Nontraditional Student Admissions at Columbia University
Undergraduate applicants who have taken a break of more than a year in their education, as well as those who wish to attend part time for a compelling personal or professional reason, are encouraged to apply to the Columbia University School of General Studies.
The School of General Studies (GS) is the finest liberal arts college in the country designed for students with nontraditional backgrounds who are seeking a rigorous, traditional, Ivy League education. GS students sit side-by-side in the classroom with traditional Columbia undergraduates, taking the same courses, being taught by the same faculty, and earning the same degree. GS students have the opportunity to attend full-time or part-time.
GS students pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in one of more than 80 majors while receiving dedicated and unparalleled support from a college that has been educating nontraditional students for 75 years. Our students receive an exceptional educational experience supported by tailored resources and support services that allow them to fully thrive at Columbia—including individualized advising, comprehensive academic support, and hundreds of opportunities to get involved in student life.
Eligibility
- Applicants to the School of General Studies are eligible for admission if they have taken a break of a year or more in their educational paths or have a compelling reason for which they can only attend Columbia University as a part-time student
- Students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree may earn a second bachelor’s degree at GS as long as the degree sought is different from the first degree earned
- Students who have previous college credit from other institutions are eligible to receive in transfer up to 60 credits toward the 124 points (credits) required for graduation
Visit our website to learn about eligibility requirements.
How to Apply
Undergraduate applicants who wish to apply to the School of General Studies must have a completed application with the necessary supplementary materials to be considered for admission.
Applicants who have already completed an application to Columbia College through the Common Application or the Coalition for College may switch their application to the School of General Studies. Please contact Columbia College Undergraduate Admissions to initiate that process. Applicants who do choose to switch their application to be reviewed at GS will be contacted to submit an additional autobiographical essay, along with any missing documents that were not previously submitted before an admission decision can be made.
Students who applied Early Decision to Columbia College, will not be held to their commitment to the Early Decision plan by transferring their application to GS where they will now be considered a (non-binding) Early Action candidate. The earliest decisions will be released by the School of General Studies for the Fall semester is March 1.
Students who applied for first-year Regular Decision admission to Columbia College who transfer their applications to the School of General Studies can expect a decision no later than May 1.
Students who applied as a Transfer applicant to Columbia College and transfer their applications to GS can expect a decision as early as May 1, but no later than July 7th.
Financial Aid
Students at the School of General Studies may be eligible to receive institutional aid, scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study. While the admissions process is need-blind for both international and domestic students, it is important to note that the School of General Studies does not meet 100% of demonstrated need for financial aid, and financial aid packages from GS can include loans and still have unmet need.
Please visit our website to learn more about financing your education.
Guidelines for Transferring Credit
In general, the School of General Studies grants transfer credit for a course that satisfies the following criteria:
- It was taken at an accredited college or university
- It is an academic class consistent with the GS curriculum
- It carries a grade of “C” or higher and is documented by an official transcript
- It is not a “mini” or intersession course (however, coursework completed during a summer session is eligible for transfer credit evaluation)
- It was not taken after the student matriculated at the School of General Studies
- Credits can be awarded for Advanced Placement Exams, the International Baccalaureate, the Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Exams, the French Baccalaureate, Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exams, and the Arbitur.
Visit our website for important additional details of academic policies regarding transfer credit.
Columbia College and the School of General Studies
Please see below for information about important differences between Columbia College and the Columbia University School of General Studies.
Note: Applicants may not simultaneously apply to the School of General Studies and to any other undergraduate division of Columbia University—Columbia College (CC) or Columbia Engineering (SEAS)—nor are candidates eligible to apply to the School of General Studies if in the last three years they applied to any of these divisions and were not accepted.
- Break In College
- Columbia College
- None or minimal interruption (with the exception of mandatory military service)
- School of General Studies
- Break of one year or more, or compelling personal/professional reason to attend part time
- Credit from Other Institutions/Transfer Credit
- Columbia College
- To be eligible to enroll as a transfer student, students must have completed, or be registered for, 24 points of credit (equivalent of one year of full-time study) at another institution, and have earned a high school diploma or equivalent (by the application deadline); candidates with more than four semesters of college coursework elsewhere are not encouraged to apply
- School of General Studies
- Up to 60 credits may be transferred to Columbia for credit toward the Bachelor of Arts degree
- Enrollment
- Columbia College
- Full-time only
- School of General Studies
- Part- or full-time
- Required Testing*
- Columbia College
- SAT or ACT
- School of General Studies
- SAT, ACT, or the General Studies Admissions Exam
- Institutional Financial Aid** Eligibility
- Columbia College
- Institutional aid is determined by evaluating a family's ability to pay for their student’s education costs
- School of General Studies
- Institutional aid is primarily determined by evaluating a family's ability to pay for their student’s education costs
- Institutional Financial Aid** Coverage
- Columbia College
- Meets 100% of demonstrated financial need
- School of General Studies
- Students can receive Institution Aid awards that range from $5,000 - $35,000
- Housing
- Columbia College
- On-campus dormitory housing available to all students
- School of General Studies
- Housing is not guaranteed; approved students are housed near campus in apartment-style housing that is awarded in order of housing application with student’s distance from campus prioritized
*In response to the impacts of COVID-19, applicants for Fall 2023 will not be required to submit an SAT, ACT, or the Online GS Admissions Exam to be evaluated for admissions. Please note that applicants whose primary language of instruction for secondary school was not English will be asked to submit a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score. For more information regarding the modified application process, please visit our How to Apply page.
**Institutional aid is a scholarship provided by the school to the student, and does not have to be repaid. It does not include federal, state, or private grants, scholarships, or loans.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Rotstein, Director of Admissions, at [email protected], or call the GS Office of Admissions at 212-854-2772. You may also schedule an advising appointment here.