FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Columbia Journalism School
As of April 27, 2020
If you don’t find the answer to your question here, please email the Admissions and Financial Aid Office at apply.journalism@columbia.edu, and we will be happy to help you. You may also make an appointment to discuss your questions with an admissions officer at https://apply.jrn.columbia.edu/portal/Call_Officer
Response Deadline
Are you extending the response deadline?
The response deadline remains May 1. Why? There are many plans that must be developed over the summer, including academic, space, registration, curriculum planning/adjustments, program counseling/advisement, faculty hiring, budget and orientation planning. International students must have adequate time to secure visas (8-10 weeks). All students need to make financial, housing, and travel plans.
Start Date
If the start date of the program is pushed back, when can we expect this decision to be made?
The University is monitoring the situation continually. We hope to have clarity about this by June/July.
If I am granted a deferral, will I get the scholarship I was awarded this year?
No, the scholarship offer is for this year only. You would have to reapply for scholarship consideration again the following year. We will do our best to offer a comparable scholarship, but will not be able to guarantee the amount.
What guidance has the University issued with regard to COVID-19?
You’ll find continuously updated information at the University’s COVID-19 website.
Deferrals and/or refund of enrollment fee before the program starts
Will I be able to defer if I cannot get a student visa due to the closures of embassies or consulates?
Yes, if a student cannot get a student visa because the embassies or consulates are closed or because there is a processing backlog, we will allow deferrals with appropriate documentation.
If travel restrictions are still in place, preventing me from getting to campus, will you allow deferrals?
Yes, with appropriate documentation.
I have health complications that place me in an at-risk population as it relates to COVID-19. May I defer due to these health complications?
We will make individual decisions in such cases. You will need to file a deferral request with Assistant Director John Graham (jpg2155@columbia.edu) in the Admissions Office, accompanied by any documentation required to support your request.
If the visa offices are closed or if my country has shut down all flights out of the country, will I be able to defer?
Yes, we would grant a deferral if visa offices are closed or if there are no flights leaving the country, with appropriate documentation.
If on-line classes become the only option after the May 1 deadline for enrolling, will we have the option to defer?
No, we will not defer enrollment in this case. Rather, in the event that we are starting fully online, before the semester starts we would give people the right to withdraw their promise to register before classes begin and we will refund their enrollment fees. We would welcome a new application from you at any time in the future.
If conditions before the first day of class make it necessary for a program to mix in-person and online instruction, can I defer or receive a refund for my enrollment fee?
No, we will not accept this as a reason to defer. Students should make a decision before May 1 as to whether they feel comfortable with the possibility of a combination of in-person and online classes, as this seems likely.
If we are starting with a mix of online and in-person instruction, then before the semester starts we would give people the right to withdraw their promise to register before classes begin and we will refund their enrollment fees. We would welcome a new application from you at any time in the future.
If an entire program is moved online before the mandatory Orientation, can I decline and receive a refund for my enrollment fee?
Yes, we will refund the enrollment fee if the entire program moves to an entirely on-line format and if you let us know by email that you will not be enrolling before the start of the mandatory Orientation.
If an entire program must be moved online after the first day of class, can I receive a refund for my enrollment fee?
No, after the mandatory Orientation begins, we will not refund the enrollment fee, and you will be liable for tuition and fees, per University regulations.
If, after the program begins, the program goes completely online, will I receive a tuition reimbursement?
No, after classes start you will be liable for tuition and fees, per University regulations.
If I decide not to accept my offer of admission or if I withdraw my May 1 decision to enroll before the mandatory Orientation, how will another application for admission at a later date be seen?
CJS will always welcome another application from you. Prior applications will have no bearing on any new application. We understand that this can be a difficult decision even in the best of times and encourage you to make the decision that is right for you, based on the information you have now.
If I decide not to enroll this year and want to reapply next year, may I use the same application?
You will need to complete and submit a new application form and submit the application fee. We will roll the rest of your application over. Keep in mind that you may have experiences this year which would strengthen a future application, and which you may wish to note with a new resume, changed letters of recommendation, new written, audio or video samples or an additional transcript.
Leave of Absence after the program starts
If classes go online part way through the academic year, may I take a leave of absence and return the following year, once classes are able to meet on the campus again?
Students choose to take emergency leaves of absence from classes for many reasons during the academic year, including serious illness, pregnancy, or the illness or death of a family member. We will not grant leaves of absence after classes have started based on whether the programs are offered in-person or online.
Those who need to take a leave of absence once classes have begun must consult with Associate Dean of Students, Melanie Huff (mgh2@columbia.edu), about the procedure and the implications for doing this. They must consult, too, with Assistant Dean Tarin Almanzar (ta169@columbia.edu) in the Admissions and Financial Aid Office to resolve any financial issues. Please read the University regulations regarding withdrawals for additional information.
If an entire program must be moved online after the first day of class, can I receive a refund for my enrollment fee?
