go to http://bit.ly/columbiawebcasts. If you have topic suggestions for future webcasts, please e-mail dos@jrn.columbia.edu (subject line = webcast suggestions).

Optional Events

J-School Showcase: Covering Religion

1-2pm, Friday, Stabile Student Center, 2nd Fl, School of Journalism

A Presentation about Prof. Ari Goldman's "Covering Religion" course, taught this year with Prof. Alexander Stille. Students Raya Jalabi and Neha Prakash will share highlights of the course and "Religio," its site about a 10-day reporting trip through Italy. The students will discuss the process of researching their beats, developing long-form features based on religious trends in Italy and reporting in a foreign country. See CoveringReligion.org

The Freelance Series: Prof. Duy Linh Tu on Starting a Media Business

2-3:30pm, Friday, Stabile Student Center, 2nd Fl, School of Journalism

You know he can teach, now hear him tell you how he started a successful media business. He'll share his challenges, pitfalls, mistakes and successes, and help you ask yourself the hard questions before you launch a business. Columbia new media journalism professor and an independent film producer, Duy will give you the business nuts-and-bolts that confound most writers and artists who want to start a freelance business. 

Social Media & Photography

11am-noon, Sunday, ICP, 1114 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street

What every photographer should know about the latest opportunities, pitfalls and more. This event will be held at the International Center for Photography (ICP) on Sunday, April 15th from 11 a.m. - noon. If interested please submit your name to this form http://bit.ly/socicp so that you will be granted security clearance. 

Live Events at the J-School

Get a sense of the amazing range of speakers, panels, talks at the J-school by visiting http://bit.ly/columbialectures. If you are in NYC during any of these, please stop by. No RSVP required.

PLEASE NOTE: We realize that Open House this year occurs during the Passover holiday. It has come to our attention that campus catering vendors will likely not be open to provide Kosher meals for our guests observing the holiday. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but hope this will not deter you from attending Open House. Thank you for your understanding and please accept our apologies. 

Back to Top

International Students

Leaving the comforts of home can be a challenge. Add to that the pressures of applying for the correct student visa, and it can feel a bit overwhelming. That's why the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) of Columbia University has developed an online guide just for you. The "Coming to Columbia: Essential Information for New International Students" guide is designed to help you meet the challenges of living abroad and enjoy living and learning in New York City.

Back to Top

New Student Checklist

You must complete the following tasks before you arrive on campus.

IMPORTANT: In order to get your Columbia University ID card or purchase a J-School Press Pass, you will need to take a high resolution digital passport-style photo as soon as possible.

  • The photo should be a color, JPEG file.
  • The background should be uniform and light-colored.
  • You must be facing forward with your head and shoulders clearly visible.
  • No photos with sunglasses or hats
  • The file cannot exceed 100K in size.
  1. To Locate and activate your Columbia e-mail address. Once your $1,000 electronic enrollment fee has been received, your UNI, which also serves as your Columbia e-mail address, is generated. Please allow seven to 10 business days for your information to be updated in the system. Follow these instructions to activate your Columbia UNI and email address. Once it is active, you can start using your Columbia e-mail.
  2. Get your Columbia University ID: CUIT has developed a secure web service for students to upload and submit a photo online for their first University ID card. For more information about the process and to submit your photo, click here. If you submit your photo by July 2012, you will receive your University ID card during your student orientation. For those who missed the deadline, you will have time during orientation to go to 204 Kent Hall to get your University ID card.
  3. Emergency Contact Form: Please complete the Journalism School's Emergency Contact Form.
  4. Certify your meningitis vaccination decision: Record your meningococcal (meningitis) vaccination decision online.
  5. Submit your MMR Form: Complete the Columbia University Measles, Mumps and Rubella form and submit it to the Health Services Immunization Office . For part-time students starting in May, the MMR form is due by Monday, May 14, 2012. For all full-time M.S students MMR form must be submitted no later than Friday, July 20, 2012. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REGISTER OR COME TO CAMPUS UNTIL THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED! 
  6. Enroll/waive CU student medical insurance: Full-time students are automatically enrolled in the basic level of the plan, but may upgrade their coverage to the comprehensive level or request a waiver. Part-time students are encouraged to enroll in the plan, but are not required to do so. Please click here for more information. To request a waiver of automatic enrollment in the basic level of the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan, new incoming students must submit a waiver request before fall enrollmentand provide documentation of alternate coverage under a comparable insurance plan.
  7. Student Account Statement: Review your Student Account Statement online. Please be sure that you have paid your bill to avoid the $150 late payment charge. Once the statement is available, an alert will be sent to your Columbia e-mail address. The payment deadline for the Fall is September 14, 2012.
  8. Direct Deposit: Sign up for Direct Deposit through Student Services Online (SSOL) to have scholarship and financial aid refunds deposited directly into your bank account.
  9. Dining Services: Sign up for an optional Dining Plan or purchase "Dining Dollars" or a Flex account.
  10. Get a J-School Press Pass: Students looking to get a J-School Press Pass can do so after arriving on campus at Columbia Printing Services in room 106 of the Journalism building. The cost of the press pass is $10 plus tax. Please bring a digital copy of your headshot picture either in a USB Flash Drive, or simply e-mail the picture to yourself. A representative from Printing Services will help you to upload the picture into their online interface. More details will be provided in your online orientation booklet.
  11. Text Message Enrollment: Register your mobile number to receive important and emergency communications from Columbia University.
  12. Financial planning: It is important to begin thinking about how you will finance your graduate school education. See the Federal Financial Aid and Journalism Scholarships section for more details.
  13. Complete an online application for a visa certificate (International Students Only): It may take up to 10 weeks to process your visa. Please fill out an application here: ISSO Visa Certificate. See the International Students section for more details.
  14. Apply for Housing: If you are interested in applying for graduate student housing, see the Housing section for more details. Internationals should apply for on-campus housing as soon as possible, as it can be extremely difficult to secure housing after you arrive.

