FAQs

We offer programs across the fields of education, health, and psychology. To view our different programs, please visit our Programs Search page. You may search based on area of interest, department, or keyword. Click “Admission Information” to review a program's application requirements and deadlines, or visit the program’s website for details about faculty, courses, and outcomes.

You may view the most up-to-date Teachers College Academic Catalog online.

Please fill out an inquiry form to receive information about TC, or email us at admission@tc.columbia.edu with questions.

You are encouraged to first contact the Office of Admission. Each faculty member at Teachers College has a different degree of availability to communicate with prospective students, but the Office of Admission can facilitate initial communication based on your program(s) of interest.

Each academic department at Teachers College has admission representatives to guide prospective students through the application process. You can find each department's admission inbox here.

Visit our Programs Search page and search for your program. The department in which it is housed will be listed on the top of the program information card.

To learn more about financial aid at TC, you may visit the Financial Aid website. We recommend reviewing their extensive FAQs for the most up-to-date information. You may contact the Office of Financial Aid with specific questions. 

We offer on-campus and virtual tours. Please check our schedule to confirm availability and register to attend for either offering. If you're unable to join us for one of our organized tours, please feel free to view a recorded session.

Class observation opportunities can be challenging to schedule and are typically not allowed at TC. Please contact your program of interest directly to see if this may be possible.

Visit the Teachers College Events Calendar and filter for “General Public.” 

You can visit the Academic Program Events section of our Events page to view current program offerings. Academic Program Information Sessions are typically scheduled in the Fall.

Yes! We offer virtual information sessions, virtual tours, academic webinars, workshops on crafting an application, and virtual sessions highlighting various aspects of student life at Teachers College. You can view our upcoming online events here or view a previously recorded session.

While the majority of our programs are on-campus or virtual, TC does travel to some graduate fairs across the country. Check out our Events page for more information.

The length of time to degree completion varies by program, degree, credit requirements, fieldwork or internship requirements, and whether or not students are pursuing their degrees on a part-time or full-time basis. In general, with a full-time course load, a 32-credit M.A. program may be completed in one calendar year and a 60 credit Ed.M. in two calendar years. The length of time to complete a doctoral program can range from four to seven years. Factors determining length of study of a doctoral program include the number of previous graduate credits transferred into the program and the nature of student's research and dissertation.

The majority of TC's programs must be completed through in-person courses, although there are a few options for fully online and hybrid programs.  Please check the course schedule to confirm if a course is taught online. In addition, TC offers exclusively online degree and certificate programs. Please consult our Online Learning page for more information.

Yes. Many classes at Teachers College can be taken in one of our two summer sessions. Please consult the course schedule to see if your desired courses are available in the summer.

This may vary by program. While the majority of classes are held in the evenings, there may be programs that require daytime classes. Please visit our Course Schedule Search page to review class schedules based on your program of interest.

Many programs at TC allow for part-time study but there are some that require full-time study. Please consult your program’s website to learn more about whether or not your program requires full-time study. Full-time study at TC is the equivalent of taking (at least) 9 points/credits within a given semester.

Students who require visa sponsorship in order to attend TC will be required to maintain full-time status, depending on the requirements of their visa. For more information, please consult the Office of International Students and Scholars website.

The Master of Arts requires the completion of a minimum of 30 points. The Master of Education requires a minimum of 60 points to complete the degree.

Depending on the academic program, the Ed.M. degree can sometimes be considered an advanced master’s degree, and applicants will often have professional experience and/or a previously completed master’s degree before applying.

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree emphasizes broad preparation for advanced professional responsibilities through a program based upon extensive study in a specialized branch of the field of education or in an area of instruction. The Ed.D. usually requires a minimum of 75 points to complete the program. Please confirm on your program’s website how many credits are necessary to complete the degree.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree emphasizes research and intensive specialization in an area of scholarship and is offered in selected fields of study at Teachers College. The Ph.D. usually requires a minimum of 75 points to complete the program.  However, there are some programs, such as the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, that require a minimum of 95 points to complete the program. Please confirm on your program’s website how many credits are necessary to complete the degree.

Transfer credit is awarded at the discretion of TC’s Transfer Credit Coordinator and the student’s faculty advisor after admission and enrollment in a program. Visit the Transfer Credit Website for additional information, including the maximum number of credits that can be transferred in each degree. Please note that you must be accepted and enrolled in TC before your transfer credits may be evaluated. At that time, you can fill out a transfer credit application. Contact tctransfer@tc.columbia.edu for any questions.

