Educational Financing
A graduate education is a major investment in your future.
About 80 percent of our students receive some sort of financial aid, including grants, loans or scholarships to cover the cost of attendance. The Journalism School’s Office of Admission and Financial Aid and the Columbia University Student Financial Services work together to meet the needs of each student.
The Journalism School is proud to offer several million dollars annually in fellowships and scholarships for both domestic and international students. (Learn more about median scholarship awards by program.) Allocations of fellowships and scholarships are based on:
- Merit, as determined by the Admission Committee
- Financial need, as determined by the applicant’s current 2025–2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Columbia Journalism School Scholarship Supplement, and the CSS Profile.
- Guidelines specified by individual donors.
- Frequently Asked Questions
To apply for Journalism School scholarships and fellowships, applicants must submit the following forms by their stated deadlines:
- Columbia Journalism School Scholarship Supplement — must be submitted before the CSS Profile submission.
- To begin your Scholarship Supplement, go to your online admission application; log in as a returning user; click "Start New Application;" select "Scholarship 2025;" and click "Create Application." Remember that you must also complete and submit an admissions application to be considered for scholarship.
- All financial supporting documents — must be submitted before the CSS Profile submission.
- CSS Profile - deadline is December 10.
- 2025–2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — deadline is January 15.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
Continuing students must submit these forms every academic year.
Graduates from CUNY and the School of General Studies are guaranteed up to 35% off tuition. Learn more.
Outside Scholarships
Many financial resources exist in addition to those offered by the Journalism School. We urge students to research outside scholarships thoroughly and to apply for all appropriate scholarships or fellowships. Many college alumni societies offer scholarship funding for graduate studies. Community organizations, chambers of commerce, local newspapers and religious organizations often provide information and/or funding. International students should check with the EducationUSA office(s) in their countries. The Office of Admission and Financial Aid maintains a list of opportunities that will help start your search.
Ph.D. Students
Ph.D. candidates are automatically considered for scholarship aid and do not have to submit a Scholarship Aid Form.
While student loans may be used to mitigate educational expenses, they are, nevertheless, loans that must be repaid after graduation or after you cease to be enrolled halftime in a degree-granting program. For this reason, we strongly urge you to be as prudent as possible when borrowing and to understand fully the terms and conditions of any loan that you may borrow.
Federal Student Loans
Two main types offered by the United States government:
Students do not need to demonstrate financial need. Interest is charged from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. Students have the option of paying this interest while in school or capitalizing the interest.
Students with a good credit history may be eligible for PLUS loans that assist in meeting the cost of attendance.
- Amounts, eligibility requirements, terms and conditions are predetermined by federal guidelines.
- To be considered for federal loans, a student must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or an eligible non-citizen taking at least six credits per semester.
- To apply for federal loans, students must complete a 2025–2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit other required forms. Before receiving a loan, students will be required to complete:
More information about these and other Federal loans and how to apply for one can be found in the University's Graduate Financial Aid overview.
Private Loans
- Private student loans are offered by different private banks.
- Amounts, eligibility requirements, terms and conditions are predetermined by each financial institution.
- More information about private loans can be found in the University's Graduate Financial Aid overview.
When applying, the required School code is 002707. The Branch code is 08.
Part-time students may be eligible for financial assistance through the Federal Work-Study program. Aid varies in amounts and by school and is awarded based on need.
Veteran members of the armed forces and their family members may be eligible for financial aid and other benefits.
Before submitting CSS Profile:
- Columbia Journalism Scholarship Supplement and all supporting documents from parents/spouse.
By December 10
By January 15
By May
- Apply for student loans, preferably 90 days before the start of the semester
As early as possible
- Research loan options
- Research outside scholarships
- Review your credit history
- Obtain a co-signer, if necessary
These tools can help you determine your budget needs and plan for the future.
Further information to help you understand the process.