Change of Status

"Advanced Standing" refers to a student receiving academic credit for additional work completed with the following parameters:

• MS students in on-campus programs can earn Advanced Standing toward the MS degree for graduate-level coursework (4000 level or above) completed at Columbia University only. No more than 15 points of Advanced Standing can be awarded, and the coursework can not have been counted towards a previous degree, minor, or certificate program.
• Advanced Standing points must be deemed appropriate and relevant to the degree program of study, as determined by the Department or Program.
  In most cases, regardless of Advanced Standing points granted, MS students are required to complete a minimum of 15 credits while enrolled as a Columbia Engineering graduate student.
• Verification (such as transcript, degree clearance, program plan, or advisor approval) that coursework was not counted towards a previous degree (including its minors and concentrations) will be required.
• Please visit the following page to view the Change of Status forms. UNI log-in is required to view and submit.
• PhD students will earn Advanced Standing toward their degree whether their MS degree was completed within Columbia or at another institution. They can earn up to 30 points of Advanced Standing as well as up to 2 Residence Units.
• DES students will earn Advanced Standing provided they earned their master's degree outside of Columbia Engineering to reflect their prior completion of an MS program. They can earn up to 30 points of Advanced Standing. These Advanced Standing points are separate from the points the student must complete as a DES student at Columbia Engineering.

Students pursuing the MS degree may add or change concentrations for their degree program. Students may only add concentrations that are within the same department as their degree program; students cannot add concentrations to their degree programs from other departments. These requests should be submitted via the Change of Status form; students may also use this form to indicate if they would like to remove a concentration that they previously added.

All degree level changes must be requested with support from the Department and are subject to extensive review and approval by Engineering Student Affairs.

Students who wish to enroll in a different degree program from the one they were originally admitted to and are currently enrolled in must apply for admission into the new degree program via the standard admission process through the Office of Graduate Admissions. Students who wish to enroll in a different degree program from the same academic Department should consult their departmental staff.

A Leave of Absence is an authorized, temporary break from academic participation. Leave requests (as well as requests to return from leave) require approval from the student’s Department and Engineering Student Affairs. There are three types of leaves: medical, voluntary, and military.

Important considerations

• International students going on any type of leave should consult the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) to ensure they are following relevant policies and remain in good standing.
• PhD students considering taking a leave of absence should consult with their Department and Principal Investigator (PI) for guidance.
• Time spent on authorized leave does not count toward the 5-year limit that MS students have to complete their degree programs, nor toward the 7-year limit for Doctoral students.
• We recommend students return from leave in either the Fall or Spring. We recommend that students submit their request to return well in advance of their approved return semester, however, return requests are processed beginning April 1 for Fall returns and November 1 for Spring returns.
• Students should not engage in the campus community while on leave; ID cards are deactivated for the duration of the leave.
• Students on leave may not take any courses at other institutions (including other Columbia University schools) for the purposes of transferring credit back to Columbia Engineering.
• Leave limits are tied to a specific program of study; students who complete one program would be eligible for further leaves if they begin another program at Columbia Engineering.
• Depending on the leave effective date, students may be entitled to a prorated tuition refund. In most cases, students will be charged a $75 withdrawal fee and have ancillary fees remain on their account.
• Students approved for leave by the drop deadline will have their course history for the semester removed.
• Students who need to discontinue their studies for the semester after the drop deadline must consult their Department and course instructors to resolve the grading for the semester.
• Students who do not return from leave by their approved return term will be withdrawn from the school; withdrawn students must apply for readmission to rejoin the school, if eligible.

Medical Leave of Absence

• Medical leaves may only be granted to students who need time away from their studies due to health-related concerns; supporting documentation from a physician or counselor is required.
  • Students who wish to take a leave due to family members' or friends’ illness do not qualify for medical leave.
    • Students in this situation should consider a voluntary leave.
• The maximum amount of time allowed for a medical leave is two years (equivalent to four semesters). Medical leave requests are approved for one semester at a time; current documentation is required for each semester of leave. Summer terms do not count toward the time on leave.
• Students on medical leave may be eligible to remain in on-campus housing; please contact [email protected] for additional details.
• Students on medical leave may be eligible to continue participation in University-sponsored health insurance; please contact [email protected] for additional details.
• Requests to return from medical leave are made via the Engineering Student Affairs Change of Status form and must be accompanied by supporting documentation from a physician or counselor. Return requests are required despite the return term being indicated on the original leave request.
• Supporting documentation is reviewed by relevant offices, including Columbia Health, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Engineering Wellness.