No, undergraduate credits may not be transferred for graduate credit.

Yes. Matriculated degree students may cross-register for courses (that allow out-of-program students to enroll) in any graduate division at Columbia University, Union Theological Seminary, and Jewish Theological Seminary. Consultation with your departmental adviser is required prior to cross-registering.

Yes, students may register for courses without being admitted to a degree program. They must first submit a Non-Degree Application. Admission to a non-degree program does not guarantee admission to a degree-granting program in the future. Non-degree students may take up to 16 credits in total. Only 8 of these credits may be credited toward the minimum requirements in the major field if admitted to a degree-program. For more information about applying for non-degree status, visit the Non-Degree Instructions page.

Students may not be enrolled concurrently in two different institutions and may not be in two different degree programs or areas of specializations at Teachers College or Columbia University. More information on the College's degree requirements can be found here.

You may apply to Teachers College online. This is the only application method.

Applicants may only have one active application at a time, and may only apply to one degree program per cycle. Please note that not all programs or degree levels are available for all entry terms. Applicants may only apply for one available entry term for their program or degree level of interest.

We practice a holistic review process at Teachers College, meaning our programs do not employ specific GPA minimum requirements. Instead, we are interested in balancing all components of an application equitably to understand why you may be the best candidate for this program at our institution.

The application fee is $75. This fee is non-refundable.

Teachers College, Columbia University is a proud Yellow Ribbon School and we provide application fee waivers for U.S. Veterans.

We also offer application fee waivers to applicants who were formerly Pell eligible as well as full-time Teachers College employees and those who have participated in specific organizations affiliated with Teachers College (see the FAQ below for a listing of affiliated organizations). In order to obtain a waiver on this basis, you will be asked to indicate on your application that you are/have been a part of one of these organizations and provide the dates of participation. Please note that if you indicate membership in an affiliate organization, we reserve the right to contact the organization to confirm participation.

If the non-refundable application fee poses a financial hardship, a request for an application fee waiver can be submitted for review. Application fee waiver requests may only be submitted after an application for the current cycle has been started. Once your application for admission has been created, email admission@tc.columbia.edu with “Application Fee Waiver Request” in the subject line. Please note that you will be asked to provide supporting financial documentation demonstrating your need as part of your request for application fee waiver consideration. Teachers College is unable to refund any paid application fees, so we ask that you do not submit any payment until you receive a response pertaining to your waiver request.

Please note that all application fee waivers are subject to approval by the Office of Admission and if approved, are only valid for the current application cycle.

We offer application fee waivers to applicants who are either an alum or a current participant in one of the following organizations:

• AmeriCorps
• Científico Latino Graduate School Mentorship Initiative (GSMI)
• City Teaching Alliance
• City Year
• Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) or similar state-supported program outside of New York State
• Fulbright
• Gates Millennium Scholars
• Graduate Horizons
• Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) or similar state-supported program outside of New York State
• Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)
• KIPP Student
• McNair Scholars Program
• NY Men Teach
• Peace Corps
• Posse Foundation
• Project 1000
• Student Support Services
• Talent Search
• Teach for All
• Teach for America
• Teaching Fellows Program of NYC
• Upward Bound (Upward Bound Math-Science, Veteran Upward Bound)
• World Teach

Applicants who have previously applied to Teachers College and now wish to re-apply may do so by submitting a new application for admission. While this application provides applicants the opportunity to use recommendations that were submitted as part of a previous application in the past three years, they are encouraged to consider whether it may be more appropriate to have different recommendations submitted, depending on the time elapsed or any differences in program.

Within a seven year timeframe, applicants may apply to the same program a maximum of three times without gaining admission. Following the third denial decision, and prior to the expiration of the seven year timeframe, any applications to TC created by the same applicant will be withdrawn by the Office of Admission.

Your TC ID number is a unique eight-digit code that you will receive after submitting your application. This number should be used when submitting materials to the College or when contacting us with questions about your status as a student.

If you are a prospective student, you may notify your program department's admission contact to update your records. If you are a current student, you may complete the Change of Name form with TC’s Office of the Registrar.

Yes. If you are a DACA recipient or undocumented student, you may be considered for Teachers College institutional aid. Citizenship is not considered in the scholarship process or in the amount of aid for which a student is eligible. 

