GS Welcomes Record Number of Students to Fall 2021 International Dual Degree Programs Incoming Class

This fall, the Columbia University School of General Studies (GS) will welcome a record 217 students who have committed to enrolling in its International Dual Degree Programs with partner institutions Sciences Po, Trinity College Dublin, and Tel Aviv University. This number was born out of a total of 1,017 students who submitted an application to the Programs, making this year’s admissions process more competitive than ever.

"As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first incoming class to the Columbia-Sciences Po Dual BA Program, it has been so exciting to see the growth in both the number of students in each of our international dual degree programs as well as the development of the individual character of each program," said Jessica Sarles-Dinsick, Associate Dean for International Programs and Special Projects at GS.

Newly admitted International Dual Degree Program students will join the current cohorts and make up a diverse student body. The Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po Class of 2025 represents a total of 38 countries, the Dual BA Program between Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University incoming class includes students from 21 countries, and students in the Dual Degree Program between Tel Aviv University and Columbia University come from 13 countries around the world. Represented countries include China, Brazil, Hungary, Bangladesh, Australia, and more.  

A Closer Look at Each Program

The Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po accepted 19% of its record 638 applicants. These 103 students will study at one of three Sciences Po campuses in France. 

36% of the record 250 applicants were accepted to the Dual BA Program between Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University, and the 74 incoming students will choose a course of study from the recently expanded selection of majors. 

The Dual Degree Program between Tel Aviv University and Columbia University accepted 46% of its 129 applicants, who will be a part of the Program’s second class since its launch in 2019. 

Up to 52% of students admitted to the Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po are “international” students, with no American citizenship (dual or otherwise), with the Dual BA Program between Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University having 35% and the Dual Degree Program between Tel Aviv University and Columbia University having 20%.

More About the International Dual Degree Programs

International Dual Degree Program students spend two years studying at either Sciences Po in France, Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, or Tel Aviv University in Israel before matriculating at GS, the undergraduate college at Columbia for students pursuing a rigorous education through a nontraditional path. Upon graduation from the four-year Programs, students earn two bachelor's degrees—one from Columbia, and one from either Sciences Po, Trinity College Dublin, or Tel Aviv University. The Dual Degree Programs attract bright, adventurous, diverse, and mature students with a willingness to listen and learn from different perspectives and adapt to changing environments. These innovative programs are open to all students, including those applying directly from high school. 

The first International Dual Degree Program was inaugurated with Sciences Po in September 2010 and was built upon a decade-long partnership between leading French educational institutions and Columbia University. Its success led to the inauguration of the programs with Trinity College Dublin in November 2017 and Tel Aviv University in December 2019. These Programs serve as models for future cooperative efforts between Columbia and international universities. Each of the partner institutions offers a variety of academic fields that prepare students to become leaders in the humanities, international affairs, politics, science, and more. While at GS, students further their studies by completing the requirements for a major while also cultivating intellectual breadth by fulfilling Core distribution requirements in a variety of disciplines, including literature, art, music, science, and the humanities.