SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Financial Aid for International Students

SIPA Fellowships

All applicants are considered for SIPA fellowships, regardless of citizenship. Detailed information concerning SIPA fellowships can be found on the Types of Aid and How to Apply page.

We also recommend that all students search for external fellowships. A great resource to search for such awards is the SIPA Database of External Grants and Fellowships that can be accessed at www.sipa.columbia.edu/fellowships. We recommend that interested applicants start to search for fellowships, as soon as possible and not wait until after submitting an admission application to start the search process.

Interschool Fellowships

Interschool fellowships are available for a select few (five to seven) continuing students. These fellowships are given by donors who create the terms of eligibility and individual allotment. Maximum granted is $3,000. Interschool fellowships are need-based awards. All Columbia University students who meet the different and very specific eligibility requirements can apply.

Private Educational Funding

Private loans offered through banks are a common way international students help pay for educational costs while attending SIPA.  Loans require a US co-signer (we are not aware of any loans for international students without this requirement). For information on private loans, please visit the following site: www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/Private_Loans

Other Sources of Funding

SIPA students are often successful at securing external fellowship or grant support toward the cost of attending graduate school. Many of these funds are described in the SIPA Database of External Grants and Fellowships. Visit our searchable, RSS enabled directory here:

www.sipa.columbia.edu/fellowships

If you are awarded an external fellowship or grant, it is your responsibility to notify the SIPA financial aid office in writing.  Government or private loans associated with the home country of the student are sometimes available as well.

Other forms of financial assistance for international students may often be found by doing some financial aid "homework." Admitted students may want to research scholarship and fellowship opportunities associated with the college or university where the undergraduate degree was earned.  In addition, organizations, in your interest areas, to which you belong sometimes set aside funds for members seeking educational funding assistance.

Student Employment

International students are not eligible for work-study but may work as a "casual employee." Teacher's assistant or program assistant positions are available in the second year and applications must be submitted according to policy set forth by the Office of Student Affairs during the first year of study.

For information on the continuing student fellowship program see this page.

Each department does have its own budget and if you have unique skills, professors may have opportunities for employment.

For links and information on available campus jobs for international students, please visit https://jobs.columbia.edu/ .

Special Fellowship Programs

SIPA is fortunate to be able to provide unique funding opportunities through two special programs.

The first program is the Lemann Fellowship. Established by Brazilian entrepreneur Jorge Paulo Lemann, Lemann Fellowships promote student exchange between Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and Brazil. The program provides support to SIPA students participating in the School's dual-degree program with Fundação Getulio Vargas Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo, students who live or have lived in Brazil, and for students to engage in study, research, and internships in Brazil. For information on this program, click here.

The second program is the International Fellows Program. The International Fellows Program is a two-semester seminar open to students of all graduate degree programs at Columbia University.  The diverse perspectives and professional backgrounds that Fellows bring to the program enrich their year-long common enterprise. For more detailed information, click here.