After you send a deposit to secure a place in the entering class, Columbia creates a student account for you. Your student account is managed by the University’s Student Service Center in Kent Hall.
Charges posted to your student account include:
- Tuition
- Health and Related Services fee
- Student Health Insurance fee (may be waived with proof of comparable coverage for U.S. students)
- Student Activity fee
- University Services and Support fee
- Document fee (a one-time fee for new Columbia University students)
- Dining Dollars (if elected through Dining Services)
- International Services fee
- Most University Housing
Apartments rented through Columbia University Residential Housing usually are charged to your student account. Please be aware that rent for University Residential housing is charged to the student accounts on a monthly basis. Therefore, it is very important for students to budget carefully and anticipate these monthly rent charges on their student accounts throughout the year.
All students are expected to pay for the fall semester by mid-September and for the spring semester by the mid-January. Each student receives an email at their official Columbia email address from the University’s Student Service Center in August and December announcing that the Student Account Statement is ready to be viewed/paid. These email statements are known as E-Bills.
The Student Account Statement lists estimated charges, as well as an estimate of financial aid, to help students determine what they owe. Students must then calculate and pay any balance not covered by their actual aid. Student balances may be paid online, by mail, or in person using the secure drop box at 205 Kent Hall. Please note: the University only accepts in-person check payments from students whose accounts are on financial hold. For information on all payment options, please visit the University’s Student Financial Services website.
Once a student submits a deposit to the Admissions Office and receipt of the deposit is confirmed, students are required to activate their Columbia University e-mail address in order to receive an email of their E-Bill account statement. Email accounts can be set up online at CUIT. Students who have submitted a deposit are encouraged to complete this process as soon as possible. This will allow students to receive their E-Bill in a timely manner in order to make payment arrangements and avoid late fee charges.
After registration each semester, all students with enrollment receive an E-Bill which indicates actual charges, payments, and any balance or credit. The notification of additional monthly E-Bills is emailed whenever there is activity on the account. You may contact the University’s Student Service Center directly with any billing questions at 212-854-4400, or visit the website for further information on E-Billing.
Columbia University has arranged to make available a tuition insurance plan offered by GradGuard. This elective insurance plan provides coverage for tuition, room, and board should a student suffer a serious illness or accident and withdraw from classes before the semester is completed.