You may have heard about the prestigious International Fellows Program (IFP). It is highly competitive, as only 30 Columbia University students (10 new SIPA students, 10 continuing SIPA students and 10 Columbia University graduate students) are selected each year to participate in the program. Once you are an international fellow, you are a member for life.
There is no “perfect” candidate. Many of our applicants are interested in advancing professionally within their field, while others are changing their careers entirely. Some have stellar academic records, and many have stumbled a time or two while in college. And every type of applicant has been admitted to SIPA. Thus, due to the diversity of our applicant pool, there are no firm requirements for applying (and that includes GPA, GRE/GMAT scores and work history).
For a general idea of what we look for in a candidate academically and professionally, read the following recommendations for making your application as competitive as possible.
(Photo by Tommy Ironic, CC BY-NC 2.0)
During this time, we’ll be unable to respond to your emails and voicemails. So for all admissions-related questions, please review our recent blog posts on test scores, essay questions (part one and two), recommendation letters, and general deadline requirements. If you still can’t find the answer, please feel free to email us at [email protected], and we’ll return your message during normal business hours.
Happy holidays!
P.S. Don’t forget to share your holiday photos with us on Instagram! Tag us @Columbia.SIPA with #SIPAlife and we’ll feature them on our account.
You may have noticed this lovely holiday card in your inbox. The scene in the photograph was actually taken on Columbia University’s “College Walk,” which is the main street (or walkway) that runs through the main campus. (Can you see yourself dashing through here to make it your first SIPA class on time?) During this time of year, College Walk is flanked by dozens of trees wrapped in twinkle lights. It’s just Columbia’s way of celebrating the holidays and spreading joy to everyone who steps foot on campus!
And we wanted to share a bit of that holiday cheer with all of you. We hope you have a very happy holiday, and we look forward to receiving your application for admission in the New Year.
Courtesy of The Colbert Report
As it turns out, it’s not that impossible to make it to the “big” time. One of SIPA’s very own has been featured on a popular, late-night satirical television program. Jason Bordoff, of SIPA’s Center on Global Energy Policy, recently appeared on “The Colbert Report” to discuss falling oil prices. In the interview, Bordoff also talks about OPEC’s decision to flood the market with cheap oil in order to weaken the U.S.’s fracking industry.
And boy, did the Colbert Nation take note of what he had to say.
"The most global public policy school, where an international community of students and faculty address world challenges."
—Merit E. Janow, Dean, SIPA, Professor of Practice, International and Economic Law and International Affairs