DACA recipients and undocumented students are not eligible to apply for federal aid.

The Priority Deadline is the deadline by which we recommend submitting an application in order to guarantee best consideration for both admission and scholarship funding.

If your program offers rolling admission, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as rolling programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met. Programs with rolling admission officially close their Summer applications on June 1 and Fall applications on July 1.

In general, we strongly encourage students to apply by their program’s Priority Deadline to ensure they will be reviewed and will be eligible for scholarship consideration.

Yes. In order to provide enough time for visa processing, applicants who will require a student visa to attend Teachers College must submit their application by the deadlines below. Please note that many programs accepting applications for Summer/Fall have Priority or Final application deadlines that precede these dates. If your program has an earlier deadline than what is listed below, you must abide by the program deadline. Visit the Programs Search page to confirm the application deadline for your intended program.

• Spring: October 15
• Summer: February 1
• Fall: June 1

Our deadlines are received-by deadlines, which means that all required items must be submitted and received by the deadline at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). If any items are missing once the deadline has passed, we cannot guarantee that an applicant will be reviewed.

The statement of purpose should be two to three pages double-spaced.

At Teachers College, our mission is to empower committed learners and leaders to build a smarter, healthier, more just and equitable world. We strive to establish an institution of diverse students from all backgrounds dedicated to multidisciplinary knowledge creation, policy engagement, and practice innovations across education, psychology, and health.

The three prompts we advise applicants to keep in mind when writing their statement of purpose are:

• Why you?
• Why now?
• Why TC?

We encourage applicants to share how they believe their specific strengths, lived experiences, and future goals make Teachers College the right fit, and how they believe these will positively contribute to the Teachers College community and the world beyond. Be as specific as possible when writing your statement. Do research on the College and the specific program by looking at the program's website. The more clarity you can provide about your decision to apply, the better.

Please note that some programs will include program-specific prompts for the statement of purpose. Be sure to read the instructions on the statement of purpose section of the application carefully.

There is no specific page limit or format required for your resume/CV.

Your resume should be a standard professional resume - a chronological listing of your employment & educational history, academic endeavors, as well as research, volunteer & leadership experiences.

Recommendations should ideally be provided by individuals who have supervised you in an academic, professional, or community service setting. Personal recommendations (recommendations provided by friends or family members) are not acceptable. 

The choice of academic versus professional recommendations will vary depending on your personal situation. The recommendation letters should be reflective of your most current accomplishments. If you have not been enrolled in school for several years, you should utilize professional recommendations. If you recently graduated from college or are applying to a doctoral degree, you should utilize academic recommendations if possible. However, the recommenders should be those that can best speak on your ability to succeed in graduate school. The quality of the recommendation should not be sacrificed in order to provide a certain “type” of recommendation (professional or academic).

Please be sure to visit the Programs Search page to review your program-specific recommendation letter requirements, as some programs may specify the requirement or preference of an academic or professional reference.

Yes, the Office of Admission requires that recommendations be submitted online directly to your application via a unique recommendation letter link. The application will ask you to provide a professional email address for each of your recommenders, and our system will then send an automatic email with instructions to each of your recommenders so they can submit their letters through our system. It is suggested that you reach out to them to confirm they have received this email. If they have any trouble receiving our email or accessing the submission link, contact us at admission@tc.columbia.edu, and we will ensure your recommender is able to submit their letter. Applicants may NOT submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of the author of the letter.

All letters of recommendation should be uploaded by the recommender using professional letterhead and the recommender's professional email address. Failure to follow this protocol may result in delays in application processing.

Recommendation letters should be submitted online. Only electronic letters of recommendation can be tracked by logging into the TC Pathway Portal. If, for some reason, a recommender cannot utilize the online recommendation system, they may contact admission@columbia.tc.edu for further steps.

As with the rest of your application materials, letters of recommendation are due by the program deadline. It is encouraged to be in touch with your recommenders to ensure they are aware of your program’s deadline.

No, the maximum number of recommendations you may submit is three. Teachers College requires two letters of recommendation, although some programs may require an additional letter, or a letter from a specific source. Refer to the Programs Search page to find the required number of recommendations for your specific program. If your desired program requires two, you are welcome to submit a third letter as well, however, your application will be considered incomplete if all three letters are not received by the deadline.

