FAQ
Prospective Student FAQ
1. Where can I find an application?
For information on applying to the undergraduate program, please contact the
Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Graduate applications are only available online, at School of Engineering and Applied Science: About Applying. The priority application deadline for admission to the doctoral program and for financial aid for the fall term is December 1.
2. When can I come for a visit?
The Visitors Center,
located in Room 213 of Low Library, welcomes more than 45,000 visitors
each year and serves as a central location for prospective students and
visitors seeking general information about Columbia University.
Information sessions and campus tours for prospective undergraduate
students of Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science are typically offered Monday through
Friday. Weekday sessions are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and
are followed by tours at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Though Saturday
morning sessions and tours are offered, dates vary throughout the year.
For the most up-to-date schedule, see Visiting Columbia.
A campus tour for all others—prospective graduate students, tourists,
and new employees—is available weekdays at 1:00 p.m. A special campus tour
for students at middle schools can be arranged by calling the Visitors
Center.
3. Can I meet a with a professor when I'm visiting the Department?
Visitors are always welcome to the Department. Please feel free to stop
by the APAM Office anytime from Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you are
interested in meeting with a faculty member, please send an email to or call the APAM Student Services Coordinator at 212-854-4457 to make an appointment before you come for a visit.
4. Where can I find information about tuition and fees?
Please contact the office of Student Financial Services for information regarding tuition, fees, and financial aid.
5. Is the GRE subject test required to apply for the Ph.D. program in applied mathematics or materials science and engineering?
No, only the Ph.D. program in applied physics requires the GRE subject test.
6. What is the minimum acceptable GRE score for admission to the graduate program your department?
While there is no minimum score for the GRE, average scores are as follows:
Verbal: 525
Quantitative: 767
Analytical: 707
Analytical Writing: 4.4
The GRE Subject test in Physics is required for those applying to the doctoral program in applied physics.
7. What is the minimum acceptable TOEFL score for admission to the graduate program in your department?
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) is required of all candidates who received their bachelor's degree from a school in which English was not the official spoken language. TOFEL scores are valid for two years from the test date. While there is no minimum score for the TOEFL, the average score is 619 (paper based), 269 (computer based), and 104 (internet based or IBT).
The school code for reporting test scores is: 2111.
Current Student FAQ
1. Who should I talk to about which courses I should register for?
Each semester you should meet with your advisor to have your program plan approved. Please refer to the Academic Advisors list for your particular field and year.
Undergraduate students should also consult Columbia's Division of Student Affairs: Center for Student
Advising.
Graduate students purusing a doctoral degree should also consult Ph.D. Requirements for Current Gradutate Students.
2. Who should I talk to about student affairs related questions (registration, bills, health service, etc.)?
Please contact the APAM Student Services Coordinator at 212-854-4457
for any questions you may have about registration procedures, bills and
fees, holds on your account, health service, gym access, grade changes, or leaves of absence. The student services coordinator will also assist graduate students by scheduling oral exams and
thesis defenses.
3. Will I have an assigned desk?
Shared desks and lockers are available for first-year doctoral students in room 292 Engineering Terrace. Key card access to
the student rooms, including the student lounge in room 292A ET (lounge
access after 5pm only,) will be set up approximately two weeks after registration.
After graduate students complete their first year, they will be given
bench or desk space in the lab of their advisor.
Unfortunately, due to space limitations, there are no desks available for undergraduate students or master's students not enrolled in a Ph.D. program in the Department.
4. Where are public computers and printers located?
Student may use computers in the many computer labs and kiosks located
throughout the campus. The closest computer lab to our department is in
251 Engineering Terrace.
5. Who should I call if there is a problem with my office or lab?
Columbia has a centralized custodial service, Maintenance Control,
212-854-2222. Students may call Maintenance directly or report problems
(light bulb missing, room temperature, etc.) to the office staff.
Medical Physics FAQ
Please see the Medical Physics FAQ page. back to top