We are not currently accepting applications for this program.
More information is coming soon.
The United Nations estimates that 100 million people are currently living as refugees or asylum-seekers, or have been internally displaced due to wars and natural calamity – the largest such population in human history. A significant number of these individuals have had their education interrupted, severely impacting their potential for future success. The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students is an effort to combat this unprecedented humanitarian and economic loss by providing displaced students with the opportunity to pursue higher education at Columbia University, one of the leading educational institutions in the world.
The Scholarship supports displaced students from anywhere in the world who are unable to complete their higher education. These students will receive up to full tuition, housing, and living assistance while pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees across all 19 Columbia schools and affiliates, reflecting Columbia’s full institutional commitment to addressing this global crisis. As the first-ever Columbia-wide scholarship, and the world's first scholarship of its kind, this program will commit up to $6 million in support, per cohort, for up to 30 students each year. Mentoring and support will be provided by the Scholarship, as well as by schools and student groups at Columbia.
The Scholarship 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 global innovation and prosperity. Currently, there is no initiative like this at any university in the world, despite the obvious desire for education on the part of these displaced student populations. The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students aims to be a leader in filling this pressing humanitarian need and will hopefully encourage other universities to follow suit.
Across its first two cohorts, the Scholarship has now supported 33 students from 19 countries attending 14 schools.
(Note: only email inquiries to [email protected] will be responded to. Please read all information below before emailing. Emails must be in English. Phone calls / messages will not be responded to.)
Eligibility
This scholarship program is for foreign nationals who: have refugee status living anywhere in the world; have received US asylum or submitted a US asylum application; are in the US under Temporary Protected Status; are Internally Displaced Persons. Displaced Afghan students on Humanitarian Parole or with Special Immigrant Visas are also now eligible for the Scholarship. US permanent residents (green card holders, citizens, etc.) are not eligible for the scholarship. There are no age restrictions on the scholarship.
Refugee – one who has been forced to flee their home country due to persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (e.g., members of the LGBTQ community). The persecution a refugee experiences may include harassment, threats, abduction or torture. They have received official recognition as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR).
Asylee – one who is already present in the United States and has received official legal recognition as an asylee from the United States government due to persecution in their home country because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (e.g., members of the LGBTQ community).
Asylum Seeker – one who is already present in the United States or has sought admission at a port of entry due to persecution in their home country because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (e.g., members of the LGBTQ community), and is seeking safe haven in the United States, but has not yet received official legal recognition as an asylee from the United States government. NOTE: Applicant's petition for asylum must have been placed prior to the time of application to the Scholarship in order to be eligible.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) – a temporary immigration status provided to nationals of certain countries experiencing problems that make it difficult or unsafe for their nationals to be deported there.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) – persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border.
Displaced Afghan students on Humanitarian Parole or with Special Immigrant Visas
Scholarship Benefits
Depending on the school and degree program, the scholarship may cover up to full tuition, plus the student’s housing and living expenses, for the number of terms necessary to complete the respective degree.
Application Process
Although we are not currently accepting new applications, when we are able to open up the process again, applicants must apply to and be accepted by one of the degree programs listed below to be eligible for the scholarship. (The application requirements and criteria for scholarship applicants are the same as for normal admissions, and students cannot receive the scholarship if they are not accepted to a Columbia degree program.) Each school and degree program maintains their own acceptance requirements and specific application deadlines. A full list of eligible degree programs and their respective scholarship deadlines can be found below. Only degree programs listed below are eligible for the scholarship. Students will only be eligible for the scholarship if they are admitted to the degree program for which they have applied. Students will be informed regarding the scholarship only after degree admissions decisions are made.
This is a competitive scholarship with limited awards per school, so students may be accepted to their degree program and not receive funding through the scholarship. Acceptance to an academic program does not guarantee funding, through the scholarship or otherwise.
Not currently taking applications
Participating Schools with Undergraduate Degree Programs
- Program options: All undergraduate majors
- Admissions information
- Note: to be considered for the Scholarship, applicants to Columbia College must apply for financial aid at https://cc-seas.financialaid.columbia.edu/ at the time they submit their admissions application.
- Deadline: January 1, 2023
- Deadline for transfer students: March 1, 2023
- Program options: All undergraduate majors
- Admissions information
- Note: applicants to the School of Engineering and Applied Science (undergraduate programs) must apply for financial aid at https://cc-seas.financialaid.columbia.edu/ at the time they submit their admissions application.
