Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students

We are no longer accepting applications.

The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that more than 110 million people have been forced from their homes due to conflict, violence, persecution or other human rights violations. This is the highest number of displaced persons on record. Only 7% of those classified as refugees have access to higher education.

The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students was launched in 2019 in an effort to combat this crisis by providing displaced students with the opportunity to pursue higher education at Columbia University, one of the leading educational institutions in the world. In doing so, Columbia aims to shift the global dialogue surrounding displaced persons – from one that views them as a burden to one that recognizes them as vital contributors to society. 

The Scholarship, which is administered by Columbia Global in partnership with participating schools, provides accepted students with full tuition and assistance with non-tuition expenses. To date, the program has supported more than 50 students from 25 countries who have attended 16 of Columbia’s schools and affiliates.