Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is an undergraduate and graduate institution whose principal commitment is to provide a comprehensive educational opportunity in the arts, communications, and public information within a context of enlightened liberal education. Columbia’s intent is to educate students who will communicate creatively and shape the public’s perceptions of issues and events and who will author the culture of their times. Columbia is an urban institution whose students reflect the economic, racial, cultural, and educational diversity of contemporary America. Columbia conducts education in close relationship to a vital urban reality and serves an important civic purpose by active engagement in the life and culture of the city of Chicago.
Accepts first-year applicationsMidwestPrivateUrbanMedium (2,001 to 14,999)Co-Ed
Academic programs
- Design
- Science
- Technology
- Liberal Arts
- Business
- Communication
- Music
- Art & Design
- Performing Arts
- Visual Arts
- Architecture
Student experience
- Co-op/Internship Opportunities
- Disability Services
- Intramural/Club Sports
- LGBTQIA Services
- Military/Veteran Services
- Night Class Offerings
- On-Campus Housing
- Study Abroad
- Undergraduate Research
- Veteran Fee Waiver
Application information
First-year
Apply as a freshman student if you’ve completed or expect to have completed high school, home school, or a GED and have not enrolled in coursework at a post-secondary college or university. This excludes dual enrollments, courses taken at Columbia College Chicago, and/or any post-secondary enrollment during the summer immediately following secondary school graduation or GED completion.
Transfer
Columbia does not accept transfer applications via the Common App. If you fit the description below, please visit colum.edu/transfer for information on how to apply.
Apply as a transfer student if you’ve completed high school, home school, or a GED and have enrolled in at least one credit hour at a post-secondary college or university. This excludes dual enrollments, courses taken at Columbia College Chicago, and/or any post-secondary enrollment during the summer immediately following secondary school graduation or GED completion.
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Additional information
Columbia offers scholarships in four categories: academic merit, financial need, portfolio/audition, and campus visit.
All admitted students are automatically considered for scholarships based on academic merit.
All admitted students who submit a FAFSA or alternative application are automatically considered for scholarships based on financial need.
All admitted students who submit a portfolio or audition that meets the guidelines for their intended major will automatically be considered for scholarships based on portfolio/audition. See colum.edu/fra for full details.
Students who attend specific events on campus are eligible for the Columbia Visit Scholarship of $2,000 per year or up to $8,000 over our years. See colum.edu/visit for more.
Please reach out to an admissions representative for a full discussion of financial resources that could be available to you at Columbia.
All admitted students are automatically considered for scholarships based on academic merit.
All admitted students who submit a FAFSA or alternative application are automatically considered for scholarships based on financial need.
All admitted students who submit a portfolio or audition that meets the guidelines for their intended major will automatically be considered for scholarships based on portfolio/audition. See colum.edu/fra for full details.
Students who attend specific events on campus are eligible for the Columbia Visit Scholarship of $2,000 per year or up to $8,000 over our years. See colum.edu/visit for more.
Please reach out to an admissions representative for a full discussion of financial resources that could be available to you at Columbia.
Visit us
We'd love for you to see Columbia College Chicago for yourself. You'll find complete information on campus visit and virtual visit opportunities including tours and counselor appointments at colum.edu/visit and colum.edu/virtual.
Attendees at specific campus events are eligible for the Columbia Visit Scholarship of $2,000 per year or up to $8,000 over four years.
Attendees at specific campus events are eligible for the Columbia Visit Scholarship of $2,000 per year or up to $8,000 over four years.
"I chose Columbia because it's a school that allows me to express myself. It gives a lot of space for students to be creative."