Resources for Incoming/First-Year PhD Students

Activating Your UNI ID and Email

Activating your UNI is one of the most important steps you need to take. Your UNI (University Network ID) is the log-in name and password you will use to access many online services at Columbia. Your UNI is also the first part of your official Columbia email address, also known as Lionmail. Once you have successfully activated your UNI, you will be able to access Columbia's secure online portals, including Student Services Online (SSOL), CourseWorks, online library resources, and more.

To activate your UNI, visit http://uni.columbia.edu/ and select "Activate UNI or Email." Then follow the on-screen instructions. For help activating your UNI, check out the CUIT help page.

If you wish to change you email handle (e.g. from [email protected] to [email protected]), follow these instructions:

1. Visit Manage My UNI.
2. Click the Email Alias icon.

You can also visit Manage My UNI and click "Change Your Published Email Address" to indicate that you want your email alias displayed in Columbia's online directory and be used as your sending address in LionMail. You may also use this page to change your address back to the [email protected] format in the online directory.

Verifying Your Credentials

Columbia University requires all incoming students to complete a credentials verification process for letters of reference and all post-secondary transcripts and degrees awarded. Instructions will be sent prior to your enrollment. For detailed information, please refer to our Credentials Verification page.

Columbia GSAS has contracted with Re Vera Services to assist with the verification of your letters of recommendation. We strongly suggest you notify your recommenders that Re Vera will be contacting them to confirm that they have submitted letters for your application.

You may be contacted by a representative from Re Vera Services if they have any questions or need your assistance in reaching your recommender. Your timely replies to any such inquiries are required as part of the credentials-verification process.All enrolling students must provide official final transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended, even if a degree was not awarded. Transcripts must include course names and grades for all work completed.

For a transcript to be considered official, it must be sent from the Registrar’s Office directly to the GSAS Office of Admissions via the digital delivery service that works with your institution, or as a completed WES evaluation (if applicable). Any documents to which a student has had access, including any transcripts uploaded as part of the application, are automatically considered unofficial. The deadline to submit these documents is August 1, 2026.

Please click here to review detailed instructions for the submission of Final Official Transcripts.

General resources for on- and off-campus housing can be found on our Student Resources page. 

For information about campus housing, visit the Columbia Residential website to check your eligibility, apply for housing. Each application is valid only for the academic year in which it is submitted. You can also search the Open Selection listings for units with immediate vacancy within the next 1-2 months.

Note: You must first successfully activate your UNI to apply for campus housing

Timeline for Campus Housing

• March 20: Fall 2026 housing applications opens
• April 20: school allocations period begins
• May 1: housing selection opens
• May 8: earliest move-in date for Fall 2026 applicants
• June 30: Fall allocations period ends
• July 15: Open Selection begins
• September 23: Open Selection ends
• September 30: last day for fall move-ins

Health Insurance

All full-time students must have health insurance. If you have your own health insurance and would like to continue using it, you may waive the Columbia University health insurance enrollment.

To sign-up for health insurance, please visit this website. For health insurance prices, please refer to this website.

International students: To ensure that students have comparable insurance coverage, all registered full-time international students are enrolled by default in the 90 level of the Plan offered by the University. A charge for the 90 level of the Columbia Plan as well as the Columbia Health fee will appear on the first student bill. Visit Columbia Health to find more information for international students.

IMPORTANT: Students who have taken no action by the deadline will be automatically enrolled into the 90 level of the Columbia Student Health Insurance Plan.

Immunization

Students must fulfill immunization requirements at least 30 days prior to registering for classes. Students will not be able to register until the requirements are met, and late submissions will not be expedited.

• Document immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella
• Document that you have either received the meningitis vaccine or that you have declined to receive it

To provide documentation and for more information, visit the Columbia Health Immunization Compliance Office.

Columbia Health also offers a range of optional vaccinations. Learn more here.

Visas

International students need to complete the necessary application for student visas.  For more information, please refer to Columbia's International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) website, which can assist with online submission of your application for Certificate of Eligibility, which is the first step in the visa application process.

A Certificate of Eligibility is evidence of your eligibility for a non-immigrant student status in the United States. New students who will study in F-1 student status receive an I-20 form. International students must obtain an I-20 form before applying for an F-1 entry visa at a U.S. Consulate or a change of status if already in the U.S.

Once you receive your I-20 (or DS-2019) and pay your SEVIS fee, complete your DS-160 visa application and then schedule your visa interview at a U.S. Consulate. Please be aware that processing times at embassies and consulates can vary. We urge you to schedule your interview as soon as possible.

Visit the International Students and Scholars Office's website for details about eligibility, restrictions, and the online application.

For questions related to the visa application process or the status of your I-20, please email [email protected].

Immigration Essentials Webinar

• Please view the following video and refer any questions related to this video to [email protected]
• Information in this video will be shared in the ISSO presentations during Welcome Week.