Back to Top

Suggested Reading List: Books and Sites

To help you understand New York City, past and present, the faculty recommends you read some of these books and Web sites. The list is long, though by no means exhaustive, and we certainly don’t expect you to pick up every title here. The one book most often recommended by faculty is "The Power Broker," Robert Caro's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of master planner Robert Moses. While it is more than 35 years old, it vividly captures the city's development, politics and turmoil.

You may want to choose from several categories – e.g., an anthology or two, a couple of the classics, and titles in subject areas, like politics or education, that interest you. We've also listed some books that don't focus purely on New York, but are valuable for the information and insight they offer into media, technology and other topics.

Finally, please get into the habit of reading at least a couple of New York newspapers every day – in print or online – and checking the Web sites of local broadcast stations. This will acquaint you with the city that will serve as your laboratory during the time you're here, and are also the media outlets to which you may wish to pitch your stories.

Back to Top

Orientation and Start Dates

Please note that orientation attendance is mandatory. Dates are subject to change.

Part-Time M.S. Students 

Orientation: Friday, May 18, 2012
Classes Begin: Saturday, May 19, 2012

M.S. International Students 
Orientation: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
(You are also required to attend Full-Time M.S. Student Orientation)
Classes begin: Monday, August 6, 2012

M.S. Students
Orientation: Thursday, August 2nd through Monday, August 6, 2012
Classes begin: Monday, August 6, 2012

K.B. Students 
Orientation: Tuesday, August 14th through Thursday, August 16, 2012                                                             Classes begin: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012                                                                   

M.A. International Students & China Fellows 
Welcome Lunch: Wednesday, August 29, 2012

M.A. Students & Spencer Fellows 
Orientation: Thursday, August 30th and Friday, August 31, 2012
Classes begin: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012

Ph.D. Students 
Orientation: Thursday, August 30th and Friday, August 31, 2012
Classes begin: Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012

A Talk About Journalism Trends (All students)
By Prof. William Grueskin, Dean of Academic Affairs
Location: TBA
Friday, August 31, 2012
10:00 a.m. – 12 p.m.

J-School BBQ (All students)
Location: Furnald Lawn
Friday, August 31, 2012
12 – 3 p.m.

