The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS)

Application Deadline: Varying by Course

The United Nations (UN) estimates that more than 70 million people are currently living as refugees or asylum-seekers, or have been internally displaced due to wars and natural calamity – the largest such population in human history. A significant number of these individuals have had their education interrupted, severely impacting their potential for future success. The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) is an effort to combat this unprecedented humanitarian and economic loss by providing displaced students with the opportunity to pursue higher education at Columbia University, one of the leading educational institutions in the world.

The Scholarship supports displaced students from anywhere in the world who are unable to complete their higher education. These students will receive full tuition, housing, and living assistance while pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees across all 18 Columbia schools and affiliates, reflecting Columbia’s full institutional commitment to addressing this global crisis. As the first-ever Columbia-wide scholarship, and the world’s first scholarship of its kind, this program will commit up to $6 million in support, per cohort, for up to 30 students each year. Mentoring and support will be provided by the Scholarship, as well as by schools and student groups at Columbia.

The Scholarship aims to shift the global dialogue surrounding displaced persons, from one that views them as a burden to one that recognizes them as vital contributors to global innovation and prosperity. Currently, there is no initiative like this at any university in the world, despite the obvious desire for education on the part of these displaced student populations. The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students aims to be a leader in filling this pressing humanitarian need and will hopefully encourage other universities to follow suit.

Eligibility

This scholarship program is for foreign nationals with refugee status living anywhere in the world, or who have received US asylum or submitted a US asylum application, are in the US under Temporary Protected Status, or are Internally Displaced Persons. US permanent residents (green card holders, citizens, etc.) are not eligible for the scholarship. There are no age restrictions on the scholarship.

Submission Instructions

Applicants must apply directly to a Columbia degree program listed on the scholarship information homepage, IN ADDITION TO completing the below scholarship application form. Each school and program maintains their own acceptance requirements and application deadlines. Acceptance to an academic program DOES NOT guarantee funding through the scholarship (students may be accepted to an academic program but not receive funding through the scholarship).

Applicants must complete and submit their online Columbia degree application BEFORE submitting the scholarship form. Once the applicant creates their online Columbia degree application, they will receive an application ID / reference number through their Columbia school’s respective application system. This Columbia application ID / reference number must be entered in the scholarship application form below.

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must submit the below form in its entirety no later than the date indicated in the form below (which in most – but not all – cases is their degree program’s application deadline). A full list of eligible Columbia degree programs and their respective scholarship application deadlines are listed on the scholarship information homepage. 

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Columbia University Scholarship 2021/2022