Loans
More than two-thirds of Columbia Business School 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 website 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 email 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 Student Website once they have been admitted.
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 Graduate PLUS. Please visit the Student Financial Services website for detailed information regarding the Graduate PLUS loan.
Variable Rate Private Loans
There are several private loan programs offered to both citizens and non-U.S. citizens that are mostly based 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 as the credit report and score are the largest components in determining eligibility and interest rate tier.
International students are only eligible to be considered for private loans with a U.S. cosigner. Loans without a U.S. cosigner are not available. Most international students rely on family funds, personal savings, government or company sponsorships and/or loans secured in their home countries.
Institutional Loans
Columbia's institutional loan programs as well as Federal Perkins Loans are awarded as part of the need-based financial aid package prepared when students apply for scholarships. The appropriate forms and procedures will be provided to admitted students.
