Take your next steps as a Columbia College Chicago student.

Congrats on your acceptance to Columbia! We’re so excited to welcome you, and you’ll receive an email with more event information in the coming weeks. You'll also receive your financial aid award letter. (Haven't received this yet? Fill out your FAFSA for award consideration.) If you’re coming from outside the Chicago area, check where we’ll be to meet us at an event near you.

Haven’t shared your decision with us yet? Please take a moment to do so on your application status page. You can also check your status page for our full schedule of events just for admitted students, with a sampling listed below.

Already submitted your deposit? Review the checklist of things to do before you arrive on campus.

Register for our admitted student events:

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Admitted Student Days

Available dates:
February 16, 2019–April 26, 2019
(Select Fridays and Saturdays)

This event is all for you and your family, to see if Columbia is the right place for you (we hope so!). Spend the day on campus touring academic departments, taking a workshop with faculty, learning all about financial aid, and most importantly, mingling with Columbia students and those who could become your future classmates and friends.

Registration opens in December 2018!

  • admitted students
  • undergraduates
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The Money Part

Upcoming dates:
Fridays, by appointment only

It’s not the most fun part to talk about—but it’s the most beneficial conversation to have. We know financing your education isn’t easy, and our team is here to help. Meet with a Columbia representative to discuss ways to finance your education as well as your eligibility for all possible scholarships.

Appointments are available between January 2019 and May 2019, and available dates will be posted in December.

  • admitted students
  • undergraduates

After you're admitted:

Apply for financial aid and/or scholarships

To be considered for all available financial aid programs, including scholarships, you should take the following steps:

If you are selected for an academic achievement scholarship, we will notify you soon after you are admitted to the college. Once you're admitted and we receive your FAFSA, you will be notified of your complete financial aid package with a Financial Aid Award Letter.

Visit colum.edu/sfs for more info. Learn how to secure your scholarship and the terms of your scholarship.

After you submit your deposit:

Consider your funding sources

If you received a Financial Aid Award Letter, you may need to submit additional documentation to secure the financial aid you have been offered. To see if you have any missing documents to submit, log in to your OASIS portal, select the Student Financial Services option, and look under "Missing Documents."

You may also wish to use additional resources to pay for your education. Make a list of the third-party resources you have available, such as your work income, 529 plan, veteran benefits and employer reimbursement. Compare these funding sources to your costs to determine if you will need to borrow loans or sign up for a payment plan. Columbia offers low-cost payment plans that allow you to spread your educational expenses over the term or the academic year.

For more information about meeting the cost of your Columbia education, visit colum.edu/wheretostart.

Check your Columbia email

Loopmail is the official student email of Columbia, and we'll use it to send critical information about registration, your academic progress, financial aid awards, events on campus, and much more.

After your deposit has been processed, check out instructions on how to access your Loopmail account.

Please note: Until your first day of classes, continue to check both your personal email and your Loopmail to make sure you are receiving all necessary communications.

Apply for housing

Take a look at Columbia College Chicago's housing options.

After you decide to enroll and make a deposit to confirm your attendance, you should complete a housing application. Students must submit a $500 prepayment when they apply. We expect new freshmen and transfers to live on campus their first year. See floor plans and photos and apply for housing—which is offered on a first-come, first-served basis—at colum.edu/residencelife.

Submit your test scores

Official AP scores and IB exam results will be considered for college credit. If you did not submit your ACT or SAT scores during the application process, you may choose to submit official results now to be used as a placement tool. All score reports should be requested through the testing agency.

If you choose not to submit your scores, you may need to complete placement testing. For more information, please visit colum.edu/placement.

Submit your final transcripts

If you are currently enrolled in high school or a college or university, you must submit an official copy of your final transcript to Admissions. Late transcripts can complicate registration, financial aid, and payment for your first semester.

Transcripts should be sent directly to Admissions:

Columbia College Chicago Admissions
600 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Provide your immunization records

Illinois law requires that all students born on or after January 1, 1957, who enroll at least part-time (6 credit hours or more) must prove that they have immunity from certain communicable diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, measles, rubella, and mumps. Proof of immunity must be on file at the institution the student is currently attending.

If you do not have a complete immunization record on file by the end of the eighth week of your first semester (not including the Summer semester) a registration hold will be placed on your academic record, and you will not be eligible to register for the following semester. Find out where to send your records.

Sign up for orientation and register for classes

New undergraduate students are expected to register for their first-semester classes before their orientation session. This orientation session is required to attend in preparation for enrollment.

Students will receive email notifications and links will be posted to their status pages when orientation and registration activities become available to them.

Sign up for orientation

For more information, visit colum.edu/newstudents.

Admission to Columbia College Chicago is offered for a specified term of entry. Students who are offered admission to Columbia but are unable to enroll in the specified term of entry may request to defer admission for up to one year by contacting Admissions at 312-369-7130 or admissions@colum.edu. Deferrals will be granted on a case-by-case basis.