The Department of Computer Science at Columbia has distinguished research strengths in a number of areas, including vision and computer graphics, computer and network security, networks, machine learning, computer architecture, and natural language processing. Examples of specific research groups are:

• • Graphics and User Interfaces
  • Security; Intrusion Detection
  • Languages & Compilers
  • Machine Learning
  • Speech and Natural Language Processing
  • Network Computing
  • Software Systems
  • Vision and Robotics

A complete list of research groups can be found here.

Columbia University offers a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. The BA major encourages students to obtain broad exposure to the arts, humanities, and social sciences while providing them with the appropriate Computer Science background necessary for graduate study or a professional career. The BS major encourages students to obtain broad exposure to the engineering core while providing the proper Computer Science background for further activities in academia or industry.

Most Computer Science program graduates at Columbia step directly into career positions in Computer Science with industry or government or continue their education in graduate degree programs. Many choose to combine Computer Science with a second career interest by taking additional programs in business administration, medicine, or other professional studies. Students graduating from Columbia’s Computer Science Department find themselves well-suited to continue graduate-level studies in top-name institutions.  However, all students who complete the program have the knowledge required to pursue various careers either within the computer industry or elsewhere.

Many of the CS teaching faculty are leaders in their research field and/or have extensive experience in industry and private sector research labs. CS majors at Columbia have the opportunity to be taught and advised by world-renowned computer scientists who have well-developed collaborative relationships with companies such as Bell Labs, IBM, Lucent, and Microsoft, as well as other leaders in the field.

Finally, Columbia’s location allows students to take advantage of the proximity to many potential future employers based in New York City and the city’s many cultural attractions.

The Computer Science department has many research opportunities available during the academic year– many of the faculty sponsor undergraduate and master’s students for research projects in their groups. Typically, the faculty sponsors the students for credit, but in some cases, projects also provide a stipend. Please see the list of departmental research areas. There are additional Research Opportunities posted online that students can get involved with.

There are multiple ways for students to get involved in research as a Columbia student. Current Research Opportunities are posted online. CS Advising also sends research opportunities to students via the student list-serves email. These can be for credit or pay. Additional opportunities are also advertised through the Center for Career Education (CCE). Our Career Placement Officers can assist students with applying for and interviewing for internships and fellowships.

In addition to graduate study, our students have gone on to a variety of careers either within the computer industry or elsewhere. Generally, the majority of our graduates have found positions at established computer/software companies (e.g., Microsoft, Google), research labs (e.g., IBM), or Wall Street firms (e.g., Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs). Other graduates have found positions at smaller companies or startups (e.g., foursquare). A few students have gone on to work or study outside of the field of Computer Science, applying their knowledge of the discipline to another field, such as business, medicine, or law. For more information regarding Career Opportunities and placements, click here.

According to a recent survey, approximately 20 to 30% of our graduates go on to graduate school.

The Computer Science major for SEAS students is more rigorous than other colleges. SEAS students take a minimum of 74 to 75 points, whereas Columbia College, Barnard, and General students CS majors pursue the same program with a minimum of 41 to 44 points. These students take more credits toward their college requirements and less towards the major than SEAS students.

The courses available and opportunities for research do not differ.

It may be possible to complete a double major in these circumstances as a Columbia College or General Studies student. Please consult your Advising Dean.

While there is substantial cross-over between the two disciplines, in general, the Computer Science major focuses more on theory, software, and applications, whereas Computer Engineering focuses more on computer hardware, digital system development, and system design.

No, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions processes undergraduate applications. If you have specific questions about admissions, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Please see the official application requirements on the SEAS website here. The CS Department does not manage the application requirements or process.

To apply, submit an online application. Once you register with a valid email address, you can log on as frequently as you need to fill out your application data. Submit the application when it is complete.

Details of each step are included within the online application, but in summary:

STEP 1: Complete and submit an online application. Refer to the SEAS Admissions Page

STEP 2: After you submit the application, reference requests are sent to your recommendation providers.

STEP 3: Your application will be assigned to faculty on the Admissions committee and pass through several stages of review.

STEP 4: Official decision notifications will be sent out via email.

Please see the official application requirements on the SEAS website here.

There is no minimum; however, the average GPA of the admitted Bridge students is 3.7 on a 4-point scale.

Due to the high volume of inquiries, requests to check the receipt of materials cannot be granted. Refer to the online application portal at SEAS Admissions.

Official deadlines are posted by SEAS here: https://www.gradengineering.columbia.edu/graduate-admissions/application-requirements

Fall 1st priority deadline: January 15
Fall 2nd final deadline: February 15

We strongly encourage all applicants to meet the 1st deadline.

Spring deadline: October 15th

If you have any questions, please <a href=”mailto:”>email.

We do not accept MS or Doctoral students in the Summer and Fall admitted students cannot begin in the Summer.

