Educational Financing, 2026-27 Academic Year

The Journalism School is proud to offer several million dollars annually in fellowships and scholarships for both domestic and international admitted students. Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, admitted CUNY graduates and admitted Columbia School of General Studies graduates who complete the CJS financial aid application will receive a scholarship equivalent to at least 35% of tuition.

Allocations of fellowships and scholarships are based on:

• Merit, as determined by the Admission Committee
• Financial need, as determined by the applicant’s current 2026–2027 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 January 12: 

• Columbia Journalism School Scholarship Supplement
  • To begin the Scholarship Supplement, go to the online admission application; log in as a returning user; click "Start New Application;" select "Scholarship 2026;" and click "Create Application." Remember that applicants must also complete and submit an admissions application to be considered for a scholarship.
• All financial supporting documents
• 2026-2027 CSS Profile
• 2026–2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — deadline for this is January 15.
  U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.

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. 

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 students cease to be enrolled half­time in a degree­-granting program. For this reason, we strongly urge students to be as prudent as possible when borrowing and to understand fully the terms and conditions of any loan that they may borrow.

Federal Student Loan

Loan type offered by the United States government:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

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.

• Amounts, eligibility requirements, terms and conditions are predetermined by federal guidelines.
• To be considered for a federal loan, 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 a federal loan, students must complete a 2026–2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit other required forms. Before receiving a loan, students will be required to complete:
  • Entrance counseling
  • Master Promissory Note (MPN)

More information about this 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.