Tuition & scholarships
Tuition and estimated expenses
All international students studying on an F-1 student visa must submit an official, original bank statement that demonstrates the ability to cover the total cost of attendance for one academic year.
The tuition and costs listed below are the amounts used for issuance of the Columbia College I-20. For questions about these estimated expenses, please contact your admissions counselor.
Please note that tuition and fees are subject to change without notice.
Undergraduate
Estimated expenses for the 2019-2020 academic year (Undergraduate - Main Campus)
| Item |
Cost ($) |
| Tuition (fixed for 5 years) |
23,498 |
| Double Room (on campus)* |
5,100 |
| Meal Plan* |
3,300 |
| Books** |
1,272 |
| Insurance** |
1,650 |
| Transportation** |
1,824 |
| Personal Expenses** |
2,528 |
| Total expenses required for I-20 |
39,172 |
Estimated expenses for the 2019-2020 academic year
(Undergraduate - off campus)
| Item |
Cost ($) |
| Tuition (fixed for 5 years) |
23,498 |
| Living Expenses** |
12,576 |
| Books** |
1,272 |
| Insurance** |
1,650 |
| Transportation** |
2,752 |
| Personal Expenses** |
2,528 |
| Total expenses required for I-20 |
44,276 |
* On campus housing rates vary by building and can range from $4,900 to $5,700 based on the building students select to live in. Meal plans are required for all students living on campus and range from $3,300 to $3,500.
** Estimated expenses all students, even those with full tuition scholarships, are required to show on the bank statement.
Students receiving scholarships will have the amount needed for their I-20 reduced by the award.
In addition to the bank statement, new freshman students should provide a copy of their passport and the SEVIS Supplement. Transfer students should provide a copy of their passport, visa, I-94, current I-20, SEVIS Supplement and Transfer Eligibility Form.
Graduate
Graduate tuition varies depending on the program you’re interested in and the number of classes you take per session. Main campus graduate students in Columbia, Missouri, studying on an F-1 Visa are required to complete courses on campus. Students who will be studying with Columbia College while living in their home country are not required to meet the expenses assigned below. Tuition for all graduate programs is located on the graduate tuition webpage.
The chart below outlines the total cost of attendance for the 2019-2020 academic year. Columbia College reserves the right to change these costs at any time.
Estimated expenses for Graduate coursework 2019-2020 academic year - 2 semesters (4 sessions)
| Item |
Cost ($) |
| Tuition |
9,048 |
| Living expenses |
12,576 |
| Books |
360 |
| Insurance |
1,650 |
| Transportation |
2,752 |
| Personal expenses |
4,992 |
| Total expenses required for I-20 |
31,378 |
In addition to the bank statement, new graduate students should provide a copy of their passport and the SEVIS Supplement. Students transferring their SEVIS record from another institution should provide a copy of their passport, visa, I-94, current I-20, SEVIS Supplement and Transfer Eligibility Form.
English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
EAP Tuition Grant
All students admitted to the EAP program and who register for at least 12 credit hours of EAP coursework are eligible for an EAP Tuition Grant worth 15 percent of tuition per semester. The grant is limited to two semesters only.
Estimated Expenses for 2018-2019 Academic Year listed below include the 15% tuition discount.
Estimated expenses for the 2018-2019 academic year (EAP - on campus)
| Item |
Cost ($) |
| Tuition (with 15% discount) |
19,298 |
| Double Room (on campus) |
4,675 |
| Meal plan |
3,135 |
| Books |
1,242 |
| Insurance |
1,500 |
| Transportation |
1,760 |
| Personal expenses |
2,144 |
| Total expenses required for I-20 |
33,754 |
Estimated expenses for the 2018-2019 academic year (EAP - off campus)
| Item |
Cost ($) |
| Tuition (with 15% discount) |
19,298 |
| Living expenses |
11,616 |
| Books |
1,242 |
| Insurance |
1,500 |
| Transportation |
2,624 |
| Personal expenses |
3,200 |
| Total expenses required for I-20 |
38,828 |
Exchange Students
Estimated expenses for one academic semester 2018-2019 academic year
| Item |
Cost ($) |
| Tuition |
0 - Waived per partnership agreement* |
| Double Room (on campus) |
2,338 |
| Meal Plan |
1,568 |
| Books |
621 |
| Health Insurance |
750 |
| Transportation |
880 |
| Personal Expenses |
1,072 |
| Total expenses required for the I-20 |
7,229 |
*Check with your home institution to verify the terms of the partnership agreement and applicability of the tuition waiver.
