Housing
Housing
Newly-Admitted Students | Current Students | Availability & Eligibility
Timeline | Application | Wait List | Transferring | Non-Columbia Housing
Deciding where to live as a Postbac Premed student is a very important decision, one to which students should give serious consideration. New York's many and diverse neighborhoods combined with an extensive public transportation system offer a variety of housing options that are convenient to the Columbia campus.
Postbac Premed students reside in many different housing situations. A number of students stay in University-owned housing, many live at home, and some secure other non-University housing in the New York area.
Columbia Housing
Postbac Premed students are housed in facilities operated by University Apartment Housing. Since few studio apartments are available, Postbac Premed students are usually accommodated in apartments or dormitory-style suites shared by other Columbia students; typically each student has his or her own bedroom while sharing kitchen and bath facilities.
New Students
Newly-admitted students interested in obtaining University Housing should consult the Housing page for newly-admitted students.
Current Students
Housing Availability and Eligibility
Postbac Premed students are not guaranteed University Housing. The School is allotted a limited number of spaces by University Apartment Housing each semester for new assignments. Student demand for housing regularly exceeds the allotment and both new and continuing students may apply for University Housing.
University Housing is available to students, couples and students with dependent children on a limited basis and priority is given to those students moving from great distances. Students who live within 50 miles of campus will most likely be placed on a waiting list.
Only students who are pursuing the Postbac Premed Program full time through a combination of 9 credits of coursework and are simultaneously fulfilling their clinical volunteer work requirement of at least 3 hours per week and 42 hours per semester are eligible for University Housing.
Housing Application Timeline
| Fall Semester | |
| Application Opens | Mid-February |
| Review Process | April-Early July |
| Housing Assignments* | Early to Mid-July |
| Wait List Opens | Mid-July |
| Wait List Closes | Late September |
| Spring Semester | |
| Application Opens | Mid-October |
| Review Process | Mid-November to Mid-December |
| Housing Assignments* | Mid-November to Mid-December |
| Wait List Opens | Mid-December |
| Wait List Closes | Mid-February |
*Housing assignments are made on a rolling basis as space becomes available. Students who do not receive a housing assignment will automatically be placed on the wait list.
Housing Application Instructions
Only current students not in University Apartment Housing need apply and are encouraged to do so early.
To apply, please follow these steps:
- Review the Housing Essentials and Types of Accommodations sections of the UAH website.
- Sign-up for a My Housing Portal account.
- Complete the University Apartment Housing application.
Log-in Information
Sign-up Code: uah102172
CUID/PID: Students will also need their CUID/PID in order to complete the application; the CUID/PID number begins with C00 and is available at the top of any page in SSOL.
To locate it, students may need to select “Show My Personal Name and Data” from the dropdown menu in the “Viewing Options” box and then click “Update View”; the CUID/PID number should then be displayed.
Wait List
Wait List Housing Process operates after regular fall and spring housing assignments are made. Students who do not receive a housing assignment will automatically be placed on the wait list.
Students will be notified on a rolling basis about coming off the wait list, as space becomes available. If space does become available, students have 24 hours to accept or decline the offer.
A student’s likelihood of receiving a housing offer during the wait list process varies from year to year and depends on available units and the demand for apartments across all schools at the University. While it is possible to receive an offer for housing as part of the wait list process, University Housing is not guaranteed and it is important for students to investigate options on the open market while managing the wait list process.
Transferring Between Rooms/Apartments
Room to Room Transfer requests are accepted on an ongoing basis through April 15. General Transfer and Group Transfer periods are October, November, February, and March, and applications received by the 5th of those months will be considered for each period. Transfer requests must be submitted through My Housing Portal.
Contact
If you have any questions concerning University Housing, please email gs-housing@columbia.edu.
Non-Columbia Housing
The University also maintains an Off-Campus Housing Assistance Office (OCHA) which provides advice on finding rentals in non-Columbia owned buildings. OCHA maintains a website and online database of available rooms, apartments, and apartment shares in the greater metropolitan area. OCHA is located at 419 W. 119th St. (lower level). This service, located at 419 W. 119th Street (lower level) and online, is open to all Columbia students, full- and part-time.
The information on the pages linked below is provided as a service to students of the School of General Studies. The School of General Studies does not endorse any of the services, facilities, or resources listed.
Apartment Hunting Resources - Contains links to apartment listings databases, including OCHA, a free service available only to Columbia University students, as well as additional pertinent resources.
Long-Term Housing Options - Contains information on the many different types of long-term residential options available to students in New York. Students are advised to read the requirements for each residence carefully.
Short-Term Housing Options - Prospective students who wish to visit Columbia or students still looking for permanent accommodations may wish to consider the short-term housing options found on this page.
