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• Directory of University Resources

Student Services

University Housing

Undergraduate Housing

The residence halls are an important focus for campus life outside the classroom, with the University housing over 95 percent of the undergraduate population in residence halls on or near the campus. A trained Residential Programs staff lives with the students in the halls. They work to create an atmosphere conducive to educational pursuits and the development of community among the diverse student body. Throughout the year the Residential Programs staff presents programs in the residence halls and off campus that are both social and educational.

Columbia guarantees housing for all undergraduate students (except transfers) who have filed their intent to reside on campus by the stated deadline and who have continuously registered as full-time students. Each spring, continuing students participate in a room-selection process to select their accommodations for the next academic year. Students who take an unauthorized leave of absence are placed on the nonguaranteed wait list upon their return and are on the wait list for each subsequent year.

A variety of residence hall accommodations are available to Columbia students. Carman, John Jay, Wien, Furnald, McBain, Schapiro, and Broadway Residence Hall are traditional corridor-style residence halls, and all but Wien, John Jay, and Carman have kitchens on each floor. East Campus, 47 Claremont, Hartley-Wallach Living Learning Center, Hogan, River, Ruggles, 600 West 113th Street, Watt, and Woodbridge offer suite-style living, and all have kitchens. All residence hall rooms are either single or double. Single and double rooms are available in all halls except Carman, which has only doubles, and Hogan, which is all singles.

The residence halls are also home to a variety of Special Interest Communities. These communities provide an opportunity for students with a common interest to live together and develop programs in their area of interest. The themes may vary from year to year. The current communities include Casa Latina, Metta House, Pan African House, Community Health House, The Symposium House, and others. First-year students are not eligible to live in Special Interest Communities but are welcome to attend events.

Upper-class Columbia students also have the option of living in certain Barnard College halls. Rooms in Barnard and Columbia halls are chosen by a room selection process, which takes place each spring.

For more information, please visit the housing Web site at www. columbia.edu/cu/housing.

Graduate Housing

Graduate students have a number of housing opportunities in the Morningside Heights neighborhood. The three main sources are University Apartment Housing (UAH), International House, and off-campus listings. UAH operates Columbia-owned apartments and dormitory-style suites in the Morningside area within walking distance of the campus. For further information, see UAH’s Web site at www.columbia.edu/cu/ire. International House, a privately owned student residence near the campus, has accommodations for about five hundred graduate students, both international and American, who attend various area colleges and universities. It provides a supportive and cross-cultural environment with many activities and resources, and it is conveniently located two blocks from the Engineering building. For more information, write or call: International House, 500 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10027; 212-316-8400; or check their Web site at www.ihouse-nyc.org.

There are also a number of off-campus housing opportunities. The University operates Off-Campus Housing Assis-tance (OCHA), which lists rooms and apartments in rental properties not owned or operated by the University. Only students with a valid ID or admission acceptance letter are permitted to use the facility. OCHA is open throughout the winter and summer vacation periods except academic holidays. Students should call 212-854-2773 for office hours. OCHA also operates a Web page at www.columbia.edu/ cu/ire/ocha. There is also a list of alternative housing opportunities maintained by the Office of Graduate Student Services in 524 S. W. Mudd. Students are sent the Alternative Housing flyer in their orientation packets.

UAH applications are sent along with acceptance packets from the Office of Graduate Student Services. They are also available in the Office of Graduate Student Services and the UAH Office. You can also seek additional information on the Columbia Students Page: www.columbia.edu/cu/students. Graduate housing through UAH is processed for the fall and spring terms only. Summer sublets are also available through individual referrals. The UAH Office maintains an active listing for those interested.

Due to the growing demand for housing, graduate housing is no longer guaranteed, but every effort is made to accommodate you. It is critical that you submit your housing application as soon as possible and that you follow the instructions in your acceptance packet. Housing applications received after the set date are not guaranteed housing. The order of priority for selection is: graduate fellowship recipients, Zone 1 students (those who live further than 250 miles from campus), and then Zone 2 students (those who live between fifty and 250 miles from campus). All continuing students and applications from Zone 3 areas (within fifty miles) are automatically placed on a waiting list.

