All Columbia Grant recipients are expected to contribute towards their college costs through the Student Responsibility, which consists of the sum of the Student Contribution and the Academic Year Work Expectation. Students should plan to pay for the Student Responsibility through work earnings or savings.

Students may find they have a Student Responsibility that is either higher or lower than standard. It may be higher due to a student's higher than average income or assets or it may be lower due to a student's participation in a variety of specialized programs designated upon admission.

The Student Responsibility is not charged separately from the Parent Contribution on a student's Fall or Spring term bill. Rather, these items are used to determine your grant eligibility. Any remaining balance owed, in addition to unbilled expenses, will be the family’s responsibility. The Net Cost is the sum of the Parent Contribution and the Student Responsibility. Students who are unable or choose not to work may pay for their Student Responsibility with their savings or family resources.

Student Contribution

The Student Contribution is based on a standard amount Columbia expects students to earn and save for their college expenses by working over the preceding summer, and the amount changes according to a student’s year of enrollment. Additionally the standard amounts in the table above may be higher due to student income and/or assets. However, First-Year students with a $0 Parental Contribution qualify for a zero Student Contribution in their first year at Columbia. Otherwise, students who are unable to work over the summer may cover their Student Contribution with outside scholarships, a Work Exemption Grant, savings, parental assistance, and/or other financing options.

Academic Year Work Expectation

The Work Expectation, also known as Student Employment, reflects the amount we expect students to earn during the academic year. Students will be expected to work approximately 10 hours per week during the fall and spring terms to contribute toward their college costs. Term-time employment can include either Federal Work-Study or Student Employment (casual work) and may be funded either by the US federal government or by Columbia University. Earnings will not be applied directly to the student bill. Instead, a biweekly paycheck is paid directly to the student for the amount of hours they work. Many students use their earnings to pay for books, personal expenses, travel and other Non-Billed Expenses. Both on-campus and off-campus jobs are available for students to meet the work expectation.

Reducing the Student Responsibility

Students can reduce or eliminate their Student Responsibility through a variety of options. Outside scholarships and other external funding can be used to replace the Student Contribution and Student Employment portion of an award offer. Columbia also offers additional funding through the Work Exemption Program to allow Columbia Grant recipients to pursue unpaid research, internships, and community service opportunities. Additionally, students may apply for the Residential Adviser (RA) program after their freshman year. Though the RA program does not impact the financial aid package, students can use the compensation to help pay for school-related expenses.

Outside Scholarship Adjustment Examples

If your outside scholarships exceed your Student Responsibility, and you purchase a computer, you can submit your purchase receipt to our office. The one-time cost of the computer may be able to be covered by your excess scholarship funding (up to $1,500).