International Students

Application Deadline: 15 January

International students must complete their applications by 15 January regardless of degree program. This earlier deadline gives you extra time to secure visas in the months prior to your enrollment.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

If English is not your first language, you may be required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Scores must be from tests taken within the past two years.

For first-level masters degrees, applicants must generally reach a total score of at least 84 on the internet-based test (iBT) with a minimum score of 21 in each of the four areas (Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing). TOEFL scores should be submitted directly from ETS using Columbia’s Institutional Code (5118). You will also be asked to self-report scores within your application.

Degree Eligibility

Columbia’s DMin and DEdMin programs do not require full-time enrollment and therefore cannot be used as the basis for securing a student visa. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, you may only enroll in these programs if you already have another visa which allows part-time studies.

Financial Certification

The federal government requires all admitted international students to demonstrate that they have the financial resources to cover tuition, student fees, books, health insurance, rent, utilities, and food. If you plan to list a spouse and/or children as dependents on your visa, they will also need to be covered financially.

To prove you have sufficient funding, you will be asked to provide six months of recent bank statements. Please know that scholarships you receive from Columbia can be listed as a resource, as well as financial support you receive from family, your church, or other sources.

Bank statements must be received by the Columbia Admissions Office no later than June 30th to provide sufficient time for an I-20 to be issued and for you to schedule a visa interview at a United States Embassy or Consulate Office in your home country.

SEVIS Record

If you are currently in the United States on a different visa and wish to enroll at Columbia, you will need to transfer your SEVIS record. In addition to following the above guidelines, please plan to submit either a copy of your current visa or Form I-797-A, as well as a copy of your current I-20 or DS-2019.