SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Types of Aid

Types of Aid that may be in your package:

SIPA Fellowships and Assistantships

These are funds provided to students by SIPA, which do not have to be repaid. Fellowships are direct support with no additional obligation beyond maintaining good academic standing. Assistantships are support linked to a position as a teaching assistant, research assistant or program assistant within SIPA. Statistics discussed below are for fellowships in the two-year full-time masters programs.

Approximately 10% of the first-year class receives support from SIPA, with awards ranging from as low as $5,000 for the year to a very small number of half or full-tuition fellowships. The median first-year award is $15,000. Applicants to the School can indicate in their applications that they wish to be considered for aid. Awards are granted based on a combination of the strength of the admissions application and financial need; although, merit weighs more heavily in the consideration. Some first year awards are a combination of SIPA fellowship funding and funding from external organizations that SIPA partners with to help pay educational related costs.

In year two, approximately 70% of SIPA students who apply for a fellowship or assistantship receive an award, with the amount again ranging from as low as $5,000 for the year to a very small number of half or full-tuition fellowships. The median second-year award is $21,000. Students apply for second-year support during their first year, and awards are granted based on academic performance in the first year and in the case of assistantships the applicants capacity to fulfill the terms of the assistantship are also taken into consideration.

Educational Loans

Education loans are how many SIPA students cover the cost of attending SIPA. Students are encouraged to consider loans carefully. They enable many people to attend graduate school who could not otherwise do so, but loan burdens are a significant challenge for those considering careers in the public and non-profit sector, career paths typical for many SIPA students.  

In 2008, 58.5% of SIPA’s student body borrowed to fund their education. The median loan debt on graduation (not including educational loans taken for undergraduate study) was $66,400.

United States Education Loan Programs

These loan programs are available to U.S. citizens and consist primarily of Stafford and Perkins Loans. Applications should be submitted as early as possible to ensure that loan funds are available by the beginning of the term. More information is available at the following sites:

United States Federal Stafford Loan

www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/ Grad_Fin_Aid/Federal/Stafford.html

Federal Perkins Loan

www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/Federal/Federal_Perkins.htm

United States Federal Work-Study Program

This program supports work-study positions on campus for U.S. citizens. For more information, see:
www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/Federal/Workstudy.html

New York State Tuition Assistance (TAP)

This program provides a very limited amount of support to New York State residents. www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/State/index.html

Private Educational Loans

Private loans offered through banks help both domestic and international students pay for educational costs while attending SIPA. Loans are available both with and without a co-signer; although, for international students securing a loan without a U.S. co-signer may be very difficult in the current economic climate. For information on private loans, please visit the following site: www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/Private_Loans/index.html

United States Military Veterans

SIPA participates in a number of programs to help ensure that this vital part of the student body is well represented. For years the School has hosted Foreign Area Officers (FAO) from the United States armed forces and will work with FAOs, who are admitted to tailor SIPA’s study schedule to meet FAO program needs.

In addition, SIPA has recently signed on to the Yellow Ribbon program and will support a few students each year with fellowship support, for which the Yellow Ribbon program provides matching funds. www.gibill.va.gov/GI_BILL_info/ch33/yellow_ribbon.htm

Many students have used the GI Bill to support their studies at SIPA. For more information on the GI Bill, please see: www.gibill.va.gov/

The General Wayne A Downing Scholarship fund, sponsored by the West Point Association of Graduates in cooperation with the United States Military Academy Combating Terrorism Center, provides selected officers with the opportunity to study terrorism and counterterrorism issues in top-tier graduate programs around the world.  For more information: www.hrc.army.mil/portal/