Bridge Students can and should start in the Summer.

You should have an undergraduate degree in computer science or a related discipline.

If your undergraduate degree is in a different field, you are required to have completed at least four computer science courses covering foundations of the field and basic programming and two mathematics courses. Please refer to the CS@CU MS Bridge Program for the courses recommended.

If you do not have this foundational coursework but still feel you are qualified for the MS program, then your qualifications should be clearly outlined in your application through your resume, statement, and reference letters.

If you are interested in pursuing this foundational coursework at Columbia, then you may be interested in the CS@CU MS Bridge Program here.

No, you do not need to take the coursework at Columbia, but the courses must be completed at an accredited university, not via a boot camp or MOOC.

If you are interested in pursuing this foundational coursework at Columbia then you may be interested in the CS@CU MS Bridge program, which incorporates all the foundational/bridge coursework and the MS coursework into one program. Learn more about CS@CU MS Bridge Program here.

You may be interested in the CS@CU MS Bridge program which incorporates all the foundational/bridge coursework and the MS coursework into one program. Learn more about CS@CU MS Bridge Program here.

Applicants who were previously admitted and did not attend may reactivate their applications for one of the two terms following their original application. Candidates who do not request reactivation within the year are required to submit a new application.  Please be aware that candidates who reactivate their applications are essentially reapplying for admission, as admission will not be guaranteed. Columbia does not defer admission.

Applicants who were not previously admitted are not eligible to reactivate their application. Instead, they must complete an entirely new application for admission.

For more information, please contact seasgradmit@columbia.edu or visit their website.

Applicants with existing MS or doctoral degrees are not prohibited from applying to any CS@CU program. All degrees should be listed in the application process.

SEAS Graduate Student Affairs administers this policy; please see their website on this topic and send follow-up questions directly to their team.

SEAS Graduate Student Affairs administers this policy; please see their website on this topic and send follow-up questions directly to their team.

The purpose of the Personal Statement is for you to share more about your past experiences and to discuss how these experiences have contributed to your personal and professional growth. It allows the applicant the opportunity to explain to the admission committee the distinct qualities and commitment they can bring to the Columbia Engineering community.

A few topics that you may want to address in your Personal Statement include:

• Describe the reasons you are interested in this program and discuss any relevant past experience.
• If you have relevant work or research experience, please indicate how it helped you decide on your career path.
• What are your post-graduation plans or career goals?
• What do you hope to gain from this program?
• What about this program excites you?
• If there are any special circumstances that need to be brought to the attention of the Admission Committee, please include that information.

The purpose of the Personal Statement is for you to share more about your past experiences and to discuss how these experiences have contributed to your personal and professional growth. It allows the applicant the opportunity to explain to the admission committee the distinct qualities and commitment they can bring to their department and to the overall Columbia Engineering community.

We recommend that your Personal Statement be between 250 and 1,000 words. Your application will not be negatively impacted and should exceed this recommendation. Please do not email us to request permission to exceed this recommendation, no permission is necessary.

If possible, the following format is preferred:

• All margins should be at least one inch, and the left and right margins should be equal.
• The text should be double-spaced.
• The preferred fonts are 10-point Arial or 12-point Times New Roman; however, any legible serif or sans-serif standard font may be used. Do not use script or ornamental fonts.
• Your name should appear in the Header or Footer of every page.

It is integral to the admissions process that you write and submit this Personal Statement on your own. Any evidence of plagiarized materials may result in denial or revocation of admission.

A few topics that you may want to address in your Personal Statement include:

• Describe how your background has prepared you to pursue an advanced degree in the field of engineering or applied science at Columbia University.
• Describe the reasons you are interested in this program and discuss any relevant past experience.
• If you have relevant work or research experience, please indicate how it helped you decide on your career path.
• What are your post-graduation plans or career goals?
• What do you hope to gain from this program?
• What about this program excites you?
• If there are any special circumstances that need to be brought to the attention of the Admission Committee, please include that information.

Follow-up questions can be sent to the SEAS Graduate Admissions team: seasgradmit@columbia.edu.

Your entire application, including recommendation letters, should be complete by the deadline. You cannot submit an incomplete application.

If your recommender needs to make changes, you should contact seasgradmit@columbia.edu.

We require electronic submission of recommendations. Email seasgradmit@columbia.edu with any related issues.

You should use the professional email address/contact information for all of your recommendation providers. Email seasgradmit@columbia.edu with any related issues.

They can upload a current employee ID or badge. Email seasgradmit@columbia.edu with any related issues.

International students will be asked to submit the financial statement after they are accepted into the program through the I-20 application process. There is no need for you to submit it before the decision is made.

SEAS Graduate Student Admissions administers this policy; please see their website on this topic and send follow-up questions directly to their team.

Your application to the PhD program was unsuccessful, but since you indicated that you would like to be considered for the MS program, your application was forwarded to the MS application pool for consideration.

