Archive for application tips – Page 13

SIPA Holiday Hours and Stuff

Finding someone to talk to at SIPA during the winter break may seem like a scavenger hunt.  The halls are a bit quieter but the news broadcast from the television can still be heard echoing through the lobby.  Students and faculty depart after finals to take advantage of the time to visit family and friends or to work on their Capstone project [or books] on another “island” (that is not Manhattan).

However, with application deadlines around the corner, I am sure you are busily working on putting together the strongest application.  During this period if you find yourself wrestling with questions, don’t pull out your hair.  You can still find support in the Admissions Office.   Call (212-854-6216) or write or visit.  We will be here to answer your questions.  Unfortunately, the school kicks us out of the building for a few days so be mindful of our holiday schedule.

SIPA Admissions and Financial Aid Holiday Schedule:

  •   Monday, December 23:  Closing @ 2pm
  •   Tuesday, December 24  & Wednesday, December 25:  CLOSED
  •   Thursday, December 26 & Friday, December 27:  Open 9am – 5pm
  •   Monday, December 30:  Closing @ 2pm
  •   Tuesday, December 31 & Wednesday, January 1:  CLOSED
  •   Regular office schedule resumes Thursday, January 2

If you emailed us recently and have not heard back from our office, please know we are trying our best to respond to all of the email messages we have received “in a timely manner” but there’s A LOT; and more coming in each day as we get closer to the January 6 application deadline [with merit fellowship consideration].

Since we are kind of on the topic of fellowship and deadlines, there is still some confusion to where an applicant can find the “other” scholarship applications (i.e. Lemann, IFP, Harriman, Jayanti, etc.).  After you have submitted your admission application, the scholarship applications will appear.  A separate scholarship application/essay is required for each scholarship opportunity.  The SIPA scholarship applications must be submitted by January 27 so the earlier you submit your admission application, the more time you will have to work on the scholarship applications.  These [SIPA scholarships] are additional opportunities outside of the MERIT fellowship process. All applicants who submit a completed admission application by January 6 are automatically considered for a merit fellowship and no additional application/essay is required.  Our final admission application deadline is February 5 so if SIPA funding is not a concern for you, then you have an additional 4 weeks to pull together your application — so enjoy the holiday festivities.

 

IIE — heard of it?

An email crossed our path yesterday from the Institute of International Education (IIE) regarding emergency funds available for Filipino students studying in the U.S. with urgent financial needs due to the impact of typhoon Haiyan.  Unfortunately, the deadline to apply is tomorrow (wish we heard of this earlier so we could share it with you before now).

Anyway, we dug around a little more and realized that IIE (if you haven’t discovered it yourself) offers many funding opportunities for students interested in education… studying or conducting research.  You should definitely take a look through their website and see if there is an award that you qualify for.  Just keep in mind there are fast approaching deadlines so don’t put this on the “back burner” for another day.

Our advice of the day (if we haven’t said it enough), SEARCH FOR FELLOWSHIPS EARLY AND OFTEN.

MIA/MPA application dates

SIPA will be closed Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 in observance of Thanksgiving.

Here in the U.S. people are planning Thanksgiving gatherings with family and friends.  The feast will continue through the weekend.  This is also a weekend when a number of prospective applicants are planning to sit down and fill out their applications for graduate school… taking advantage of the long weekend.

As you browse through our website for application deadlines, you may find a couple of confusing application dates for the MIA/MPA program.  We say our application deadline is January 6, 2014 (for Fall 2014)… but that deadline is for those applicants who wish to be considered for a merit fellowship.  If you are one of the few who does not need funding, then mark February 5 (final application deadline) on your calendar.

So if you wish to be considered for a merit fellowship, you must make sure your application is submitted complete, which means all documents are received by the Admissions Office by January 6, 2014 at 11:59:59 pm EST (keep in mind there are no deliveries to our office after 5pm EST).   This is where it gets confusing…. There are a couple of SIPA scholarship deadline exceptions that you may still be eligible for even if you submit your application after January 6.  These are SIPA scholarships (outside the first year Merit Fellowship consideration) and require a separate scholarship application.  These SIPA scholarship applications must be submitted by January 27.  Unfortunately, you cannot get started on them without first submitting your program application…. so get moving on it and good luck.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday!

 

plan ahead

Our office will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday this Thursday and Friday.  If you are planning to visit us this week to drop off materials or to ask questions… or simply to say “hey”, the Admissions & Financial Aid Office will close at 2pm EST on Wednesday, November 27 and reopen on Monday, December 2 at 9am EST.  So please plan accordingly.  We would love to welcome you… when we are here.

If you call to leave a message or email, we will get back to you next week. Due to the high volume of emails and voicemails we have received, it is taking us longer to address each concern — We appreciate your patience…   We are sensitive to the approaching MIA/MPA application deadline on January 6.

financial aid is always on top of mind

Each year we receive a few questions about financial aid  — and that’s understandable.  Graduate school is expensive.  Here are five of the most frequently asked questions regarding financial aid…  We’ll follow back with a few more next week.

Q: How do I apply for aid?

A: You apply for aid simply by submitting your application for admission.  All applicants for first-year admission to SIPA are automatically considered for institutional aid (fellowships and scholarships) regardless of nationality.  For more details, click here.

Q: How much does it cost to attend SIPA?

A: You will be able to find information on SIPA’s current cost of attendance here.  Costs are established on an annual basis, and the tuition rates for fall 2014 and spring 2015 are yet to be determined.  Estimates will be available in the spring.

Q: What types of financial aid are available at SIPA?

A: SIPA offers a range of fellowships, scholarships, assistantships, student loans and Work Study to qualified students.  Merit-based Fellowships and scholarships are offered to first and second year students, and second year students can also apply for a number of assistantships, which include both a scholarship and a salary.  Some SIPA students also borrow student loans or are employed on campus in Work Study positions.  Click here for more information.

Q: Can financial aid cover my living expenses?

A: Yes, educational loans may be used to cover living expenses as well as tuition.  Students can borrow up to their full cost of attendance.  Aid first goes toward covering direct costs (tuition and fees) and any excess funds are refunded to students to use for their living expenses.

Q: Is funding available for international students?

A: Yes.  SIPA scholarships, fellowships and assistantships, although competitive, are available to both domestic and international students.  Columbia University also maintains a list of private student loan lenders who will lend to international students; click here for more information.  There are also many international students at SIPA who receive funding from agencies in their home country.

"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

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