Advanced Standing FAQ

Your first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Once we receive your FAFSA data, we can begin the evaluation process for determining your financial aid award package.

We usually begin processing financial aid packages in March, and notifications are sent out thereafter. You will receive an e-mail at the address used for your admissions application.

You may appeal for more scholarship money to the Director of Admissions at [email protected]. (If you have received a higher scholarship offer from another graduate school of social work, a copy of that offer should be included in your appeal.) All other appeals, including those for work-study, should be e-mailed to [email protected]. Please be mindful that while we do our best to provide need-based awards to all eligible students, our scholarship and work-study funding is limited.

Scholarship appeals are generally responded to within two weeks. Work-study appeals will initially be reviewed in late summer and will continue to be reviewed throughout the academic year; you will be notified via email if we are able to grant your appeal.

All students who complete a FAFSA are eligible to receive the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Once you accept the loan, you must complete an entrance interview, sign a master promissory note, and fill out a loan request form. The funds will then be disbursed automatically to your student account at the beginning of each term.

NOTE: The Department of Education charges a 1.068% origination fee on this loan, which will be deducted prior to the funds being disbursed.

In addition to the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you may choose to borrow either a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan or a private educational loan. The maximum amount you may borrow for either loan is listed under the Alternative Eligibility fund in your award letter.

The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is a fixed interest loan program that enables graduate students to borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education to help pay for their educational expenses. This loan, which is based on credit-worthiness, requires a separate entrance interview, master promissory note, and loan request form. If you are approved for a PLUS loan, the funds will be disbursed automatically to your student account at the beginning of the term.

NOTE: The Department of Education charges a 4.272% origination fee on this loan, which will be deducted prior to the funds being disbursed.

If you have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected] or 212-851-2293; or make an appointment to speak to one of us.

Financial aid awards typically include a mix of institutional/merit scholarships, Federal Work-Study, federal loans, and other types of loans. NOTE: Those who have served in the military should find out if they are eligible for veterans educational benefits by completing the checklist linked from Columbia University’s Veteran Affairs site. Likewise, those who have completed a term of service with AmeriCorps should contact AmeriCorps directly to see if they are eligible for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.

If you are denied the PLUS Loan, we strongly encourage you to request a copy of your credit report and clear up any delinquencies of 90 days or more, or challenge any discrepancies you find on that report. You should then appeal to the Department of Education, providing documentation that those discrepancies or issues have been resolved. In our experience, most students who do this succeed in having their initial denial overturned. Another option is to reapply for the PLUS Loan with a credit-worthy co-signer or endorser. If neither of these options works, we suggest that you reach out to our Office of Financial Aid. A financial aid officer will ask you to compile and submit a monthly budget listing all of your basic living expenses (rent, food, utilities, personal expenses, etc.). This additional information will allow the financial aid office to calculate the assistance you still need and how much CSSW can cover.

Your charges for Columbia housing may be billed to your student account each term, or else you may be asked to sign a contract stipulating the amount of monthly rent you owe to the University. We advise you to discuss the terms of your rental agreement with University Apartment Housing (UAH) prior to signing the contract.

For help with additional financial aid questions, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at:

• E-mail: [email protected]
• Telephone: 212-851-2293
• Counseling:

By appointment: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. (After 5:00 p.m., appointments available by request.) Go to online appointment system.
Walk-in: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

If you need more money at any point during the year and have remaining “alternative eligibility” in your financial aid, you must submit another PLUS Loan Request Form or apply for a private loan to borrow up to the total amount of that remaining “alternative eligibility.” If you have maxed out on your aid and received all for which you are currently eligible, please make an appointment with our Office of Financial Aid so that we can assess your situation and need for funding.

If you have further questions about refunds or additional funds, you are welcome to contact the Office of Financial Aid at:
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 212-851-2293
Counseling:

• By appointment: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. (After 5:00 p.m., appointments available by request.) Go to online appointment system.
• Walk-in: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

All student register for courses during their designated registration time via Student Services Online (SSOL), the University’s Web-based registration system. NOTE: Our Office of Student Services will provide a detailed how-to guide as well as reminders of the self-registration process prior to the registration periods.

Your required courses vary based on your method area of specialization and field of practice. These requirements can be found in the Student Handbook
.

