Admissions FAQs

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All programs, except Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, have rolling admissions, so there are no hard deadlines to apply. You should submit your MS and DES application at least 10 weeks before you wish to enroll to ensure timely consideration of your application before the semester begins. See the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence program pages for relevant deadlines.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission. If you have taken the exam and would like to provide your scores, you may do so, but it is optional. Students who do not submit scores will not be penalized in the graduate admissions review process.

Please note that only courses referenced on the Fields of Study page are offered through CVN. After you have reviewed the Fields of Study page, please contact the department that manages that program to learn more about the curriculum:

Unfortunately, we cannot evaluate your candidacy prior to the submission of a complete application. 

Yes, provided that you have taken at least four undergraduate/graduate-level CS courses and two math courses, preferably linear algebra and differential equations. Any CS course will meet the requirement, but all CS and math courses must be grade- and credit-bearing and issued on a university transcript. Work experience and massive open online courses (MOOCs) do not satisfy this requirement.

We cannot review transcripts prior to submission of an application. Contact the institution at which you took those courses to confirm whether your courses meet the criteria above.

The personal/professional statement is an essay that serves as both a writing sample and an opportunity to discuss who you are and why you are a good fit for our programs. A wide range of topics—including background information, descriptions of professional experiences or important personal choices, and reflections on life—may be addressed in the essay. Ideally, applicants should reveal qualities demonstrative of their intelligence, compassion, good judgment, energy, leadership, communicative ability, self-awareness, commitment, motivation, and integrity. It should be roughly 250–1,000 words.

You can apply up to six credits or two classes taken as a non-degree student toward the coursework of the MS degree. Doing well as a non-degree student does not guarantee admission to the MS Program.

Since Columbia University's policy prohibits the double counting of coursework between programs, Certification students admitted to and enrolled in the Master of Science program will forego their Certification in order to allow these courses to count towards their Master of Science. Only six of the 12 credits earned from the certificate may be applied toward an MS. Instead, consider enrolling in one or two non-degree courses before applying to the MS.

After taking two courses (or six credits) as a certificate student, please reach out to the CVN team to confirm if you would like to continue pursuing your certificate or if you are thinking of applying to the MS program.

Yes, CVN students in all programs except the cohorted MS in Artificial Intelligence may enroll in on-campus classes, provided that there is space in the course. Please note that on-campus students receive priority.

After their first term of study, a student in good academic standing may request to switch learning modalities via their academic department. Requests are not automatically guaranteed. You must demonstrate your need to switch. Additionally, the department may not be able to accept any additional students into their on-campus programs. Please keep in mind that online students will have access to University e-resources to give them the necessary tools to succeed in their coursework.

You should allow at least 10 weeks to hear back from the department regarding an MS or DES application. Non-degree and Certification applicants should allow 2–4 weeks after all of your materials, including the application fee, have been submitted.

Please note: All Computer Science applications will be reviewed together after the Computer Science deadline, so depending on when you apply, you may wait longer than the typical 10-week review period. 

Please log in to your application to confirm the status of your application and materials. If you have submitted the application, we will reach out to you should we need anything further. You will be informed via email once a decision has been rendered on your application.

Applicants may only apply to one graduate engineering program per term and can apply to only the online or on-campus version of a program. Do not apply to more than one program at Columbia Engineering for a given term or both applications will be denied.

Recommendation letters must be submitted through the application system. Once you provide the contact information of your recommenders on the application, they will receive an email instructing them on how to submit letters of recommendation online via the application system. Any person who writes a letter of recommendation, must submit the letter themselves. We do not accept letters of recommendation through email or through a third party. 

Please send an email and a screenshot of the error message to [email protected].

Please self-report your test scores in your application, and upload a pdf of your score report in the Status Portal. If we have trouble confirming or verifying your test scores, we will contact you. Please do not ask us to confirm receipt of your official test scores, as this will create unnecessary delays.

