Columbia College Chicago
- Private
Columbia College Chicago: international tuition 34,088 USD per year, one-year total cost 51,889 USD, acceptance rate 89.5%. Merit scholarships are open to international students. Published minimum English scores: IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80, Duolingo 105.
Vietnamese students are automatically considered for the Columbia Excellence Award (up to $15,000, tuition only), based on merit and portfolio. Need-based aid, need-blind status and CSS Profile requirements for international students are unclear.
Getting in. The school admits 89.5% of applicants. The SAT range of admitted students is not published. The school does not look at SAT or ACT scores. For English, the school asks for IELTS 6.5+, TOEFL iBT 80+ or Duolingo 105+.
Cost for a year. One year comes to 51,889 USD, before any scholarship. 1 scholarship is confirmed for international students, but nothing is taken off yet because the amount of each one is not clear.
Deadline and visa. The application deadline is 1/11. You apply through Common App. How long the visa takes is up to the consulate; see the country note.
Admissions checked 12/10/2026
What is the tuition at Columbia College Chicago?
International tuition is 34,088 USD per year. The total cost for one year is 51,889 USD.
Does Columbia College Chicago offer scholarships for international students?
Merit scholarships are open to international students. Vietnamese students are automatically considered for the Columbia Excellence Award (up to $15,000, tuition only), based on merit and portfolio. Need-based aid, need-blind status and CSS Profile requirements for international students are unclear.
What English scores does Columbia College Chicago require?
Published minimum English scores: IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 80, Duolingo 105.
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia College Chicago?
The acceptance rate is 89.5%.
- Pay in fullYesPay in fullOnce admitted you can enrol straight away — no scholarship decision to wait for.Your family covers all tuition and living costs for every year of the degree.You will need: your application and proof that your family can pay — the school needs it to issue your visa documents.
- Aid with the offerUnclearAid with the offerThe school decides aid while reviewing your application, so any need-based or merit award arrives with the offer.The school has merit scholarships for international students, but does not say whether they are automatic or need their own application.
- Apply separately for scholarshipsUnclearApply separately for scholarshipsOn top of the admission application, you send a separate scholarship application or get nominated.The pages we read mention no scholarship with its own application. Not seeing one does not mean there is none — ask the school.
For Vietnamese students
Vietnamese community nearby
Students on campus lifeiPublic YouTube videos by students and the school, matched to this school's name; Vietnamese videos first. Each reflects its creator's own view.
- Natalia Lizette2025Vlog
- Kayciblu 2024Vlog
- LIFE AS ZERKIA2026Campus tour
Contact
Tuition and cost for a year
Compared with 727 private United States schools with published tuition in Duckling's data.
What a year costs
Non-resident tuition (College Scorecard); international students pay at least this, some schools add an international fee.
VND converted at Vietcombank's selling rate on 15/10/2026; indicative only — the real amount depends on the rate when you pay.
Scholarships and aid for international students
- Is merit considered automatically with the application?UnclearAutomatic consideration is stated only for this one award, and the page also asks for a portfolio, so it cannot be concluded that all merit aid is automatic.
- Is admission need-blind for international applicants?UnclearNo page says whether admission decisions take international students' ability to pay into account, so this cannot be determined.
- Is the CSS Profile or a school aid form required?UnclearThe pages mention neither the CSS Profile nor a separate international aid form; they mention only the FAFSA for eligible students, so this is unclear.
Scholarships at this school
Columbia Excellence AwardMeritMeritAwarded on achievement (grades, awards, activities), regardless of family finances.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page15,000 USD/year≈ ₫391M
The award is specifically for incoming international students, so a Vietnamese student is eligible.
- Renewable in later years
Deadline: Tuition deposit by May 1, 2027; missing documents by July 1, 2027; register by August 15, 2027
Financial-need scholarshipsIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.Need-basedNeed-basedAwarded on family financial circumstances, usually via the CSS Profile or the school's own form.Separate application requiredSchool page
The page links need-based scholarships to FAFSA and does not confirm that alternatives are available to international students.
- Renewable in later years
Merit-based scholarshipsIntl eligibility unclearThe school does not say whether international students can get this scholarship, so “Cost for a year” at the top does not subtract it. Ask the school before counting on it.MeritMeritAwarded on achievement (grades, awards, activities), regardless of family finances.Considered automatically with the admission applicationSchool page
The page describes annually renewable merit scholarships but does not confirm eligibility for international students.
- Renewable in later years
Admission requirements
Compared with 349 United States schools that publish an application fee in Duckling's data.
English
Application requirements
- High-school transcriptRequired
- English proficiencyiApplicants from countries where English is not the primary language must submit proof of English proficiency with their application.Required
- SATACTiNo SAT/ACT scores are needed; an English proficiency test is only needed if English cannot be shown through coursework.Not required
- EssaysiYou write a short personal statement about your goals at Columbia within the application itself.Required
How to apply
Minimum English scores vs other schools
Compared with 534 United States schools admitting 70%+ that publish it in Duckling's data.
Compared with 454 United States schools admitting 70%+ that publish it in Duckling's data.
DeadlinesFall 2027
- Priority application deadline for all terms and degree programsApplicationin17days
- Spring 2027 application closesApplication+47 days
- Spring 2027 semester classes startOther+102 days
- Priority deposit deadline for fall studentsDeposit+198 days
Credit for exams
AP scores of 3 or higher earn college credit; send official score reports after you are admitted.
Scores that count12345IB scores of 4 or higher earn college credit; ask your IB coordinator to send official scores after you are admitted.
Scores that count1234567
AP credit by subject
Lowest score that earns credit or placement, as the college reported to College Board. This is not an admission requirement. One exam can have several rows: a higher score sometimes earns more credit. Policy page the college gave College Board
58 courses. Scroll inside the table to see all.
Programs
Outcomes
Staying in United States after graduation
OPT: 12 months of work in your field after each degree level; degrees on the DHS STEM list can extend by 24 months (up to 36 months in total). Unemployment during OPT is capped at 90 days (150 days with the STEM extension). Note: on 8 October 2026 DHS published a PROPOSED rule charging USD 70,000 for initial OPT and USD 30,000 for later OPT; it is not in force, and comments close on 9 November 2026.
Climate
School & campus
Where the school is
Detailed map
Academics & housing
Why this school is listed: accepts applications through the Common App.
Updated 12/10/2026How Duckling sources data