What is the student life like at Columbia University?

STEM, Business, Law and Medicine are the standout options. An idea of the best courses at Columbia Uni can also be taken from the rankings given by Shiksha to its courses, on a national level:

India had around 1,241 students at Columbia, by Fall 2024, the second the largest international community of students, behind only China (6,463). Of these, around 72 were enrolled in UG, 1,153 in graduate, and 16 in non-degree courses at Columbia Uni.

Not if you go by their overall university rankings. While both rank in and around the top 10 universities in the country, Harvard (#2) ranks well ahead of Columbia (#10), in national level rankings, given by Shiksha. 

Though Harvard offers more course options, and overall brand recognition, Columbia is considered by many as the better of the two for its Engineering courses, something Harvard is not known for.

Getting into Columbia can be hard but as an Indian student you can get in if you follow some basic steps of the Columbia University application process, take a look - 

• First things first, start by registering yourself on the application portal
• Then, you would have to put your personal details and a really good essay on why Columbia?  
• Now, upload all the required documents and pay the Columbia application fee 
• At the last, all you can do is wait for a decision from the uni. 

As an Indian student, 3.0 is generally considered the bare minimum if you want to study at Columbia Uni. For Engineering, a minimum 3.3 in your past academics is needed. Make sure to maintain a good profile non-academically as well.