Housing
Deciding where to live as an undergraduate or Postbac Premed student is an important decision, one to which serious consideration should be given. New York's many and diverse neighborhoods combined with an extensive public transportation system offer a variety of housing options that are convenient to the Columbia campus.
Students reside in many different housing situations. A number of students stay in University-owned housing, many live at home, and some secure other non-University housing in the New York area.
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Columbia Housing
Undergraduate and Postbac Premed students are housed in facilities operated by Columbia Residential. Since few studio apartments are available, GS students are usually accommodated in apartments or dormitory-style suites shared by other Columbia students; typically each student has his or her own bedroom while sharing kitchen and bath facilities.
Housing Availability & Eligibility
Undergraduate and Postbac Premed students are not guaranteed University Housing. The School is allotted a limited number of spaces by Columbia Residential each semester for new assignments. Student demand for housing regularly exceeds the allotment and both new and continuing students may apply for University Housing.
University Housing is available to students, couples, and students with dependent children on a limited basis and priority is given to those students moving from great distances. Students who live within 50 miles of campus will most likely be placed on the waiting list.
Only students who are enrolled full time at GS (12 or more points per semester) may apply for University Housing. Postbac Premed students enrolled for less than 12 points are also eligible for University Housing if they are registered for at least 9 points and are simultaneously fulfilling their clinical volunteer work requirement of at least 3 hours per week and 42 hours per semester.
Housing Application Timeline
Fall Semester
- Fall 2022 Application Opens
- February 1
Fall Semester
- School Allocation Approvals Begin for Fall Housing
- March 1
Fall Semester
- Fall Housing Selection Begins for Approved Students
- April 15
Fall Semester
- School Allocation Approvals end for Fall Housing
- June 15
Fall Semester
- Fall Housing Waitlist Opens
- June 22
Fall Semester
- Last Day to Cancel a Fall Housing Offer and Receive a Refund of the Reservation Fee
- June 30
Fall Semester
- Fall Application Closes & Last Day of Fall Waitlist Housing Selection
- September 23
Fall Semester
- Last Day for Fall Move-ins
- September 30
Fall Semester
- Spring 2023 Housing Application Opens
- October 1
Spring Semester
- Application Opens
- Early October
Spring Semester
- Review Process
- Early November to Mid-December
Spring Semester
- Housing Assignments*
- Mid-November to Mid-December
Spring Semester
- Wait List Opens
- Mid-December
Spring Semester
- Wait List Closes
- Late January
*Housing assignments are made on a rolling basis as space becomes available. Students who do not receive a housing assignment will automatically be placed on the wait list.
Contact Us
If you have any questions concerning University Housing, email [email protected].
Additional Housing Information
Only students currently not in Columbia Residential need to apply and are encouraged to do so early. Housing assignments are made on a rolling basis as space becomes available.
*Note: Only students who have accepted their offer of admission, paid their deposit, and activated their UNI will be able to access the Housing Portal and apply for housing.
To apply, please follow these steps:
- Accept your offer of admission and submit your deposit
- Activate your UNI.
- Review the Types of Accommodations section of the Columbia Residential website, and review and sign the Guidelines for Sharing Columbia Residential Housing form.
- Sign-up for a My Housing Portal account.
- Complete the Columbia Residential application.
Log-in Information
Students will also need their CUID/PID in order to complete the application; the CUID/PID number begins with C00 and is available at the top of any page in SSOL.
To locate their PID, students may need to select “Show My Personal Name and Data” from the drop-down menu in the “Viewing Options” box and then click “Update View.”
The Wait List Housing Process operates after regular fall and spring housing assignments are made. Students who do not receive a housing assignment will automatically be placed on the waitlist.
Students will be notified on a rolling basis about coming off the waitlist as space becomes available. If space does become available, students have 24 hours to accept or decline the offer.
A student’s likelihood of receiving a housing offer during the waitlist process varies from year to year and depends on available units and the demand for apartments across all schools at the University.
Note: While it is possible to receive an offer for housing as part of the waitlist process, University Housing is not guaranteed and it is important for students to investigate options on the open market while managing the waitlist process.
Direct Transfer (room-to-room) requests are accepted on an ongoing basis by Columbia Residential, and must be submitted through the Housing Portal. For more information on transferring, visit Columbia Residential.
OCHA provides advice on finding rentals in non-Columbia owned buildings and maintains a website and online database of available rooms, apartments, and apartment shares in the greater metropolitan area. This service is open to all Columbia students, full- and part-time.
Office Location
419 West 119th Street
(212) 854-2773
Additional Resources
- Official website of the City of New York
- Manhattan Rental Market Report
- City-data.com: Detailed demographic information by zip code
- Areavibes.com: Crime stats listed by zip code
- Bestplaces.net: Community profiles
- Relocation Essentials: Community statistics; cost of living analysis
- New York City Affordable Housing Resource Center
- State of New York's Tenants' Rights Guide
- New York City Rent Guidelines Board
- TenantNet: Tenants' rights information
- Nolo.com: Legal advice about renters' and tenants' rights
- Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA): Maps, timetables, and service announcements for New York City Transit (buses and subways), MetroNorth, the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and NY bridges and tunnels
- New Jersey Transit (NYT): Maps, timetables, and service announcements for NJT Rail Service, NJT Bus Service and PATH service
- NYC Straphangers Campaign: Advocacy group for MTA riders
- iTrans NYC: Live train info, MTA service alerts, MTA maps, subway and bus directions, and schedules
- PATH: Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) is a rapid transit system in the northeastern New Jersey cities of Newark, Harrison, Jersey City, and Hoboken, and Lower and Midtown Manhattan in New York City.