History
Columbia University was founded in 1754 as King's College by royal charter of King George II of England. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the United States.
Education
Columbia offers a comprehensive array of academic programs. These include three undergraduate schools, thirteen graduate and professional schools, a world-renowned medical center, four affiliated colleges and seminaries, twenty-six libraries, and nearly two hundred research centers and institutes.
Research
Columbia has a long and distinguished history in the discovery of knowledge. We work to foster the continuation of those creative endeavors and to promote an environment that sustains the highest standards of scholarship, learning, and safety.
Career
Students at Columbia University have a wide range of options for employment, including work-study programs, part-time jobs in university departments, internships both on and off campus and teaching or research assistants.
Columbia's Career Centers prepare graduating students to enter the job market, conduct recruiting events to match you with prospective employers and provide job searching resources for landing the career of your dreams.
Columbia University Key Statistics & Highlights
- #8 Ranking
- 100 Bachelors
- 381 Scholarships
- 4,697 Academic Staff
- 21,608 Students
- 7,563 Students (int'l)
- Public Institution Type
Columbia University Overview
Columbia University Scholarships
Columbia University Scholarships
Below you will find scholarships related to Columbia University. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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Columbia University Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 8 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 1 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 9 | 10 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
By Times Higher Education
Dropped 2 places compared to 2025
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | 18 | 20 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
By TopUniversities
Dropped 4 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | 34 | 38 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student services
The Student Service Center is the front-facing office for the University Registrar and Student Financial Services assisting with an array of services for students, faculty, parents, and university administrators and partners. The SSC provides information and services around the following tasks; registration, cross registration, grading, ID development, ordering transcripts, certifications, apostille/notary process, diploma replacement and distribution, billing, payment plan, and tuition and fees.
Housing services
Columbia Housing offers students a unique opportunity to make the undergraduate residences home and build a close sense of community within the reach of all that New York City has to offer. Housing is provided for approximately 5,600 undergraduate students. 94 percent of all undergraduates and 99 percent of all first-year students live in residence halls. There are 19 undergraduate residence halls and 18 brownstones which house traditional residential students as well as special living communities, located on and around our Morningside campus. In addition, we also provide summer, conference, and guest accommodations.
Library services
The Columbia University Libraries are dedicated to the development of programs, services, spaces, and modes of engagement around technology in scholarship and research across its campuses. Together, these activities comprise a program of Digital Scholarship, which the libraries conduct through interactions in both physical and online venues.
Medical services
- Individual Counseling
- Urgent Mental Health Concerns drop-in
- Problem-Solving drop-in
- Primary Care
- Register with Disability Services
- STI Testing
- Urgent Medical Concerns
- Travel Medicine
- HIV Testing and Treatment
- Friend2Friend
- Support Groups
- Insurance
- Immunization Requirements
- Sexual Assault: Get Support
Campus life
We are a diverse, academic community of more than 40,000 students, faculty, and staff from across the nation and the world, living and learning on dynamic campuses in a great, global city.
Sports facilities
Columbia Athletics is for ambitious and driven •studentathletes who want to compete On the largest stage, underthe brightest lights.
- Dodge Fitness Center
- Francis S. Levien Gymnasium
- Levien Gymnasium
- Percy Uris Natatorium
- University Gymnasium "Blue Gym"
- Baker Athletics Complex Overhead
- Baker Athletics Complex
- The Campbell Sports Center
- Campbell Sports Center
- Lawrence a. Wien Stadium Header
- Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence a. Wien Stadium
- Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium
- Robertson Field at Satow Stadium
- Columbia Softball Stadium
- Columbia Field Hockey Stadium
- Dick Savitt Tennis Center
- Bubble at Baker
- Boathouses
- Chrystie Field House
- Irwin Bernstein Memorial Fencing Room
- Overpeck Park
- Sl Green Streetsquash
- Van Cortlandt Park
- The Armory
Student clubs
Faculty and administrative advisors sponsor a site by approving of the student group request to own a website on the Columbia Sites platform and by signing a service level agreement, and signing a scope of work if necessary.
A service level agreement outlines the services available through the platform and identifies those the group has chosen. It also identifies all parties to the agreement, along with the responsibilities each owes to the other parties regarding the platform. The basic level of service is free.
Accreditation
Columbia University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Columbia University Campus Locations
Columbia University Student Reviews & Awards
Based on 92 reviews
- 5 Star 38 Reviews
- 4 Star 44 Reviews
- 3 Star 9 Reviews
- 2 Star 1 Review
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.3
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.1
- Student Diversity 4.2
- Quality of Student Life 4.3
- Career Development 4.4
perfect nyc campus life
Perfect! It's a beautiful campus that offers a great environment for learning and experiencing life in NYC. The education is excellent, and the classmates are friendly and supportive. You may face challenges along the way, but overcoming them helps you grow. I'm excited for you to experience it too. Hope to see you on campus!
Elite education
Columbia has a lot to offer. Being in NYC is an amazing experience and the university provides an incredible education. Stress culture can be a real thing at elite institutions, but having a supportive social group, working on your mental health and communication skills, and looking after yourself go a long way.
My review of Columbia
Great academics, expensive location for a student budget, not enough extracurricular opportunities compared to other universities. The clubs/societies aren't as active as other schools and don't offer as many unique (and funded) opportunities as you might expect from an Ivy. Study abroad opportunities are lacking as well. But overall, it still holds strong for brand recognition and it's understood by employers that the academic instruction is going to be more rigorous, higher quality, and often more time consuming than non Ivy universities. Students spend the vast majority of their time studying, which leaves little room for professional and/or other enrichinging experiences that other friends have had at other schools that push for more balance of academic + professional development/resume boosting opportunities.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?
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Career DevelopmentDid the university provide support for your career development?