If you have new or additional materials you would like to include with your application you may upload them as a Supplemental Material via your Status Portal. We cannot guarantee that these documents will be reviewed with your application, but you are welcome to include them. Examples of Supplemental Materials include awards, certificates, school papers, etc.

Yes! Application fees can be paid by Visa or Mastercard through the application portal.

Eligible students are welcome to apply for an application fee waiver. Application fee waivers may be available for students who meet certain criteria including, U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently enrolled in a U.S. institution with financial need, U.S. Military personnel/veterans, and students who participate in special programs (listed on the waiver form). Please do not submit a request if you do not meet these criteria.

Application Fee Waiver Request

If you do not meet the GPA minimum of 3.0 (3.3 for Computer Science), consider enrolling in one or two non-degree courses to strengthen your application and aim for at least a B+ average in these courses. Please note that completion of non-degree courses does not guarantee admission to a degree program.

The best options for recommendation letters are former professors that you have taken courses with or done research with. Supervisors who work with you on a day-to-day basis in the engineering fields are also good recommenders.

In some cases, an admitted applicant may receive approval to defer their start by up to one term (from fall to the following spring, or from spring to the following fall). In order to be considered for deferral:

  • The applicant must secure in writing approval for deferral from their admitted Academic Department.
  • Along with the above approval, a request to defer must indicate this intention in writing, no later than the end of the Change of Program Period (see the Academic Calendar), by emailing [email protected] with the subject: "Deferral".
  • Intention to defer must be confirmed and communicated to the Academic Department by the end of the Change of Program Period (see the Academic Calendar).

You do not need to come to campus to complete exams. We have two remote options for testing: an online service and having an approved proctor administer the exam to you. Both options can be used by CVN students.

Absolutely! We encourage our graduates to come to the University Commencement Ceremony and Class Day.

There is no difference between a degree received online via CVN and one received by a full-time, on-campus student. There is no mention of CVN, online learning, or distance education on the transcript or diploma.

We are on the semester system and have three semesters per year: fall, spring, and summer. You can enroll in any program before any semester, with the exception of Computer Science. Computer Science students and Artificial Intelligence students are required to begin in either the fall or spring semester and cannot start their studies in the summer.

You will not be required to sit for a live lecture, with a few exceptions for discussion-based courses. If live participation is required, it will be noted on our Schedule of Classes. You will be able to stream lectures live or watch the recorded lectures at your convenience.

Matriculated students do have access to the career center. After graduation, CVN alumni also have access to the alumni network.

Non-matriculated and matriculated students do have remote access to library resources.

Please see the Columbia University COVID-19 guidelines for visitors.

No. All application materials must be submitted online.

You can transfer up to two classes or six credits toward the coursework of a master of science degree. Transfer credits cannot have been applied toward a previously earned degree or credential, and you must submit any credit transfer request within your first enrolled semester. Transfer credits are subject to approval by the faculty committee of the equivalent courses at Columbia Engineering.

With the exception of Computer Science, all of the programs require a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Math, Physics, Computer Science or a related field. If you are interested in the MS in Computer Science, but do not have a background in Computer Science, you must complete six prerequisites (four undergraduate-level and two math courses, preferably linear algebra and differential equations) to apply.

You can see how many courses are required for your field of study and calculate the total cost on our tuition page.

Contact Student Financial Services to learn about options for funding your education. Information on loan eligibility is also available on the Office of Financial Aid and Educational Financing page.

Columbia Video Network students are not eligible for the Columbia University health plan.

You have two years to complete a Certification, five years to complete a Master of Science degree, and seven years to complete a doctoral degree. While enrolled in these programs, you are required to maintain continuous enrollment or a minimum of two classes per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. You can take up to two courses each term, including during the summer.

It can take anywhere from one-and-a-half years to five years to complete the degree, depending on how many courses you take each semester. On average, students earn their MS degrees within three-and-a-half years, however, we encourage each student to take courses at a pace that suits their schedule.

Please note: The online MS in Artificial Intelligence is a cohort-based program in which students matriculate and graduate together. The program follows a 5-term schedule. 

Please see the Technology Requirements page.