Loans
Approximately one-third of Executive MBA students take advantage of federal and private loan programs to finance their MBA. Students interested in these loan types must carefully review the Columbia University Student Financial Services site for detailed graduate loan information. This centralized information pertains to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents and international students.
If you have questions, please contact the Financial Aid Office at (212) 854-4057 or e-mail us at finaid@gsb.columbia.edu.
Federal Stafford Loans
U.S. citizens and permanent residents may apply for fixed-rate federal Stafford Loans. Students should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for now and wait for application instructions on the Admitted Students site once they have been admitted.
Stafford Loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized) are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
Subsidized loan funds are need-based, and interest is paid only during in-school and grace periods.
Unsubsidized loan funds: the student is responsible for interest accrued while in school but payment on this interest may be deferred until graduation (or paid while in school).
You may apply for $20,500* through the federal Stafford Loan for a two-semester loan period. As this is a two-term loan, you will receive half at the beginning of the first semester and the second half in the following semester. The Stafford Loan has a fixed interest rate of 6.8%. Repayment begins six months after graduation or six months after you drop below half-time (six credits), whichever comes first. The maximum repayment period is 10 years.
To determine eligibility for the federal Stafford Student Loan program, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for each loan period. This form may be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Please use the Title IV school code for Columbia Business School: E00116.
* Does not figure in origination and guarantee fees, which may be deducted from each disbursement of the loan funds depending on the lender.
Supplemental / Alternative Loans
Fixed-Rate Federal Graduate PLUS Loans
Domestic students may be able to meet the cost of attendance through a fixed-rate federal loan called the Graduate PLUS Loan. Please visit the Columbia University Student Financial Services site for detailed information regarding this loan.
Variable-Rate Private Loans
There are several private loan programs offered to both U.S. citizens and non-U.S.
citizens that are based mostly on your credit history. At this point in the application
cycle, you should pull a copy of your credit report in advance to check for discrepancies; the credit report and score are the most important factors in determining eligibility
and interest-rate tier.