Students planning to study at Columbia College for a full academic year should show a total amount of $14,458 in a bank statement for issuance of the I-20.
Scholarships
The awards and criteria listed below are for undergraduate international students studying at the traditional campus in Columbia, Missouri, for the 2018-2019 academic year. To be eligible for scholarships, students must be studying full time as a degree-seeking student each semester.
Please note that these scholarships apply to all non-native English speakers. English-speaking applicants may view the scholarship opportunities listed in the Scholarship Finder.
For more information on scholarships, please contact your admissions counselor.
Automatic scholarships
Columbia College has multiple automatic scholarships and grants to assist in making your education more affordable.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, non-native English speakers who meet the requirements automatically qualify for the scholarships and grants shown below.
Freshman* Automatic merit awards 2018-2019 academic year
| Award |
Amount |
| Dean's Excellence Scholarship |
$10,000 |
| Founder's Achievement Scholarship |
$8,500 |
| 1851 Collegiate Scholarship |
$5,000 |
| Trustee Recognition Scholarship |
$3,500 |
*Eligibility for each award is based on a calculated index of English Proficiency Score and calculated GPA
Transfer* automatic merit awards for the 2018-2019 academic year
| Award |
Amount |
Eligibility |
| Transfer Excellence Scholarship |
$10,000 |
3.75 cumulative college GPA* |
| Transfer Achievement Scholarship |
$8,000 |
3.0 cumulative college GPA* |
| Transfer Recognition Scholarship |
$4,000 |
2.5 cumulative college GPA* |
*Freshman scholarships will be awarded if a student has no university coursework completed or is transferring with fewer than 24 transfer credits. Transfer credits will be awarded to students with 24 transfer credits or more.
English for Academic Purposes Tuition Grant
| Award |
Amount |
| EAP Tuition Grant |
$3,405 |
Available to full time students enrolled in at least 12 hours of EAP courses (not including ENGL 107). Non-renewable.
For students from English-speaking countries, automatic awards will be based on a calculated index of your ACT/SAT score and your calculated GPA.
The College offers a significant number of additional automatic awards for both incoming freshmen and transfer students. All automatic scholarships and their award requirements can be found on the Scholarship Finder.
Competitive scholarships
Columbia College’s top scholarships are competitive and available to new freshmen only. Competing in Scholarship Day is required to be considered for the top awards shown below:
Presidential Scholarship
Amount: Full tuition
Number of awards: 10
Requirements*: 1260 SAT or 26 ACT; and 3.6 converted GPA. Recipients must compete in Scholarship Day.
Renewable
For information on additional competitive awards, please review the scholarship finder.
Scholarship Day
Each year Columbia College hosts a Scholarship Day competition for students to compete for one of ten Presidential Scholarships, each worth full tuition. The competition includes a writing exercise and a personal interview with Columbia College faculty and staff. Most international students compete in Scholarship Day via phone or Skype interviews if they are unable to attend in person.
The Presidential Scholarships are awarded only to first-time freshman entering the Main Campus in Columbia, Missouri, for the fall academic semester. The competition will be held in January. Winners will be announced in February. Students must be admitted before competing in this event and meet the eligibility requirements: minimum 3.6 GPA and 1260 SAT (26 ACT).
Please note that these awards are not considered full scholarships, as they only cover tuition. The scholarships do not cover living expenses, health insurance, books, or other personal expenses. For more information about Columbia College's estimated total cost of attendance, you can go to the "Undergraduate" section listed above.
For more information on competing in Scholarship Day, please contact your admissions counselor.
*Scholarship eligibility criteria and award amounts may change at any time at the discretion of the College.
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