“What makes an ideal SIPA student?”

One question we get asked a lot as students and as program assistants in admissions is “What is the PERFECT SIPA student?” This is normally levied by applicants who are ready to mold themselves into whatever they need to go to guarantee admission. Although we appreciate the passion, it is a hard question to answer! SIPA’s…

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Applying to SIPA as a Veteran or Active Duty Service Member

The transition from military service to graduate school can be intimidating, and veterans may have many concerns including how to express their experience in the application, funding opportunities, and whether they will fit in at Columbia. As a veteran and current SIPA student, I can confidently say that Columbia University is an extremely welcoming community…

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Upcoming scholarships and deadlines

The SIPA Financial Aid Office maintains a database of external funding opportunities, and we wanted to alert students to some upcoming application deadlines. For more external scholarship awards, visit our External Fellowships and Funding Sources page. American Water Works Association Scholarships Requirements: Scholarships for students pursuing careers related to water supply and related fields Deadline: December…

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UNANY Summer Scholars 2019 Winners

Our second-year MPA-DP ’20 students Fatène Ben-Hamza and Emily Boytinck were invited to the annual 2019 UN Day Humanitarian Awards Gala Dinner. The event commemorating the work of the United Nations has also became an elegant celebration of the work of our UNANY  Summer Scholars 2019 Winners. Fatène Ben-Hamza spent her summer working at the…

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Why I Applied to SIPA – It All Started In High School

My path to studying at SIPA started from when I was a child. Growing up the Bronx, NY, I was surrounded by Spanish. I was fascinated by people speaking in a way that I did not understand. The sounds made me want to learn the language and its speakers. Once I entered 5th grade I…

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