Admitted Undergraduate Students

Take your next steps as a Columbia College Chicago student.

Congrats on your acceptance to Columbia! We’re so excited to welcome you. You can keep up to date with everything you need to know on your way to enrollment via your Columbia Connect Portal. You'll also receive your financial aid award letter. (Haven't received this yet? Fill out your FAFSA for award consideration).

When you're ready to make your decision, you can let us know on your portal page. We'll also post ways to engage with Columbia virtually while we're all being distant physically.

Already submitted your deposit? Review our checklist of things to do before you arrive on campus, listed below.

Register for our virtual events:

Can't come to campus? That's Okay!

We've planned several web-based events and presentations designed for you to find out if Columbia is the right place for you. (We hope so!) Learn about our academic departments, financial aid options, and everything else you need to know to make your decision. Log in to Columbia Connect to sign up!

Sign up for Admitted Student EVENTS

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• admitted students
• undergraduates

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One-on-one Counselor Appointments

 

Schedule a one-on-one conversation with your Admissions Counselor. They can answer all of your questions about how to become a Columbia student - and what to expect about life on camups once you get here.

Counselor Appointments

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• 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:

  • Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with Columbia’s school code (001665).
  • Submit a digital portfolio or audition that demonstrates your best creative work.

  
  

  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 Columbia Central 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 MyColumbia portal, select the MyFinancials 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

  Office 365 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.

  Please note: Until your first day of classes, continue to check both your personal email and your sudent email 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 AP and IB scores
  Official Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exam results will be considered for college credit. Please request official score reports for Columbia College Chicago through the testing agency.
• 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.

  Additionally, students must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 prior to attending any class or moving in to the residence halls.

  For other vaccinations, 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.

• Register for classes

  New undergraduate students can start the registration process by completing their Registration Questionnaire. The information you provide here will help your advisor create the right schedule for your first-semester at Columbia.

  Start the registration process

  For more information, visit colum.edu/newstudents.