No, after classes start we will not refund the enrollment fee, and you will be liable for tuition and fees, per University regulations.
Withdrawals after classes have begun
Please note that at Columbia a “withdrawal” indicates that you are leaving the program early and do not plan to return to your studies, as opposed to a “leave of absence,” which means that you plan to return, generally within the next year, to complete your studies.
Those who choose to withdraw from the program and the University once classes have begun must consult with Associate Dean of Students, Melanie Huff (mgh2@columbia.edu), about the procedure and the implications for doing this. They must consult, too, with Assistant Dean Tarin Almanzar (ta169@columbia.edu) in the Admissions and Financial Aid Office to resolve any financial issues. Please read the University regulations regarding withdrawals for additional information.
Academic Planning and Student Safety
What are the possible in-person or on-line options for classes the CJS is considering?
Please refer to Dean Coll’s letter of Monday, April 27, 2020, to see what the current j-school plans are, which will continue to evolve.
If classes start online and then switch to in-person, when do I have to come to NYC?
We will tell you more about this as the start of the school year approaches, if this accommodation remains necessary.
If social distancing is still required, how will you accommodate this at the Journalism School?
The School is making plans for how to do this appropriately in the classrooms, computer and editing labs, faculty and staff offices and in public in accordance with CDC, NYC Public Health Department and University guidelines.
What is the cleaning protocol for the building and the campus, including classrooms, computer and editing labs, broadcast studios, faculty and staff offices and public areas? How often will they be disinfected?
The Journalism School will be following University cleaning protocols, informed by the team of public health specialists and doctors that has been formulating policy at Columbia throughout the pandemic.
What guidance has the University issued with regard to COVID-19?
You’ll find continuously updated information at the University’s COVID-19 website.
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid
Can we expect a reduction in tuition and fees if the program is moved online?
No, we do not anticipate a reduction in tuition and fees next year.
If I am granted a deferral, will I get the scholarship I was awarded this year?
No, the scholarship offer is for this year only. You would have to reapply for scholarship consideration again the following year. We will do our best to offer a comparable scholarship, but will not be able to guarantee the amount.
Where can I find information about scholarships and financial aid?
Consult the Scholarships and Financial Aid section of the CJS website for information on scholarships and financial aid. If you do not find the answer to your specific question there, please email the Admissions and Financial Aid Office at apply.journalism@columbia.edu.
You may also make an appointment to discuss your questions with an admissions officer at https://apply.jrn.columbia.edu/portal/Call_Officer
Who can I talk with if I have questions about tuition, fees, financial aid and financial planning?
You can email the Admissions Office at apply.journalism@columbia.edu or you may also make an appointment to discuss your questions with an admissions officer at https://apply.jrn.columbia.edu/portal/Call_Officer
Housing
What are my housing options in NYC?
You’ll find suggested housing opportunities here. Please contact Associate Director of Student Affairs Evelyn Corchado (eoc11@columbia.edu) if you have any questions about this.
International Students
If the visa offices are closed or if my country has shut down all flights out of the country, will I be able to defer?Yes, we would grant a deferral if visa offices are closed or if there are no flights leaving the country, with appropriate documentation.
Will I be able to defer if I cannot get a student visa due to the closures of embassies or consulates?
Yes, if a student cannot get a student visa because the embassies or consulates are closed or because there is a processing backlog, we will allow deferrals with appropriate documentation.
If the visa offices are closed or if my country has shut down all flights out of the country, or if the U.S. borders are closed, and I am granted a deferral, will my scholarship be renewed for the following year?
No, you would have to reapply for scholarship consideration again the following year. We will do our best to offer a comparable scholarship, but will not be able to guarantee the amount.
Where can I find guidance for international students about Columbia and COVID-19 as well as guidance regarding financial aid, I-20 applications and transfers, visa applications, potential travel bans, embassy/consulate closures, and border closures?There are direct links in your admission letters to the visa application form and instructions as well as to other information on the New Student Website. There is also a direct link to the New Student Website in your admission letter.
You’ll find direct links to helpful information below:
If the university learns over the summer that the instruction has to be done completely online for the academic year, can I remain in my home state or country to complete the program virtually?
We are exploring all possible ideas, including related regulatory, visa and financial aid considerations.
If the university learns that the first half of the fall term must be taken all online or that the first semester must be taken all online, can I delay my arrival in New York until in-person instructions begins?
We are exploring all possible ideas, including related regulatory, visa and financial aid considerations.
If I am unable to get a visa to arrive by mid August, but the expectation is that the embassy will be open in another month or that flights will resume, can I begin the program remotely and then join the school when I can get there?
We are exploring ways we might teach enrolled international students remotely for limited or indefinite periods, allowing them to study and report where they are. However, we are not certain whether this approach will be viable. We will tell you more about this as the start of the school year approaches, if this accommodation remains necessary.