SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

• Tuition, Fees and Expenses
• Types of Aid
• How to Apply for Financial Aid
• Notification and Acceptance of Awards
• Financial Aid Forms Online
• Financial Aid for International Students
• Database of External Grants
  and Fellowships
• Endowed Fellowships and Scholarships
• FAQ

• Back to Financial Aid

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Should I apply for Federal Student Financial Aid (Title IV)?
   You should apply for Federal financial aid if you are a United States citizen or a permanent resident (green-card holder). Please keep in mind that financial aid is a loan guaranteed by the government that must be paid back (plus interest and origination fees).
2. When should I complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?
   If you are applying for the Fall semester, you should submit before April 15. If you are applying for the Spring semester, you should submit before September 15.
3. Should I complete the paper FAFSA or do it electronically on the web?
   If you apply over the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov, it should take 2-4 weeks for Columbia to receive your records. If you apply with the paper version, it can take as long as 8 weeks. It is highly recommended that you apply online.
4. How do I sign my FAFSA?
   You can sign your FAFSA a number of ways. If you are using the paper application, your signature is needed on the back of the form. If you are applying via the web, you may either printout the signature page, sign it, and mail it to the Department of Education, or you can use the PIN number assigned to you by the DOE as an electronic signature.
5. What is the SAR?
   The SAR is also known as the Student Aid Report. You should receive this form approximately two weeks after you completed the FAFSA, longer if you submitted the paper version. Please review your SAR. It will reiterate all the information that you placed on your FAFSA. If you notice any discrepancies, please make the corrections. If the SAR states that you were selected for a process known as "verification", you need to submit your tax returns and W-2's for the prior year as well as a verification worksheet (this worksheet can be downloaded off of the internet at www.sipa.columbia.edu/admissions/ or you can pickup a copy at the SIPA Office of Admissions).
6. Should I keep my SAR?
   Please keep your SAR. You will need your SAR when you apply for an internal SIPA fellowship the following year.
7. What is the SIPA school code?
   E00128
8. What is the maximum I can receive in financial aid?
   The loan is usually broken down into two disbursements, one for each semester. Each disbursement totals $8,972.50. The maximum you are eligible to borrow for an academic year is $18,500.
9. I submitted my FAFSA, what do I do now?
   At this point you need to wait to see if you were selected for verification. This will be noted on your SAR. Also, with some students, they are selected for a variety of verifications, such as, request for a birth certificate or social security confirmation. You will know if these items need to be submitted to the financial aid office if your SAR states that you need to contact your financial aid officer. At that time, please notify the financial aid officer and they can give you the specifics. Once this has all been determined, you need to wait for an admissions decision.
10. How do I proceed if I was admitted to SIPA?
    If you have received an acceptance letter, the next step will be for you to accept the financial aid award. This will be thoroughly discussed in an award letter, which will be mailed to you 2-3 weeks after the admissions decisions are made. You may either accept the award by completing the Master Loan Request Form or you may decline it.
11. What is the Promissory Note?
    The Promissory Note is usually sent from the lender that you noted on your Master Loan Request Form. Please complete this form and return it to your lender as soon as you receive it. Your selected lender will not release your Stafford Loan without having received the promissory note. Please, do not send the promissory note to the SIPA financial aid office; this will delay the processing of your loan.
12. How do I make up the difference that is not covered by my student loan?
    

    For information on how to make up the difference that may not be covered in your initial aid package or to see all the funds that might be available to you, please visit the following link:  http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/index.html

13. If my loans are more than my tuition, how do I get the balance?
    If the amount of funding you receive (scholarships, loans, grants, etc.) exceeds your account balance (tuition plus fees), you can request a refund two different ways. One way to request this refund is via the web, go to the University home page, select the student section, then the account balance and refunds section, and follow the directions from there. You may also request your refund in person at Kent Hall, Student Financial Services Office Help Desk. Please note that it can take 7-10 business days to process the refund, which will be mailed directly to the local address you have given the registrar's office.
    
    Be sure to update your local address before requesting a refund if it has changed.