Yes. Within the application, you must list all accredited postsecondary institutions where you obtained academic credit. This includes all undergraduate and graduate academic institutions, community colleges, and study abroad programs. If you attended an institution in the United States, you will have the option to upload a scanned copy of your transcript to allow for faster application processing. Transcripts uploaded by the applicant are considered unofficial. If you are admitted and choose to enroll, you will be required to have final, official transcripts submitted directly to the Teachers College Office of Admission by the Registrar at the issuing institution. 

Uploaded transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework completed must include the following information: full course titles, number of credits, final grades, a key/legend of grades, and a degree conferral date, if available.

If you have earned a degree from an institution outside of the United States (excluding study-abroad experiences), you are required to have official transcripts submitted to either World Education Services or Educational Credential Evaluators for a course-by-course evaluation. There are specific details for this process in our application instructions.

An “unofficial” transcript is a copy of a transcript issued by the institution’s Registrar. It must include the key or legend of grades, which is usually the reverse side of a paper transcript. Transcripts downloaded from a student portal are not acceptable.

An “official” transcript is submitted directly to Teachers College by the Office of the Registrar (or equivalent office) of the issuing institutions.

If your institution provides official electronic transcripts, you may have these transcripts emailed to transcripts@tc.columbia.edu. If the institution uses Parchment, please select the "In-Network" option to find Teachers College and submit your transcripts. For National Student Clearinghouse, in the Recipient section, please search for and select "Teachers College Columbia University". 

If your institution does not provide official electronic transcripts, please have your institution mail your official paper transcript to the following address:

You must submit a transcript from each institution attended for academic credit for any period of time. Each transcript must include the following information: full course titles, number of credits, final grades, a key/legend of grades, and a degree conferral date, if available. You must submit separate transcripts from study-abroad programs and any transfer credit received (including college level credit earned in high school) if the full course titles, number of credits, and final grades are not listed on your home institution's transcript.

You are welcome to upload your TC transcript to the application, but you do not have to do so. When you list Teachers College as one of the institutions you have attended, our team will add your official TC transcript during application processing.

If the full course titles, number of credits, and final grades appear on your home institution's transcript, you do not need to submit a separate transcript from your study-abroad institution. If your home institution’s transcript is missing even one of these components, you must submit a separate transcript from your study-abroad institution. If no degree was conferred from the international institution you attended, a WES/ECE course-by-course evaluation is not required.

Applicants who have completed, or are completing, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees at institutions outside of the United States are required to submit a course-by-course translation and evaluation. Teachers College will accept course-by-course evaluations from the following servicers:

• World Education Services (WES)
• Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

Please note this requirement does not pertain to students from the United States who have spent a semester or year abroad, often referred to as "study abroad."

Applications are not considered complete without a course-by-course evaluation. The determination of equivalency to a U.S. degree is at the discretion of the College.

Please read our application instructions for more information.

Educational Testing Services (ETS) stipulates that GRE and GMAT scores are only valid for five years, and TOEFL scores are only valid for two years. ETS will not forward expired scores to our office, and unofficial scores provided by an applicant will not be accepted for admission. The score reporting school code for TC is 2905, and the department code should be left blank.

The GRE is not required for every program. Please consult the Programs Search page to determine if your program requires these scores. If the GRE is required, it will be listed under Supplemental Requirements. GRE scores are valid for five years, and only official scores sent from ETS will be accepted.

If you received your baccalaureate (undergraduate) degree from an institution where English is not the sole official language of instruction, you must submit official scores, no more than two years old, from an accepted English proficiency exam. We accept the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Applied Linguistics should review additional requirements on the program website.

If you have not earned an undergraduate degree at an institution where English was the sole official language of instruction, but you have successfully completed a graduate degree at a school that meets this criteria, you are not required to submit official results from an accepted English proficiency exam. If you meet these conditions, in order to qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS exam waiver, evidence of your conferred graduate degree must be displayed on the relevant academic transcript or course-by-course evaluation.

If you believe you qualify for an English proficiency exam waiver, but your application checklist is still showing a TOEFL/IELTS requirement, please reach out to us at admission@tc.columbia.edu and we will assist you.

The minimum score requirements are:

• TOEFL: 100 internet based (IBT)
• IELTS: 7.0

Note: The programs in Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Applied Linguistics have different minimum score requirements. Please refer to the TESOL/Applied Linguistics website for details.