- Deadline: January 1, 2023
- Deadline for transfer students: March 1, 2022
- Program options: All undergraduate majors
- Admissions information
- Deadline: March 1, 2023
- Note: Candidates for the Scholarship for Displaced Students at the School of General Studies should take the following steps:
- Complete the Scholarship for Displaced Students Application Form
- Complete a Fall Semester Early Action Application for Admissions by March 1
- Candidates may be required to submit results from a recent English language exam as part of the application. Please contact [email protected] for details on the Duolingo English Test.
- Applicants identified as candidates for the Scholarship for Displaced Students will be notified of an admissions decision by May 15.
- Candidates who are not awarded the Scholarship for Displaced Students may still be offered admission to the School of General Studies. Such students will need to submit a completed CSS Financial Profile to be considered for other available institutional aid (such awards average $20,000 a year).
- Note: Candidates for the Scholarship for Displaced Students at the School of General Studies should take the following steps:
- Barnard College is not participating in this Scholarship program for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Participating Schools with Graduate Degree Programs
- Program options: All postdoctoral masters programs
- Admissions information
- Prospective candidates must be graduates of a dental program and attained a DDS, DMD, or BDS degree.
- To apply, eligible candidates are required to submit an application to the ADEA PASS (Postdoctoral Application Support Service) portal.
- Deadlines:
- Programs participating in National Dental Matching Program
- Master of Science (MS) in Orthodontics Program - Deadline September 15, 2022
- Master of Science (MS) in Periodontics Program - Deadline August 15, 2022
- Master of Science (MS) in Prosthodontics Program - Not accepting applications this cycle
- Certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program - Deadline October 15, 2022
- Certificate in Endodontics Program - Deadline August 1, 2022
- Programs participating in National Dental Matching Program
- Applicants who match into the above Columbia programs can apply for the scholarship after they are matched.
- Certificate Programs
- Certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program - Deadline November,1, 2022
- Certificate in Endodontics Program - Deadline August 1, 2022
- Certificate Programs
- Program options:
- Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program
- Admissions information
- Application requirements
- All pre-requisites must have been taken in the US or Canada
- Deadline: Deadline for AMCAS (Primary Application) is October 15, 2022, deadline for Columbia Secondary Application is October 22, 2022
- Columbia-Bassett Track Program
- Admissions information
- Application requirements
- All pre-requisites must have been taken in the US or Canada.
- Deadline: Deadline for AMCAS (Primary Application) is October 15, 2022, deadline for Columbia Secondary Application is October 22, 2022
- Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy
- Admissions information
- Deadline: December 3, 2022
- Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program
- Program options:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Admissions information
- Note: Scholarship for the MBA program is only open for August entry. Candidates must apply by the fellowship deadline to be considered.
- Deadline: January 5, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Accounting and Fundamental Analysis
- Admissions information
- Deadline: January 21, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Financial Economics
- Admissions information
- Deadline: January 21, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Marketing Science
- Admissions information
- Deadline: January 21, 2023
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Accounting - Deadline January 4, 2023
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Decision, Risk, and Operations - Deadline January 4, 2023
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Marketing - Deadline January 4, 2023
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Finance - Deadline January 4, 2023
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management - Deadline January 4, 2023
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Program options:
- Master of Science (MS)
- Master of Science (MS) in Data Journalism
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of Science (MS)
- Admissions application deadline: December 15, 2022
- Scholarship application deadline: January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Data Journalism
- Admissions application deadline: December 15, 2022
- Scholarship application deadline: January 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Admissions application deadline: January 6, 2023
- Scholarship application deadline: January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS)
- Program options:
- Full-Year Master of Law (LLM)
- Admissions information
- Deadline: December 18, 2022
- Juris Doctor (JD)
- Admissions information
- Deadline: February 15, 2023
- Full-Year Master of Law (LLM)
- Program options:
- Master of Architecture (MArch)
- All Master of Science (MS) degrees
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of Architecture (MArch) - Deadline January 3, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Advanced Architectural Design - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Architecture and Urban Design - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Computational Design Practices - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Critical, Curatorial, and Conceptual Practices in Architecture - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Historic Preservation - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Real Estate Development - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Urban Planning - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Program options: All Master of Arts (MA) programs
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of Arts (MA) in African-American Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in American Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Anthropology - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Art History and Archaeology - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Biotechnology - Deadline March 15, 2022
- Master of Arts (MA) in Classical Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Classics - Deadline March 15, 2022
- Master of Arts (MA) in East Asia: Regional Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in East Asian Languages and Cultures - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Economics - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in English and Comparative Literature - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in European History, Politics and Society - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in French and Romance Philology - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Germanic Languages - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Global Thought - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Hispanic Cultural Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in History and Literature - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Human Rights Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in International and World History - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Islamic Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Islamic Studies and Museum Cultures Dual Degree Program - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Italian - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Japanese Pedagogy - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Jewish Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Latin America and the Caribbean: