SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Notification and Acceptance of Awards

Newly admitted students who have submitted all necessary materials by the deadline noted (April 15th) and have completed files will receive a financial aid award letter approximately two weeks after receiving their notice of admission.

In addition, all students, regardless of whether they applied for aid, will receive an Educational Financing Packet from the Columbia University Student Financial Services Office, which will provide information on federal aid programs and a variety of private financing options. Continuing students will receive their award letters beginning in mid-May after fellowship decisions are made.
 

Accepting Your Awards and Starting the Semester

Returning Paperwork

You will be able to accept or decline the various parts of your award according to your own wishes. Return the paperwork referenced in your award letter  promptly. If you have received a promissory note for your Federal Stafford Loans, return it promptly. We encourage applicants to complete loan application online as this expedites the process.  Paper applications can be submitted, but this can lead to processing delays.

Aid applicants should complete and submit all forms no later than thirty days prior to the beginning of the semester to ensure that fellowships and loans disburse on time for the beginning of the semester.

Entrance Counseling Interview

All first-time Stafford or Perkins loan borrowers are required to participate in an Entrance Counseling Session prior to receiving the first disbursement of a loan. This entrance counseling session can be completed on the Web on the Student Services Online page.  It is in your best interest to complete entrance counseling thirty days prior to the beginning of the semester.  If this process is not complete by this time, the disbursement of your aid may be delayed.

Payment of University Tuition and Fees

All students are required to pay the term tuition and fees in full by the due date listed on their Estimated Term Invoice. A late fee of $150 will be charged to all students who do not make the appropriate payment by the indicated date. Finance charges will be assessed on unpaid balances at 12% per annum.

Scholarships or fellowships from the University will be posted to your account on the first day of classes following registration.

Perkins loan funds will be credited shortly after completion of the required promissory note and verification of enrollment.

Stafford loan checks will be credited immediately upon receipt for those electing Electronic Funds Transfer. Students receiving paper checks must first sign their checks at the bursar's office before they can be credited to their account. Private loans are credited in a variety of ways. If your lender sends the funds electronically, then they will credit immediately. However, most private funds are paper checks which will require your signature at the bursar's office before they can be posted to your account. Please remember that scholarships or fellowships require a student to be enrolled full time (12 credits or more). Loans require a student to be enrolled for at least six credits.

Refunds

If the amount of credits you receive (scholarships, loans, grants, etc.) exceeds your balance (tuition plus appropriate fees), you can request a refund by one of the following two methods.

You may request a refund through the Web by going to the University home page, clicking on the Student Section, then the Account Balance and Refunds section, and following the directions there.

You can also visit the Student Financial Services Office Help Desk at 210 Kent Hall.

Refund requests will be promptly reviewed, and a check for the amount due will be mailed to your local address (You can update your local address at the Columbia Student Services Page. Please be advised that it generally takes about seven business days to receive a refund check.

PLEASE NOTE that refunds are made available after the end of the add/drop period.  This means you should be prepared to pay all of your educationally related expenses from your own funds for the first month of the semester.

Deferring other education loans while you are studying at SIPA

You may be eligible for deferment of payment on Stafford and Perkins loans while you are enrolled at Columbia on at least a half-time (six points) basis in a degree program. Students should obtain a deferment request form from their lenders and bring it to the Loan Certification Desk in the Registrar's Office in 205 Kent Hall. You may not defer your loans until you have begun enrollment at SIPA, and a new form will be required for each term you are in attendance. Please continue to make payments until the lender notifies you that you are officially deferred.

Information about U.S. Tax Law

According to the Tax Reform Act of 1986, all grant aid (scholarships, fellowships) and any amounts received representing payments for teaching and research which exceed the cost of tuition and required fees, books, and related classroom expenses are subject to U.S. income tax. Compliance with U.S. income tax laws requires that in order to receive funding from the University (fellowship or teaching or research appointment), the student's University record (registration and bills) must reflect a U.S. Social Security number. There will be no withholding on fellowship stipends paid to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The student is responsible for accurately reporting stipend amounts and for making estimated tax payments if appropriate.

All students who receive a fellowship or appointment salary should file a U.S. income tax return for each calendar year. Receipts for required books and supplies should be kept to justify appropriate deductions on the tax return. The University cannot offer advice on tax matters. Students are urged to consult their consulate or a U.S. tax professional for further information.

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 is aimed at providing middle-income families a financial break on the cost of higher education. While Columbia University is required to report enrollment and interest paid on educational loans to its students and to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), please be advised the University cannot provide specific tax advice. Individual tax advisers or the IRS can answer students' and parents' questions about the TRA 1997 and about the amount of credits or deductions for which they may be eligible.

For additional information regarding the specific regulations, please visit the IRS Web site at: http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/hot/not99-60.html, or contact your tax adviser or the IRS Office of Public Liaison at 800-829-1040.

Tuition Tax Credits

There are two primary components to this act (a tuition tax credit and student loan interest deduction) that apply to graduate students.

1. Lifetime Learning Credit -- The Lifetime Learning Credit is a tax credit that a family may receive if they have one or more family members in their household attending college, including parents and their children. Family members need to be attending one or more classes to be eligible for the credit. This credit reduces the amount of actual taxable income that a family reports on its tax returns. The amount that may be claimed is 20% of the first $5,000 of out-of-pocket qualified tuition and related expenses for all students in the family, including the taxpayer, up to an annual maximum of $1,000 per filer. Those eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit are single tax filers with income between $40,000 and $50,000, and married joint filers with an income between $80,000 and $100,00. Dependent filers are not eligible. For more information visit the respective IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96273,00.html

2. Student Loan Interest Deduction -- Taxpayers who have taken loans to pay the cost of attending an eligible educational institution for themselves, their spouses, or their dependents may be eligible to deduct interest they have paid on student loans. The maximum deduction for 1999 was $1,500, and filers do not need to itemize deductions to claim it. However, the deduction is available only for interest payments made during the first 60 months of repayment of the loan. This deduction is also limited by a taxpayer's adjusted gross income. Single tax filers must have an income between $40,000 and $55,000, and married joint tax filers an income between $60,000 and $75,000. Please note that lending institutions and /or loan servicing agencies were required to provide IRS 1098-E to borrowers who paid qualified students loan interest during the calendar year. The IRS 1098-E reports the amount of interest you paid on your student loan in the calendar year. If you have not received your interest information in the mail, please contact your loan-servicing agency.

For more information about either of the following tax credits, please visit the IRS Web site: http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/hot/not97-60.html.

Contact Information

Columbia University
School of International and Public Affairs
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
420 West 118th Street, 6th Floor IAB
New York, NY 10027

Fax: 212-854-3010

E-mail: sipa_finaid@columbia.edu (Please note that the admissions and financial aid office receives hundreds of emails per week. It may take 2-3 days to receive a response to your email).

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.