SIPA & Columbia University Funding

SIPA scholarships are open to all incoming applicants regardless of citizenship.  SIPA scholarship awards are based on a combination of merit and financial need, and SIPA considers all admitted applicants for all applicable scholarships at the time of admission, provided that they indicate on their application for admission that they want to be considered for funding. The only requirement for most awards is to complete and submit the application for admission and all supporting materials by the appropriate deadline.  US citizens and permanent residents must complete a FAFSA for the applicable academic year.

SIPA’s funding resources are limited, and awards are competitive.  Although all admitted students are meritorious, SIPA cannot fund all students, and almost all awards cover only a portion of costs.

Most scholarships offered to admitted applicants in the two-year full-time programs are renewable so long as the recipient meets academic standards described in the initial notification of the award (and see Academic Requirements for Financial Aid below).  The amount and duration of all awards is stated in the initial offer of funding. Unless otherwise noted, awards are made for the full year and divided into equal halves per semester.  Those students who are awarded a two-year, renewable scholarship need not reapply for that specific award, but may apply for assistantships for their second year. When scholarships are made available for continuing students for their second year of study, or any time after admission, the Office of Financial Aid will notify potentially eligible students of the application procedure and deadline. But almost all SIPA scholarships are made at the time of admission, and there are typically no additional scholarships to apply for in subsequent terms. 

Scholarships are also available for students in the 12-month MPA-EPM and MPA-ESP programs, the 10-month Global Leaders MPA program, as well as the Executive MPA program; those funding decisions are made by the programs themselves.

SIPA’s funding is made available from a number of sources, including gifts from many generous donors who want to help SIPA students succeed. These gifts and endowed funds help SIPA fund many of our awards. Some students’ scholarships may be later designated with the name of a donor who helped make their award possible, at which time the recipient may be asked to provide additional information about themselves to share with the donor.

If you are awarded a scholarship as a Spring Accelerated student, you must maintain full-time enrollment each term just like students in our traditional 21-month program. The additional summer term in the Accelerated track is what creates a difference in how scholarships are distributed.

• 21-Month Program: Scholarships are split evenly across four terms. For example, a student starting in Fall 2026 would receive scholarship funds in Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Fall 2027, and Spring 2028.
• 16-Month Spring Accelerated Program: Scholarships are also split evenly across four terms, but the terms are Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Spring 2027.

All scholarship recipients must meet SIPA's standards for satisfactory academic progress in order to be renewed.  All applicants for assistantships, most student loans, and work study must meet these standards as well:

• Full-time enrollment per term.
• A cumulative grade point average in courses that meet degree requirements of at least 3.0;
• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 67% of all credits attempted;
• A pace for completion of the degree in no more than 150% of the published time frame normally required (for example, no more than 3 years for a 2 year program);
• Academic progress is reviewed on an annual basis;
• Financial aid applicants not meeting these standards typically have the right to appeal, and the Office of Financial Aid will provide information on that process when applicable.
• Any student taking a leave of absence, including a medical leave, that exceeds two terms or one academic year will forfeit the scholarship eligibility originally awarded in their offer of admission.

SIPA Assistantships are only available to second year students in the full-time two-year degree programs.  Students who wish to be considered for these positions must submit the Assistantship application to the Office of Student Affairs by the deadline, which is during the prior spring semester.  An Assistantship information session is held early each spring semester, after which the application becomes available. Compensation for Assistantships is in the form of salary, which is potentially taxable income.

Students are selected for assistantships (Teaching Assistant, Reader, Program Assistant, and Student Assistant) on the basis of their ability to perform the duties of the positions, which may include teaching, research, computing support, or other tasks. Appointments may be for one or two semesters. All applicants must be in good academic standing (3.0 cumulative GPA or higher) and enrolled full-time to be eligible; such standing does not, however, guarantee selection. 

Students with Assistantships are paid twice monthly, on the University's normal payroll schedule.  For more information about SIPA Assistantships, including the application process, job descriptions, salaries and job placements, please click here for more information from the Office of Student Affairs.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is an initiative authorized by the Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (the Post-9/11 GI Bill ® - GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official US government website. Educational institutions provide eligible student veterans or service members on active duty with a partial tuition waiver or grant, which is matched by the US Department of Veteran Affairs. This program supplements the base educational benefits provided by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. To be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program, you must be a US veteran or active duty service member eligible for the maximum level (100%) of benefits under the post-9/11 GI Bill according to your VA Certificate of Eligibility. If you  would like to learn more about eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon program, please visit the GI Bill website.

SIPA is committed to honoring those who have served our country by being one of seventeen schools at Columbia University participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. SIPA will make every attempt to fund every eligible candidate but cannot guarantee that, so funding will be on a first-come, first served basis. Admitted applicants who identify as eligible for Yellow Ribbon will be notified of the application availability; recipients need not reapply for subsequent years. Award amounts are determined and impacted by:

• available resources.
• number of eligible students enrolling.
• individual students' enrollment status.
• an individual's receipt of other financial aid

YELLOW RIBBON APPLICATION: APPLY HERE

*Please complete the application no later than close of business, on June 15.

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 potentially subject to US income tax. Compliance with US income tax laws requires that in order to receive funding from the University (fellowship or teaching or research appointment), the student's record (registration and bills) must reflect a US Social Security number. A limited amount of aid is disbursed in the form of a stipend paid directly to the student instead of being credited to their account. There will be no taxes withheld from such stipends paid to US citizens or permanent residents, but taxes will be deducted from stipend payments made to most international students. The student is responsible for accurately reporting stipend amounts on federal and/or state income tax returns and for making tax payments if appropriate.  More information about the tax treaties that govern stipend tax withholding for international students can be found in IRS Publication 901 or at this page from the IRS website.

Like all earnings from employment, the salary received for assistantships or Work Study is potentially taxable.

All students who receive a fellowship stipend (an award paid directly to the student rather than being credited towards tuition charges) and/or assistantship salary should file a US income tax return for each calendar year. The SIPA Financial Aid Office cannot offer tax assistance or advice. We suggest that you consult a tax professional for further information or assistance (international students may want to contact their consulate). For additional information on the taxability of various types of financial aid, see the IRS Publication 970.

International students receiving any kind of stipend or salary from SIPA or Columbia University (including salary from an Assistantship) should review the information from the International Students and Scholars Office regarding taxation and obtaining a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer ID.

If a student receives a SIPA scholarship in combination with an external sponsorship or outside scholarship, and the total funding exceeds the approved Cost of Attendance for the academic year, SIPA reserves the right to adjust or reduce the SIPA scholarship accordingly. This adjustment ensures compliance with federal Cost of Attendance regulations and institutional financial-aid policies. This policy applies to all students (domestic and international) across all SIPA degree programs.

Your scholarship does not automatically carry over with your deferral. Please note that if you were awarded scholarship funding, that funding does not automatically carry over to a future term if you defer your enrollment. If you wish to request a deferral, you must first submit your enrollment form and required deposit by your response deadline. After that, you must submit the deferral request form for review.

If your deferral request is approved for the MIA, MPA, EMPA, or MPA-ESP program, you will be required to submit a non-refundable deferral deposit of $1,000 within 10–15 business days of approval.

If your deferral request is approved for the summer MPA-EPM or MPA-GL program, you will be required to submit a non-refundable deferral deposit of $2,000 within 10–15 business days of approval.

The deadline to request a deferral for the MIA/MPA program is July 1, 2025.

Please note that submitting a deferral request does not guarantee approval. All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.