Track Your Application | Columbia Financial Aid and Educational Financing

Track Your Application

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Financial Aid Applicants may track the status of their financial aid application by logging into the Online Financial Aid System with their Columbia ID# and Date Of Birth (MMDDCCYY format). Do not use 'First Time User' even if you are a first-time user.

If you are experiencing login difficulties, please review our step-by-step guide in order to properly reset your credentials and access your financial aid portal.

After logging in, click on the 'Menu' tab, and then 'Documents & Messages' to access a record of which financial aid application materials have been received, and which financial aid application materials have not been received.

Please allow 5-8 business days for application materials to be processed and reflected online. Application materials received after the deadline will be processed without penalty.

Please note that the Online Financial Aid System will only be accessible on certain dates:

Early Decision: Available starting November.
Regular Decision: Available starting December. NOTE: Some students may experience issues logging into the website. We anticipate these issues will be resolved by January 20, 2021.
Combined Plan: Available starting mid-March.
Transfer: Available starting mid-March.
Current Students: Available starting February for the upcoming academic year; Available for current and past years now.

Admissions Tracking

Related FAQs

How do I log into the Online Financial Aid System?

To sign in please enter your Student ID (starts with the letter C followed by 9 numbers) and your Password (date of birth, MMDDCCYY format) in the 'Log-In' box. Do not use the 'First Time User' link even if you are a first-time user. Once logged in, follow the prompts to set up a new password and create security questions. If you haven't been assigned a Student ID yet, please contact your admissions office.

I tried to log in and received "error code IA". What should I do?

Please do not use the 'First Time User' link even if you are a first-time user. Instead, go directly to the 'Log In' box and enter your Student ID (starts with the letter C followed by 9 numbers) and your Password (date of birth, MMDDCCYY format). If you are still unable to log in, use the 'Forgot Your Password?' link and follow the prompts. If this doesn't work, please contact our office to have your password reset.

What if all of my financial aid materials are not received by the deadline?

We accept documents after the deadline without penalty. Please allow up to 8 business days for documents to be processed after you have submitted them to IDOC or Columbia. We ask that you do not resubmit documents as duplicate materials will delay processing.