Application Materials

1. Completed Online Application form.

2. $80.00 nonrefundable application fee (U.S. currency). Applicants not applying online may pay in the form of a check or money order made out to Columbia University. Do not send cash. Checks must be in U.S. currency drawn on a U.S. bank. If you would like to pay by credit card you must apply online. These procedures also apply to tuition payments, once the applicant is accepted for admission.

3. Writing sample (no more than 10 pages). The writing sample must be a graded assignment from your high school that showcases your best work.

4. Statement of purpose (600-800 words). The statement should address the following:

   1. A brief summary of your academic background and your personal and academic goals.
   2. Clearly articulated ideas regarding why the High School Visiting Student program appeals to you and how participation in the program will help you realize your academic and personal goals.
   3. A description of a situation in which you contributed to the learning of your fellow students in the classroom that will allow the admissions committee to consider how you would fit into a learning experience at the university level.

5. Transcripts. Official transcripts must arrive in envelopes sealed by the issuing institutions. Copies, opened or unsealed envelopes, unofficial printouts, or facsimiles will not be accepted. Many schools take a number of weeks to fulfill transcript requests; please plan accordingly.

6. Official scores on either the PSAT, SAT or the ACT (SAT school code: 2594; ACT school code: 2721)

7. Two letters of recommendation attesting to your intellectual strengths and commitment to personal and academic growth. One letter must be from your school principal or guidance counselor and must include an approval of the courses you have selected for study. The second letter must be from a teacher.

Submitting the Application

1. Applicants are encouraged to submit all supporting application materials through the online application system.  Unofficial documents will be used for admission consideration.

2. Applications are not considered complete until all required materials listed in the Application Materials section have been received.  Only complete applications will be reviewed.

3. Applicants who are admitted to the program must submit all official documents to the Office of Admissions before the offer is considered official.

4. All submitted materials should clearly bear the applicant's name and the name of the program to which he or she is applying.

Mailing Address and Contact Information

Office of Admissions
School of Continuing Education
203 Lewisohn Hall
2970 Broadway, Mail Code 4119
New York, NY 10027-6902
212-854-9666
Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM; Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Notification of Admissions Decision

Students who submit complete applications by the deadlines posted on this site will be notified of admissions decisions via e-mail. Once all application materials have been received, it usually takes two to three weeks for notification.

International students must fulfill these additional application requirements