Regional Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Latin American and Iberian Cultures - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Mathematics with a Specialization in the Mathematics of Finance - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Medieval and Renaissance Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Museum Anthropology - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Oral History - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Philosophical Foundations of Physics - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Philosophy - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Religion - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Russia, Eurasia and East Europe: Regional Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Russian Translation - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Slavic Cultures - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Slavic Languages - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Sociology - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in South Asian Studies - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in Statistics - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Program options: All on-campus Master of Science (MS) degree programs
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of Science (MS) in Applied Mathematics - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Applied Physics - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Biomedical Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Business Analytics - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Chemical Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Civil Engineering - Deadline February 1, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Computer Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Construction Engineering and Management - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Data Science - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Earth and Environmental Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Electrical Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Engineering Mechanics - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Financial Engineering - Deadline January 5, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Industrial Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Management Science and Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Materials Science and Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Mechanical Engineering - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Medical Physics - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Operations Research - Deadline February 15, 2023
- Program options:
- Master of International Affairs (MIA)
- Master of Public Administration (MPA)
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Development Practice (MPA-DP)
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Economic Policy Management (MPA-EPM)
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of International Affairs (MIA) - Deadline December 20, 2022
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Deadline December 20, 2022
- MPA in Development Practice (MPA-DP) - Deadline December 20, 2022
- MPA in Economic Policy Management (MPA-EPM) - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Program options:
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Admissions information
- Deadline: December 9, 2022
- Masters Direct Entry Program (MDE)
- Scholarship applications can be submitted by November 1, 2022, even though the MDE application deadline is on October 4th, 2022. If you are interested in applying, please email [email protected] and [email protected] for next steps to submit your application.
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Program options: All fall-entry on-campus Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS) programs
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of Science (MS) in Actuarial Science - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Applied Analytics - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Bioethics - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Construction Administration - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Enterprise Risk Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Human Capital Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Information and Knowledge Strategy - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Narrative Medicine - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Nonprofit Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Sports Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Strategic Communication - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Sustainability Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Sustainability Science - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS) in Technology Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master of Professional Studies in Wealth Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Master's in Insurance Management - Deadline March 15, 2023
- Program options:
- Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Master of Science (MS)
- Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) - Deadline December 1, 2022
- Master of Health Administration (MHA) - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Public Health (MPH) - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Public Health (General Public Health) - Deadline June 1, 2023
- Master of Science (MS Biostatistics and Sociomedical Sciences) - Deadline January 15, 2023
- Master of Science (MS Epidemiology and Toxicology) - Deadline June 1, 2023
- Master of Science (Patient Oriented Track, PFH, Clinical Research Methods) - Deadline April 1, 2023
- Program options: Master of Science (MS) in Social Work
- Admissions information
- Deadline: February 15, 2023
- Program options:
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Film
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Arts
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Arts with a concentration in Sound Art
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Writing
- Admissions information
- All other programs than those indicated above have the same application deadlines as listed on their respective program pages
- Deadlines:
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Film - Scholarship deadline February 1, 2023 (application deadline December 15, 2022)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre, Directing concentration - Scholarship deadline February 1, 2023 (application deadline December 1, 2022)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Theatre, all concentrations except Directing - Scholarship deadline February 1, 2023 (application deadline January 5, 2023)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Writing - Scholarship deadline February 1, 2023 (application deadline January 5, 2023)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Arts - Scholarship deadline February 1, 2023 (application deadline January 19, 2023)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Arts with a concentration in Sound Art - Scholarship deadline February 1, 2023 (application deadline January 19, 2023)
- Program options: Master of Arts (MA) in Comparative International Education or in International Educational Development
- Admissions information
- Deadlines:
- Master of Arts (MA) in Comparative International Education - Deadline January 12, 2023
- Master of Arts (MA) in International Educational Development - Deadline January 12, 2023
Voice of America profiles 2022 Scholarship recipient, two-time refugee and actor in "The Kite Runner"
The Afghan actor Ali Danish Bakhtyari, who played the role of an orphan in the 2007 film "The Kite Runner,” has fled the Taliban rule in his home country twice: first in the late 1990s, and then in 2021, when the United States withdrew its forces from Afghanistan. Keith Kocinski has the story from New York.