M.A from Columbia University [COLUMBIA UNI], New York City - Fees & Admission Details 2026

• I lived off campus initially and found the housing through a broker. Connect with current students and group chats for support. Try to stay as close to the campus as possible to maximise your experience.
• Most Indian students stay close by as it is convenient. Try to stay under 125th st for a safer experience, especially for girls. The university offers shared cab services for late night upto 3 am so its not a problem.

• I lived off-campus. I found my roommates through college whatsapp groups and eventually found my place through online housing portals on Zillow. My rent was about 1500 a month and I stayed about 10 minutes walking distance from campus. I did not have much difficulty finding it. Columbia does offer their own housing but that is through a lottery system and there is no guarantee about their timelines and surety of securing a place. I would recommend everyone finalize their housing before travelling, or else things do get difficult

• I live on Off-campus housing. I found my housing through an app called StreetEasy.
• My house is fully furnished and has a monthly rent of $1600.
• New York requires guarantor services to secure housing which was tough and costly to get.
• My accommodation is 4 mins walk from the campus building.
• Most students live around the campus area, Morningside Heights only, as it is closer and within walkable distance to campus.

• There are online platforms like Zillow that we used to find suitable units. We had to go through an agent, had to pay a deposit and agency fee and had to have a guarantor. A recommendation would be to join the whatsapp communities as early as possible.
• Most people would be looking for people to room with, and the process would go a lot smoother with other people to help you out.

• Search online platforms, Street Easy, Zillion, talk to brokers; I would say go for college housing. It sounds expensive at first but with utilities, its the same as leaving campus. Trying to find an apartment without visiting it can be very difficult. Be aware of scammers; search the realtors; try finding one near campus so you can use the campus shuttle to travel.

• I found my own private accommodation through streeteasy.com. Monthly rent is 2500 USD not including utilities. Utilities are another 200 dollars including internet and electricity. Hot water is included in the rent.
• Students should go for University student housing as it's much cheaper and comes with furnished. I stayed a 15 minute subway (train) ride away from the Columbia University campus, in a private rented apartment by myself. Most Indian students live in college housing that is located walking distance from campus, with roommates.

The admission process is based on the application submission first, students submit their application through the common app or coalition app, typically by the January 1st deadline for regular decision. I prepared for the admission, maintaining a high GPA, especially in challenging courses like AP or IB and taking the SAT or ACT. Consultants are Crimson Education.

I didn’t get on campus accommodation but that’s pretty good otherwise looking for houses is difficult. Average rent is $1400 per person.

Overall, Columbia University was a fantastic experience. Its located in a vibrant city, with opportunities to stick to a campus life, and still enjoy everything NYC has to offer. The students are helpful and collaborative. The professors are incredibly well experienced with several accolades. All in all, had a great learning experience.

Very good infrastructure, renowned professors and a smart cohort, in a gist.