Back to Top

Federal Financial Aid and Journalism Scholarships

  • The Financial Aid Checklist  has been created to guide you through the Financial Aid process. 
  • In order to help you make an informed decision about attending the Journalism School, we will announce journalism scholarship awards via e-mail by early April for all admitted students who submitted the appropriate forms, as indicated below.
  • U.S. citizens and permanent residents
    Journalism scholarships and other federal financial aid will be assigned to those who submitted a FAFSA and a Journalism School Scholarship Aid Form by the February deadline. Without these forms, we cannot award scholarships and the University Office of Student Financial Planning cannot award federal aid and loans. If you require loans and have not already done so, please fill out a FAFSA immediately. The University Student Financial Planning Office cannot develop a financial aid award package for an admitted student without a FAFSA form. If you have any questions, about your FAFSA or your federal data, please call the University Student Financial Planning Office at 212-851-0795.
  • International Students
    Journalism scholarships will be assigned to those admitted international students who have submitted the Journalism School Scholarship Aid Form. All scholarships are assigned on the basis of merit and/or need.

Intra-School Fellowships
If you applied for a Columbia University Intra-School Fellowship, please contact Tarin Almanzar, should you have any questions. The Intra-School Fellowship committees make their selections in April, independently of the Journalism School.

You can access further information on billing and payment options, as well as view tuition statements (1098-T Forms) at the Student Financial Services page.

Back to Top

Housing

Columbia University has limited housing for full-time graduate students around the Morningside Heights campus. Please note students admitted from the waitlist are ineligible to apply for Columbia University Housing. Please see theHousing Memo posted with your admissions letter on the Apply Yourself website for additional information. The deadline to apply for housing was May 15.

Additional Housing Information and Resources

* International House (I House) Residence: International House is a privately owned student residence near the campus that provides housing to students from various universities and colleges in the area. For complete details on the International House resources and the housing availability for I-House, please visit http://www.ihouse-nyc.org.

* Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA): OCHA provides an online housing registry of room-share and apartments in non-Columbia owned buildings located in the New York City area (mostly surrounding Columbia University). Only students who have accepted our admissions offer (by submitting their $1,000 deposit) and activated their Columbia ID (UNI) are permitted to use the website. You will be provided with the full details and website information once you have submitted your acceptance and deposit to the admissions offer.

* Other Resources (not vetted by the Journalism School):

Back to Top

Enrollment Response Form and Deposit

 

You may submit your enrollment decision online at Apply Yourself by logging in with your PIN and password. If you have forgotten your PIN or password, email Apply Yourself Technical Support, found under the "User Login" section of the main page. The enrollment fee can be paid by credit card using a Visa or Mastercard; our system does not accept Discover or American Express. You may also submit the deposit in a personal check or money order drawn in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank. Be sure that your name and PID number are on the check. The check must be postmarked by May 1, 2012. The Journalism School does not accept wire transfers. Students who fail to remit the enrollment fee by the deadline forfeit their place in the entering class. Students who pay the enrollment fee but do not enroll on the agreed date will lose their deposit.

Back to Top

Deferral Requests


Master of Science and Master of Arts candidates for the fall semester may submit a request to defer enrollment for one year with the permission of the Admissions Committee. Deferrals are not granted for more than one year. Requests are only granted for very compelling reasons. Reasons the Admissions Committee may consider include medical or family emergencies or extraordinary academic opportunities, e.g. Fulbright Scholar Program. THE COMMITTEE DOES NOT CONSIDER REQUESTS FROM CANDIDATES WHO WISH TO POSTPONE ENROLLMENT AT THE JOURNALISM SCHOOL FOR INTERNSHIPS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS. You may submit requests to admissions@jrn.columbia.edu.
       
For students that have been granted a deferral, you will receive an official e-mail from the Office of Admission and Financial Aid. To secure your place in the next class, you must submit your $1,000 enrollment fee by the May 1, 2012 deadline. The office will correspond with you in the beginning of next year to confirm your plans to enroll in August 2013 and provide you with information regarding scholarship and federal financial aid, the Open House and to help prepare you for August enrollment. Note that you will need to re-apply for scholarship aid for 2013. The Scholarship Aid Application will be available in December 2012. Over the course of the next year, if there are changes to your email or home address, please contact the office at admissions@jrn.columbia.edu.

Back to Top

Public Safety Security Report

Columbia University prepares an annual security report, which is available to all current and prospective employees and students. The report includes statistics for the three previous years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Columbia University, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault, and other matters.

You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Director of Administration and Planning, Public Safety at 212-854-3815 or here: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety/SecurityReport.pdf

Back to Top

Contact the Admissions Office

Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
2950 Broadway (at 116th St.)
Room 203 (lobby)
New York, NY 10027
(212) 854-8608
admissions@jrn.columbia.edu