If you have taken the TOEFL exam multiple times and your MyBest Score meets our minimum score requirement, please order an official score report that reflects your MyBest Score to be sent to Teachers College. Then, contact the Office of Admission at admission@tc.columbia.edu to ensure that your MyBest Score is reflected in your application. We do not require individual score reports if a MyBest Score is submitted.

TC's institution code is 2905. Leave the department code blank.

If you have not earned an undergraduate degree at an institution where English was the sole official language of instruction, but you have successfully completed a graduate degree at a school that meets this criteria, you are not required to submit official results from an accepted English proficiency exam. If you meet these conditions, in order to qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS exam waiver, evidence of your conferred graduate degree must be displayed on the relevant academic transcript or course-by-course evaluation.

If you believe you qualify for an English proficiency exam waiver, but your application checklist is still showing a TOEFL/IELTS requirement, please reach out to us at admission@tc.columbia.edu and we will assist you.

Regardless of language of instruction, all previous international transcripts must be evaluated. Applicants who have completed, or are completing, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees at institutions outside of the United States are required to submit a course-by-course translation and evaluation sent directly by one of our approved servicers, World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).

Some programs require submission of an Academic Writing Sample. The purpose of the Academic Writing Sample is to demonstrate your scholarly thinking, writing skills, and ability to conduct research and synthesize information. Examples of appropriate writing samples include, but are not limited to: undergraduate/graduate theses, research papers, or literature reviews.

Please consult the instructions in the online application for your program’s specific requirements for length and content of the Academic Writing Sample. If your writing sample exceeds the stated page range, please select an excerpt, as anything beyond the limit may not be reviewed. Unless specifically noted, the Academic Writing Sample does not have to be related to the field of study to which you are applying, however, relevance to the program may be beneficial to your application.

All writing samples must be in English and must be your original work. Co-authored papers are not acceptable for this requirement.

Some programs require a response to a specific topic essay, separate from the Statement of Purpose. You will find the instructions for your program’s topic essay in the online application. Please read the instructions carefully and be sure to follow page and word limits, as anything beyond the limit may not be reviewed. Please reach out to your program’s admission representatives if you have any questions.

Some programs may require submission of a video essay for admission consideration. Please reference our Programs Search page to confirm whether this is a requirement for your program.

For select programs, the video essay requires a response to program-specific prompt(s) for all applicants. For other programs, non-native English speakers are required to submit a short video response to a designated question to demonstrate satisfactory English language proficiency. If a video essay is required for your application, you will find specific guidance on the Video Essay Instructions section of the application.

If a video essay is required for your application, this requirement cannot be waived under any circumstances. Applications missing the required video essay will not be reviewed.

Some programs will invite applicants to a virtual or in-person interview. Should an interview be required, you will be contacted with more information. If you would like to inquire about whether your program requires an interview, please contact your program’s admission representatives.

Some programs which lead to more advanced or extension certifications require that applicants already hold or be eligible to apply for NYS Initial Certification, due to state certification requirements. For these programs, applicants must provide evidence of certification within the online application.

In order to be eligible for a program which leads to Professional Certification, applicants must hold or be eligible to apply for Initial Certification in NYS. If you will not meet this requirement by the start of your intended enrollment at Teachers College, you should apply to a program which leads to Initial Certification.

In general, we do not offer enrollment deposit fee waivers. This nonrefundable payment is required following admission to a program should you wish to enroll and is applied to your first term tuition bill. However, special groups such as currently enrolled Teachers College degree students and active-duty U.S. service members, reservists, or veterans will receive a waiver. Please reach out to the Office of Admission for more information.

Once you have submitted your online application, you can check the status of your application by logging into your application account and viewing your TC Pathway Portal. There, you will find a checklist where you can see which application items we have received, and which (if any) are still missing. Please reach out to admission@tc.columbia.edu with any questions about missing requirements.

The Office of Admission sends official admission decision notifications electronically. Once a decision has been made on your application, you will receive an email with instructions for viewing your decision, which will be available on your TC Pathway Portal.

These are estimated dates for decision notification based on past application review cycles. The Admission Committee may not be able to provide decisions in the timeframe listed below. 

• Spring Applicants: Applicants who submit completed applications for the Spring term typically receive decisions by early to mid-December.
• Priority Deadline: Applicants that meet the priority deadline for Summer or Fall programs typically receive a decision in mid-March.
• Final Deadline: Applicants that meet the final deadline for Summer or Fall programs can expect to receive an admission decision toward the end of May.
• Rolling Deadline: Applicants applying to a program with a rolling deadline typically receive an admission decision within six to eight weeks of completing their applications. 

