Admission

Students in class

Photo by Brian Kahn

Applicants to the M.A. Program in Climate and Society come from a variety of backgrounds that span from the physical sciences to the social sciences. Work experience in a related field is considered desirable, but is not required. Students are chosen based on their academic background and related work experience. The General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required as part of the application.

Many questions regarding admission to the program are answered in our FAQs.

How To Apply

Thank you for your interest in applying to Columbia University’s M.A. Program in Climate and Society. Applications to the program will be handled through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University.

To apply to the program, please create an account and fill out the online application.

The application requires the following supplemental information, most of which can be uploaded directly:

  • Statement of Purpose
  • CV/Resume
  • Transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • TOEFL scores for international students
  • A list of relevant science courses*

*In a separate document list the relevant science classes taken and the grade received

**The GRE is not required

***A writing sample is NOT required

Supporting materials can be sent to:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
108 Low Memorial Library
535 West 116th Street, MC 4304
Columbia University
New York, NY 10027

Deadlines

Priority Deadline: January 30, 2020

Final Deadline: March 12, 2020

Earlier submission of applications is encouraged for full consideration for financial aid.

To read more about the application process, please see the Graduate School’s admissions information.

The application does not need to be submitted in order to be viewed by you. Your entries can be saved until you are ready to submit the application. To apply to the M.A. Program in Climate and Society, select “Climate and Society” from the pull-down menu under the Program Information section of the online web application form and submit your application electronically. Please note that the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not permit simultaneous applications to more than one graduate program.

GRE and TOEFL

The GRE test is not required for admission to the M.A. Program in Climate and Society.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam is required for non-native English speakers. The Graduate School requires a minimum of 600 on the TOEFL written test; 100 on the TOEFL internet-based test and 7.5 on IELTS.

Funding

Partial scholarships are available for international and U.S. students who have been admitted to the program, and are awarded on the basis of merit and need. There is no additional application other than the application to the program.

All students, particularly international students, are strongly urged to apply for external sources of funding as soon as possible. Scholarship programs often have application deadlines between 6 months and 1 year before the start of the academic program. For more information, please see the Financial Aid page of this site.