UAH-approved students can begin viewing apartments and moving in during the last week of August for the fall term, and early January for the spring term. Students will be properly notified of Graduate Orientation and Registration, which are generally held the week before the first day of class. If a student needs to move in earlier, proper documentation from the department in support of the request is necessary.

Dining Services

First-Year Students

All first-year students in residence are required to enroll in one of four dining plans, ranging from 210 meals and 150 Columbia Dining Dollars per term to 115 meals and 500 Dining Dollars per term. The meal plans are transacted through Columbia’s ID Card, called the Columbia Card, which serves as a convenient way to enjoy dining all over campus without carrying cash.

Meals

The meals portion of your dining plan enables you to help yourself to unlimited servings of food served buffet-style in John Jay Dining Hall. Brunch and dinner are served Monday through Sunday, while breakfast is served Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Dining Dollars

In addition to meals, Dining Dollars comprise the other portion of your first-year dining plan. Each Dining Dollar is equal to one dollar and operates as a declining balance account, much like a debit card.

Columbia Dining Services maintains fourteen dining facilities conveniently located on campus. Each of the locations, except Uris Deli, accepts Dining Dollars, an alternative to cash payment that is accessed by your Columbia Card (your student ID card).

With Dining Dollars, you will enjoy the ease and flexibility of cashless transactions. You will also enjoy the savings of sales tax on all food purchases each time you dine. Dining Dollars will roll over from year to year until you graduate.

Upper-Class and Graduate Students

Many upper-class and graduate students who dine on campus open a Dining Dollars account; however, some choose to enroll in an upper class/graduate student meal plan.

Dining Services offers four plans—150 meals per term, 75 meals per term, 45 meals per term, or 30 meals per term. All plans are accessed by the Columbia Card and can be used for meals in John Jay Dining Hall for brunch and dinner.

Kosher Dining Plan

Locations/Menus/Hours

Health Services and Insurance

Contact Health Services at Columbia

On-Campus Emergency Resources

Off-Campus Emergency Resources

Your Health at Columbia

Columbia students have access to comprehensive health care through a network of on- and off-campus services. On-campus medical and counseling appointments are covered through the Health Service Program. Off-campus medical services, such as emergency room visits or prescriptions, are covered through a student’s insurance plan. Columbia requires all full-time and residential students to enroll in both the Health Service Program and an acceptable insurance plan. To meet the insurance requirement, students may enroll in the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan or provide proof of comparable insurance coverage.

Health Service Program covers on-campus services, including routine and urgent medical appointments, short-term mental health counseling, disability services, educational programs, and sexual violence services. The Health Service Program also provides supplemental coverage for emergency health care, outpatient chemical dependency treatment, and outpatient mental health care. The Health Service Program is mandatory for all full-time students, and the fee will automatically appear on students’ E-bill. Students pay no additional charge for accessing on-campus services, except for immunizations and travel assessments.

Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan covers off-campus medical services. The plan has two levels: Comprehensive and Basic. All full-time students are automatically enrolled in and billed for the Basic insurance plan, but may upgrade to the Comprehensive plan online. Students may submit a request to waive the insurance requirement online by providing proof of comparable insurance coverage (alternate plans must meet Columbia’s criteria for comparable coverage, available online). The Columbia Plan includes local, national, and worldwide health coverage, and discounts on dental and vision care.

Part-time students are encouraged to enroll in the Columbia Plan. Enrolling in the Columbia Plan will automatically enroll students in the Health Service Program, as the two plans are meant to work together to provide comprehensive medical care.

Immunization Requirements All students must fulfill two New York State public health immunization requirements before registering for classes. Students must document immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and make an informed decision about receiving the meningitis vaccine. The Columbia MMR documentation form is available online—complete the form, then mail, fax, or bring it to the Immunization Office. Students record their meningitis decision online. Directions for completing each requirement are available at our Web site.

Insurance and Immunization Questions