Financial Aid and Scholarships

Note: Spring 2022 applications are now CLOSED. Applications for Summer 2022 will be announced at the beginning of the Summer semester.

Through active engagement and reflection, experiential learning allows students to gain real world experience, acquire valuable knowledge and skills, and develop meaningful connections with their course materials. By serving as a financial resource, the SPS Academic & Professional Development Grant aims to support students in pursuing tailored, hands-on learning experiences aligned with their academic programs that include, but are not limited to: graduate research, capstone projects, and experiential learning/professional development opportunities (e.g. internships, co-ops, conferences, events, etc.).*

Academic and/or professional development opportunities must be related to the student’s field of study and are required to have faculty and/or academic program approval. Additionally, the experience should demonstrate a strong commitment to the recipient’s developing academic and/or professional aspirations, with ample opportunity to bring back and contribute relevant learnings to the classroom. Funds may be used to cover costs including but not limited to: transportation, lodging, meals, registration fees, and research project materials. Funds may NOT be requested as a substitution for income (whether it be salary or hourly pay). but can be used to offset related costs. 

Note: all grant recipients are required to submit a follow-up report describing how their opportunity benefited them professionally.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact sps-scholarships [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu.

Award Amount Per Person
Awards range from $200 to $3,000 based on the availability of funds and academic program approval. Awards may not be used to cover tuition, university fees, or personal expenses. 

Eligibility Requirements

• Currently enrolled Master of Science (MS) and Master of Professional Studies (MPS) students who will have completed at least 12 credits towards their degree by the beginning of the Spring 2022 term and a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
• Students must be in good academic, administrative and behavioral standing at the time of application and for the duration of the award.
• Academic and/or professional development opportunities must be related to the student’s field of study and have academic program approval.
• Students must submit a completed application and all associated components by the deadline.
• This funding is for the Spring 2022 term. Academic and/or professional development opportunities that will not utilize the funding during this term will not be considered.

Required Documents

• a copy of your resume
• a PDF document that confirms your acceptance/involvement in the academic and/or professional development opportunity
• a signed PDF copy of the Academic Program Approval Form. Fill this form out and have an administrative representative (non-faculty member) from your Academic Program sign the document. Program Directors, Associate Directors, Assistant Directors, and Deputy Directors may sign this form.
• a detailed statement (500 word maximum) explaining how the academic and/or professional development opportunity aligns with your personal and professional goals (to be copied/pasted into the application form).
• a detailed statement (500 word maximum) providing more detail on how you will utilize the funds and why you should be selected to receive this grant (to be copied/pasted into the application form).
• please log in with your Columbia email account to download the budget sheet template as an Excel file (or make a copy on Google Sheets) and fill it out to submit with your application. This document should contain the actual (or estimated) costs tied to your academic and/or professional development opportunity. Note: This is a total budget and not reflective of the amount, if awarded, you will receive.

*In accordance with University COVID-19 guidelines: https://covid19.columbia.edu.

Students admitted to Columbia University’s Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) in Wealth Management program for the 2022-2023 academic year will have an opportunity to apply for one full-tuition fellowship, thanks to a new initiative funded by members of the program’s first student cohort. The Wealth Management Advancing Diversity Fellowship is designed to diversify the financial advising industry as well as to retain and help accelerate the careers of high-caliber professionals from underrepresented groups. It is the first student-funded fellowship offered at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS).

The fellowship mirrors and supports the action that Columbia SPS has taken to promote greater diversity and inclusion throughout its community and to support the university’s Commitment to Antiracism. 

Applications for Fall 2022 enrollment are open. Learn more about Columbia University’s Master of Professional Studies in Wealth Management.

How to Apply

To apply for the fellowship, students must first be admitted to the Wealth Management M.P.S. program, scheduled to begin their studies in the Fall 2022 semester, and have 3 to 10 years of experience in the industry. All admitted students will receive a link to apply for the Wealth Management Advancing Diversity Fellowship; however, each admitted student should review the eligibility requirements stated on the fellowship application.

Eligibility for the Columbia Wealth Management Advancing Diversity Fellowship may include but may not be limited to applicants who are members of an underrepresented racial or ethnic group; identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community; identify as individuals with disabilities; and/or identify as female or non-binary.

To be considered for the fellowship, students must apply for the M.P.S. program by April 4, 2022. Upon receiving an acceptance letter, admitted students may submit their fellowship applications by June 1, 2022. The fellowship recipient will be announced by early July. Review the full admissions process here. 

Learn More

The School of Professional Studies seeks to provide students with the resources to support their success while enrolled at Columbia University. During a student’s course of study, the School aims to keep students engaged and focused on maximizing their educational experience, advancing theory and practice in partnership with faculty, and expanding their professional acumen and network. This scholarship handbook provides an extensive list of tailored external funding opportunities that SPS students may be eligible to apply for in order to financially support their studies. The list was carefully curated, taking into account the diverse experiences and interests of the student community, and we hope it proves valuable in your studies.

Please visit External Funding Opportunities to view the curated list.

Please note that these are external funding opportunities that are not affiliated with the School of Professional Studies or Columbia University, and therefore we are unable to guarantee the accuracy of the information on the related website. Any questions or concerns specific to the opportunity should be sent directly to the sponsoring organization.