Deferral requests are received by the Office of Admission but are rarely granted. Deferrals are only available to students admitted for summer or fall entry (deferrals are not available for those admitted for spring entry). Deferral requests may be for no more than one year from a student’s initial term of entry. Students cannot be deferred to an entry term that their program does not offer admission for (i.e. if one’s program only admits for fall entry, a student may not request to begin in the spring or summer). To request a deferral, an admitted student will need to submit a Deferral Request Form to the Office of Admission. The deadline to submit this form for consideration is the student’s enrollment response deadline indicated within their formal admission decision letter. Approved deferrals require a $300 enrollment deposit and an additional $300 deferral deposit ($600 total); these deposits are non-refundable but will be applied toward the first term tuition bill.

Refer to our Programs Search page and click on the Certifications dropdown menu to navigate the variety of programs offering certification options.

The non-certification tracks in teacher education at TC are intended for students who have already earned certification, as well as students who plan to work exclusively in private and independent schools or outside of the United States. This degree track can also be appropriate for individuals planning to work in and around education, but not necessarily in teacher roles.

If you wish to become certified in New York, you should confer with the New York State Department of Education to determine if/how your out-of-state certification may transfer to New York State: tcert@mail.nysed.gov. Based on the information they provide, you may consult with the Office of Admission about the most appropriate degree track at TC.

Initial Certification: Applicants who do not currently hold any certification in the subject/content and/or grade level they would like to teach must apply to an initial certification program. Initial certifications will eventually lead to professional certifications, providing that, after obtaining initial certification, the student follows New York State regulations for obtaining the professional certification. If applicants have not yet completed a teacher preparation program and/or obtained certification, they must apply to an initial certification program.

Professional Certification: Professional certification programs are designed for students who already hold initial certification in the respective subject/content and/or grade level and would like to obtain the advanced level certification. These students either completed a teacher preparation program and obtained initial certification at the undergraduate level or have completed an alternative path to certification. Please note that some professional certification programs are available to applicants who have professional experience in the field, but who do not hold or are not seeking certification.

New York State has reciprocity with most other states. Since these reciprocity agreements vary from state to state, TC recommends that you contact the Department of Education in the state where you would like to eventually teach to learn more details about their individual requirements.

We strongly encourage students to explore the Teachers College Office of Teacher Education website for more information about certification requirements and for links to helpful sites within the New York State Department of Education website. You may also contact the Office of Admission, who will direct you to the appropriate contact within your program of interest or the teacher education office, depending on the question.

TC's Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities (OASID) is dedicated to providing services and access to opportunities for individuals with both physical and learning disabilities. For more information about services and accommodations, please visit the OASID website.

The Office of International Students and Scholars is responsible for the student visa process. They also assist international students in their transition to Teachers College. For more information regarding this office and the services they provide, visit their website.

Teachers College students may utilize Columbia Health Services. The office provides medical services (urgent and routine), counseling services, and sexual violence response services.  

For more information on the dynamic array of resources and student services offered at TC, please visit the Student Affairs website.

TC does have on-campus housing, but you should apply for this housing as early as possible since it is highly competitive. If you are seeking on-campus housing, it is recommended that you submit your housing application as soon as you are offered admission. Both single student and family housing options are available at TC. Preference is given to students from outside the New York metropolitan area. Please refer to the Residential Services website for additional information.

There are many clubs and organizations that are specific to Teachers College. Our students may also join any of Columbia University’s nearly 500 clubs and organizations. Both TC and Columbia host fairs at the beginning of each year that allow students to gain more information about the organizations on campus. Stay up to date by visiting the Office of Graduate Student Life & Development website.

For more information on the many resources offered to students at TC, please visit the Student Affairs website.

Like most graduate schools, TC does not have a formal athletics program. However, Teachers College hosts several athletically focused clubs and organizations, and TC students often partner with Columbia University clubs and organizations to pursue their interests on the main campus.

The Office of Admission has a group of knowledgeable Student Ambassadors who would love to connect with you! Please note that there are 100+ programs at TC, so they may not be in the program you are interested in, but they'd be happy to answer general questions about life at TC and in New York City. To connect, please email them at tcstudent@tc.columbia.edu.