To earn a Master’s in Social Work at CSSW, you must complete a minimum of 60 credits. The School will accept a maximum of 27 transfer credits from your BSW program, which means that you must complete a minimum of 33 credits during your tenure at CSSW. The amount of transfer credits you have been granted was outlined in your acceptance letter. If you received fewer than 27, it could be due to several factors: you earned below a B in the course; the course was taken more than five years ago; you earned your BSW from a Canadian institution (see Note); or your BSW program did not require you to take a course equivalent to one of our first-year required courses. Please keep in mind that since the school has a 60-credit minimum for degree completion, you may end up enrolling in 36 or 39 credits at CSSW, rather than the standard 33, in order to fulfill your requirements. NOTE: Students with a BSW from a Canadian institution can transfer a maximum of 24 credits because of not having taken the equivalent of T6801 U.S. Social Welfare Policy and will be registered for that course in the Fall.

All of your courses—including their requirements, syllabi, grading policies, and online readings—are posted on CourseWorks.

During the first two weeks of classes each term, space permitting, there is an add/drop period when you can switch certain courses via the online registration system in Student Services Online.

You are able to enroll in classes at other Columbia University schools to count either as elective credits (related and pre-approved graduate-level courses only) or as “extra” courses that are covered under the School’s flat-rate billing program, which allows you to register for a maximum of 19.5 credits per term in the Fall and Spring. NOTE: Our flat-rate tuition plan does not cover classes taken at Teacher’s College, Jewish Theological Seminary, or Union Theological Seminary. If you choose to register for a course at one of those schools, you will be charged tuition in addition to your flat-rate cost.

As each Columbia graduate school has its own cross-registration policies and procedures, our Office of Student Services compiles a document every term with links to classes at other schools that are open to CSSW students along with detailed instructions for registration, with links to necessary forms. This information is e-mailed to all students during the registration period and can also be found online.

Instructor evaluations are available in a binder in the Social Work Library (2nd floor) and the Student Union Office (4th floor). We would also encourage you to reach out to your second-year colleagues for feedback about instructors’ teaching styles, classroom expectations, and areas of specialization.


For help with additional questions about registration-related matters, please contact the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment at:
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 212-851-2436; 212-851-2367
Counseling:

• By appointment: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. (After 5:00 p.m., appointments available by request.) Go to online appointment system.
• Walk-in: Wednesdays, 10 a.m – 6 p.m.

You should receive your field placement assignment during your August Advanced Standing session.

Tasks at your placement will vary depending on your method and field of practice, type of agency, and population with whom you will be working. For information on possible assignments, education plans, as well as the learning objectives for various method specializations, go to our Field Education Manual.

Please contact the Field Education Department by first reaching out to the Field Department staff member who notified you of your placement and has been working with you to set it up. You also may contact the Field Education Department at [email protected].

Your field instructor is the agency employee responsible for overseeing your training at your field placement. He or she is there to support your learning in the field, to answer questions you may have about interactions with clients and agency employees, and to help you develop direct practice skills. At the end of the term, your field instructor evaluates your work at the agency for your advisor and recommends whether you should receive a pass or fail grade.

NOTE: Your advisor is the final arbiter of the grade you receive for field education. Under some circumstances, he or she may choose to override the recommendation of the agency field instructor. 

For help with additional field-related matters, please contact the Field Education Department at:

• E-mail: [email protected]
• Telephone: 212-851-2307

Your advisor is a social work professional who is employed by CUSSW to serve as your educational support in both the classroom and the field. You may consult with your advisor about issues concerning your courses or program requirements. If you have to miss class, it is always a good idea to keep your advisor in the loop. In addition, your advisor assesses your performance in the field. He or she meets with your field instructor and also reviews that person’s evaluation of your work at the end of the term. In preparation for your second year, your advisor helps you decide on your method specialization and field of practice.

For help with additional questions on advising-related matters, please contact the Office of Advising at:
E-mail: [email protected]
Counseling: By appointment. Go to online appointment system.
 

If you’re not able to reach your advisor, you should contact one of the administrative staff in the Office of Advising.

Dual-degree programs require a minimum of 42-45 credits of coursework and a minimum of three semesters of full-time residency at each school. Since your program is only 10 months long and requires only a minimum of 33 credits, you are not eligible to pursue a dual-degree program.

If you have further questions about minors and dual degrees, please contact the Office of Student Affairs and Enrollment at:
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 212-851-2436; 212-851-2367
Counseling:

• By appointment: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. (After 5:00 p.m., appointments available by request.) Go to online appointment system.
• Walk-in: Wednesdays, 10 a.m – 6 p.m.