Open to seniors and recent graduates of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, the Columbia HBCU Fellowship Program prepares talented, high-performing HBCU graduates to lead, innovate, drive community impact, and advance their professional industries through program engagement, mentorship, and career development opportunities.
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The vision of the Columbia HBCU Fellowship Program is to:
Advance HBCU graduates’ academic credentials while deepening their understanding of their chosen industries and empowering Fellows to be change-makers;
Build on the intellectual excellence and supportive community at the School of Professional Studies by enrolling cohorts of Columbia HBCU Fellows from diverse backgrounds who are dedicated to academic merit and community engagement;
Invest in high-touch mentorship, networking opportunities, and professional development, in order to position Columbia HBCU Fellows as competitive candidates with the ability to make lasting contributions and impact in their careers as well as their local and global communities;
Provide access to the greater Columbia University network, and create a rich alumni base committed to furthering the legacy of HBCUs and expanding the reach and impact of the Columbia HBCU Fellowship Program; and
Encourage Columbia HBCU Fellowship Program alumni to uplift, support, and mentor current and future Fellows through continued engagement, community building, and professional relationships.
Full tuition scholarship for three consecutive semesters (fall, spring, summer) in one of our eligible Master’s programs
Student housing accommodations for the 3 consecutive terms of enrollment
Semesterly stipend
Internship and mentorship opportunities with SPS corporate or sector partners
Additional developmental experiences and activities provided for cohort including community engagement and career services
Master’s Program Application Requirements
Please visit Master's Degree Admissions Page and carefully read the Application Requirements for the program you are interested in. Each program has a unique prompt for the statement of academic purpose and supplemental essay (where applicable), and other requirements, such as the need to provide standardized test scores, may also differ.
Yes. You must apply to a full-time, in-person Master of Science program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies for the Fall 2026 term, and also submit a separate application to the HBCU Fellowship Program for the Fall 2026 term to be considered for the HBCU Fellowship Program.
You can check the status of each of your applications by logging into the application portal here and selecting the application you would like to check.
The Master’s application decision will be released within 6-8 weeks of you completing your application.
The HBCU Fellowship Program decisions will be released in mid-March of 2026.
There is no fee for the HBCU Fellowship Program application.
All eligible applicants to the HBCU Fellowship Program will have their Master of Science application fee waived.
You can learn about the Fellowship from current and alumni HBCU Fellows by attending our office hours and events. You can find information about those here.
Students who are awarded the HBCU Fellowship will have their housing covered by the Fellowship Program. The housing will be offered through Columbia Housing and may be on or off campus. You can explore the Columbia Housing page here. Note that Fellows should only select the fully furnished options.
Yes, SPS students lead campus tours weekly. You can find the dates and details here. If you are part of a larger group, please email us at hbcu-fellowship [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (hbcu-fellowship[at]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu).
To learn more about the programs offered at SPS, you can visit our website here. We will also be hosting virtual open houses with each of our Master of Science programs in October. The School of Professional Studies will be hosting an Open House on campus in October. Please check our events page for details.
Yes. It is preferable if the faculty or staff member who writes your letter of support is still affiliated with your HBCU. However, if they are no longer affiliated with the institution but were at the time of your attendance, the letter will be considered.
If you are admitted to your Master of Science program but not the HBCU Fellowship Program, and you are still eligible for the Fellowship for the following application cycle, you may request to defer your Master’s admission and reapply for the HBCU Fellowship Program the following year. Please note that deferral requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.
The Admissions Committee reviews each application thoroughly and with great care. We do not discuss individual applicant cases or the reasons behind the decisions. All admissions decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
If you were admitted to your MS program for the Fall 2026 term (congratulations!), but decisions have not yet been released for the HBCU Fellowship Program, your enrollment deadline will be extended to April 17th, 11:59 PM ET. If you are awarded the HBCU Fellowship, and you choose to accept it, your enrollment deposit will be waived. If you are not awarded the HBCU Fellowship, then you will be expected to submit your enrollment deposit by April 17th if you would like to enroll in your MS program.
All HBCU students or alumni who meet the qualifications are welcome to apply. For more information about admission email hbcu-fellowship [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
Educational Institutions and Organizations Interested in Getting Involved
Please contact hbcu-fellowship [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