Voluntary Leave of Absence

• Voluntary leaves may be granted to eligible students who require a break from their studies, e.g. due to personal reasons.
• The maximum amount of time allowed for a voluntary leave is one year (equivalent to two semesters). Summer terms do not count toward the time on leave.
• Students must have completed at least one semester and must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in order to be eligible for voluntary leave.
• Students on voluntary leave must vacate University housing.
• Students on voluntary leave are not eligible for University-sponsored health insurance.
• Requests to go on voluntary leave are made via the Student Financial Services form; students must discuss with their Department prior to submission.
• Requests to return from voluntary leave are made via the Engineering Student Affairs Change of Status form. Return requests are required despite the return term being indicated on the original leave request.

Military Leave of Absence

• Columbia Engineering follows the University’s Military Leave of Absence policy.
• Students on military leave must vacate University housing.
• Students on military leave are not eligible for University-sponsored health insurance.
• Requests to go on military leave are made via the Student Financial Services form; students must discuss with their Department prior to submission.
• Requests to return from military leave are made via the Engineering Student Affairs Change of Status form. Return requests are required despite the return term being indicated on the original leave request.

• Student was not withdrawn due to being dismissed from the school.
• Student completed at least one semester at Columbia Engineering as a graduate student prior to their withdrawal.
• Readmission return term is for the next commencing Fall or Spring term.
  • Requests for readmission cannot be submitted more than one semester in advance.
• Readmission request is received within one year of the student’s withdrawal effective date.
  • We recommend that students submit readmission requests well in advance of the return semester to allow for processing. Readmission requests are not processed until April 1 for Fall returns/November 1 for Spring returns. 

Students cannot request readmission more than one year after their withdrawal effective date; instead, they must submit a complete Admissions application to rejoin their program through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Readmission is not guaranteed and is subject to review by the Department and School’s admissions committees

Students can withdraw if they wish to permanently discontinue their program of study. Requests to withdraw are made via the Student Financial Services form; we strongly recommend students consult their Department prior to submission.

Withdrawn students may be eligible to later return to the school via the readmission process if they meet the requirements found in the relevant policy; otherwise, they can only return to the school by submitting a complete Admissions application to rejoin their program through the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Other considerations:

• Depending on the withdrawal effective date, students may be entitled to a prorated tuition refund. In most cases, students will be charged a $75 withdrawal fee and have ancillary fees remain on their account.
• Students who withdraw during a semester have their enrollment history for the term removed if their withdrawal effective date is before the drop deadline.
• Students who withdraw must vacate University housing.
• Students who withdraw, if international, must consult with the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) on visa implications.
• Students who withdraw forfeit University-sponsored insurance.

In certain circumstances, students may also complete the form if they registered erroneously and need to drop all of their semester coursework (e.g. if they are scheduled for degree conferral)

Students should petition for program extensions in the following situations:
 

1. Students who need more than the allowable time to complete their degree requirements (five years for MS students,
   seven years for Doctoral students). Note that any time spent on authorized leave does not count towards this time
   limit.
2. Students who attempted to graduate but failed to meet degree requirements.
    

Program extension requests must be accompanied by a letter of support from the student’s department and a program plan detailing the timeline and coursework needed to complete the remaining degree requirements. Program extensions are not guaranteed and are subject to review by Engineering Student Affairs, and, if applicable, the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).

Students who have been approved for the Advanced Master’s Research (AMR) specialization do not need to complete this form as their programs are automatically extended upon joining the specialization. International students participating in the AMR specialization should use their AMR approval email to request an I-20 extension with ISSO.

Degree-seeking students must maintain continuous enrollment during academic terms (Fall and Spring) at Columbia Engineering until all degree requirements are met and their degree is scheduled for conferral. Students who fail to register by the end of the Change of Program Period will be withdrawn if they have not been authorized for a leave of absence.

Withdrawn students should refer to the readmission policy for return options.

Students may request an official school letter detailing their degree program (e.g. modality of instruction, degree completion status, dates of enrollment) from Engineering Student Affairs. Students who require additional details, such as degree requirements/progress and skills verification, should consult their Department and/or specific teaching faculty.

Students may request their official transcript, academic certification, and certification of enrollment through SSOL. These documents can be provided to third parties, lenders, and insurance companies to verify enrollment, attendance, or an earned degree.

• Doctoral students must inquire with the Dissertation Office about walking early
• Please inquire with your department about eligibility requirements

Instructions and Application for Doctor of Engineering Science Graduation (PDF)

Instructions and Application for the Master of Philosophy Graduation (PDF)

Application for an MS Degree or Certificate:

• Students should complete the online Application for Degree available directly within SSOL, under the Degree Application Status tab.
• All students eligible to apply through this online Application will find a button on the bottom of the Degree Application Status page, marked “Apply for Degree or Certification.” Clicking the button will allow students to submit their Application for Degree directly to the Office of the Registrar.
• This application applies ONLY to MS. degree students.
• MPhil, PhD, and DES candidates are processed by the Dissertation Office in Low Library

For more information about degree application procedures and deadlines, please see the Registrar's website.