Yes, after entering the MS program, you can apply for the PhD program the following year, and transfer into the PhD program if you are successful.

The Committee reviewers evaluate all applications and make admission decisions. As soon as that decision is made, you will be notified by email to the address specified on your online application.

We cannot respond to requests for updates on decisions.

If you have not received the email notification yet, that means the application is still being evaluated. As soon as a decision is made, you will be notified automatically via email. Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot respond to requests for updates on decisions.

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications received, the Department cannot provide specific feedback on the decisions made.

US students are encouraged to apply for scholarships, merit fellowships, and loans. Visit the FFSEAS Official Financial Aid and Educational Financing for more information. International students are advised to pursue fellowship programs available through their countries of origin.

Bridge Program Applicants, please note that as this is a non-degree awarding program, there is no financial or visa support available until the student transitions to the CS MS portion of their program.

You will have to reactivate your application and pass the review process again. Your online application and official documents are held for a maximum of 12 months from your original submission date and can be reactivated once within this time without repaying the application fee.

SEAS does not permit “deferring” – the application will be reviewed again with the new applicant pool and admission is not guaranteed.

Applications are only accepted up to a maximum of two semesters in advance. Check back at a later date when your semester of choice will be activated to receive applications.

No, you cannot reactivate your rejected application. You can reapply to the program by creating a new online application with all materials resubmitted. Please be aware that you will need to pay the application fee again when you create a new application.

If you have previously applied to the CS graduate program and submitted official scores the first time through ETS and those scores are still valid, then you do not need to resubmit them with your current application. If your test scores have expired as of the new application deadline, you need to retake the exam and submit those new scores.

CVN is the graduate distance learning program of Columbia University’s School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS). CVN enables students globally to pursue residency-free, fully accredited engineering courses and degree programs completely via the Internet, allowing students to view their lectures anytime and anywhere.

If you are interested in the distance learning program, please visit their website here.

It is not possible to transfer between the in-person and CVN CS MS within the first semester. Students who have successfully completed at least one semester and are deemed to be making good academic progress can apply for a one-time transfer. This will be reviewed both by the CS department and CVN.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is currently optional. If you have taken the exam and would like to provide your scores, you may, but it is not required. Students who do not submit scores will not be penalized in the graduate admissions review process.

We expect the GRE to be required again in the future for the CS@CU MS Bridge Program in Computer Science. Please see the SEAS application requirements online here.

No, we do not have a minimum GRE score required for admission; however, the average GRE scores of admitted Bridge students are:

Average GRE Q: 161
Average GRE A: 4
Average GRE V: 159

We anticipate that applicants to the CS@CU MS Bridge program will come to us with a variety of different backgrounds. The GRE will help, along with the rest of your application, to identify your strengths and areas in which the program can benefit you.

Use the Columbia University code 2111. It is not necessary to enter the department code.

Please have your official GRE and TOEFL scores sent to us directly by ETS, using the Columbia University institutional code 2111. It is not necessary to enter the department code.

For IELTS scores, enter your TRF number on the application for admission. Our office downloads IELTS scores that have been transmitted to our e-download account. Please contact your test center and​ request that your scores be sent to ​the IELTS e-download account. You may select Columbia Engineering by searching for Columbia University under “List of Organizations subscribing to the E-TRF Query” and then selecting “The Fu Foundation School.” We will not accept paper IELTS test report forms.

Please refer to the SEAS Standardized Test Scores FAQ for more information on this process. For follow-up inquiries, we encourage you to contact seasgradmit@columbia.edu directly.

Please refer to the SEAS Standardized Test Scores FAQ for more information on this process. For follow-up inquiries, we encourage you to contact seasgradmit@columbia.edu directly.

No, for the Internet-based TOEFL test, we recommend a total score of 101. For IELTS, 7 is the recommended score for admission. These are not strict cutoffs; we will, of course, consider applicants with other scores.

Eligible applicants are welcome to apply for an application fee waiver. Application fee waivers may be available for students who meet certain criteria including, U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently enrolled in a U.S. School with financial need, U.S. Military personnel/veterans, and students who participate in special programs (listed on the waiver form). To apply follow the steps in the order listed below:

1. Create an online application account to begin to apply for admission and complete the program selection page.

2. Complete and submit the Application Fee Waiver Request Form with the required documentation.- https://apply.engineering.columbia.edu/register/feewaiverform

Tuition rates are set by the University and updated each summer. Tuition and fees are posted online here. 

Domestic students and those without visa restrictions may pursue the CS MS part-time – there is a maximum of 5 years to complete the degree.

Doctoral degree students are expected to be on campus full-time.

Bridge students study part-time but may take a full-time courseload if they choose to.

Course availability changes by semester. Please refer to the Directory of Classes for the current semester and examples of previous semester schedules.