Additional registration requirements

• International students on F-1 or J-1 visas must maintain full-time registration (12 credits) per semester. Full time registration does not include American Language Program credits.
• International students may only take less than 12 credits in their last semester of study.
• Please review the guidelines from the International Students and Scholars Office on maintaining your status.

Applying for a Social Security Number

If you are a visa holder who needs to apply for a Social Security Number, you should apply immediately when arriving in the United States. The department must have a scan of your physical social security card in order to pay you.

• Applying for a Social Security Number as an F1 Student
• You will need to complete the top part of the F-1 Student Form and email it to [email protected] prior to going to the social security office. A physical copy with ink signature will be needed for your visit.
• The best and quickest SSN Office to go to is located at: 123 William Street, New York, NY 10038

Work Authorization

If you are a visa holder, please include the following documents with your DocuSign packet by uploading them before you submit:

• Passport Photo
• Visa Stamp
• I-20
• I-94

Tax Information for International Students: Learn about the tax rules that apply to international graduate students.

Health Insurance

All full-time students at Columbia must have health insurance. To ensure students have comparable health insurance coverage, all registered full-time international students are enrolled by default in the Gold Level of the Columbia Health Insurance Plan offered by the University. Two charges for the selected Insurance Plan and the Columbia Health fee will appear on your first student bill. More information is available on the Columbia Health Website.

ISSO Visa Information Survey

If you have not already done so, please complete the ISSO Visa Information Survey. Follow the instructions below to log into Compass.

• Log in with your UNI or your PID and PIN (request your PIN here)

DocuSign Hiring Packet

All students will be sent a hiring packet through the secure platform DocuSign. We will send them out in August before you start your studies and we ask you to complete the documents by August 15. If you are a visa holder, please include the following documents with your DocuSign packet by uploading them before you submit:

• Passport Photo
• Visa Stamp
• I-20
• I-94

Unsure how to fill out the tax forms?

Tax Information for Students: This website does not provide tax advice, but it does offer general information for students on where and how they are subject to taxation

Tax Information for International Students: Learn about the tax rules that apply to international graduate students

Form I-9

Once you've finished filling out your hiring documents, you will need to submit a Form I-9 to the university. This document authorizes you to work in the New York City area. Please visit the I-9 website to learn more.

Section 1 of the I-9 can be completed online, but section 2 must be completed in person. This can be done at one of the university's campus I-9 centers. Note: Students who applied for a social security number must wait to visit the I-9 office until they receive a physical copy of their Social Security Card in the mail.

Graduate students entering in the fall should plan on arrival before the last week of August, which is reserved for the required Teaching Assistant training and other onboarding activities. This year’s TA Orientation Week is scheduled for August 24-28, 2026. This is a mandatory training and all students are required to attend.

Students should plan around Orientation Week to ensure their move-in does not interfere with this mandatory attendance.

Columbia's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences provides an online teaching manual that is organized around the diverse teaching roles filled by graduate students and offers practical advice concerning issues that arise from instructing students. A manual for those serving as teaching assistants is available at the Teaching Program's Website.

How to report your arrival in the U.S.

• All new international students must submit this online check-in form within 7 days of arrival in the U.S. To complete the form, login to Compass using your UNI and password
• The data you submit will be added to your record at the ISSO and used to update your SEVIS record from "Initial" to "Active" status
• ​If you have a spouse and/or children who are here in F-2 status, you DO NOT have to submit a separate form for them
• You must have your I-20 form, your passport, and your I-94 arrival record (printed from the Customs and Border Protection [CBP] I-94 website) available to submit this form
• If you are a J-1 Student, report your arrival using the New Exchange Visitor SEVIS Registration Form

While the first year of the program primarily focuses on coursework, students should plan to spend the summer conducting serious research, laying the groundwork for their PhD thesis project. The following GSAS guidelines and policies can help you prepare for your summer research.

• Responsible Conduct of Research and related research resources
  • Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program)
• AI guidance and resources
• Conducting research abroad

All PhD students are required to teach during their time at Columbia. The following is a selection of resources that can assist you in developing your skills an instructor. Additional resources can be found through the GSAS Teaching Toolkit and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).

• Lead Teaching Fellows (LTF) events: Lead Teaching Fellows are Columbia graduate students who offer trainings, events, and peer-to-peer support for fellow teaching assistants at Columbia
  • LTF Fellowships: open to PhD students in years 2-7 who are committed to supporting the teaching needs of their departments and peers. Fellowships come with a $2000 stipend.
• CTL on-demand orientation modules: available to anyone with a Columbia UNI
• CTL resources and guides: advice on topics like teaching undergraduate science, creating engaging lectures, and providing student feedback

Physics PhD students are expected to present a 5-10 page thesis proposal sometime between their third and fourth years in the program. To learn more about required content, please review the Graduate Student Handbook and GSAS's Dissertation Prospectus guide. Students will then present their proposal to their Research Proposal Committee, consisting of the student's thesis adviser and two additional faculty members

Once you and your committee have confirmed a date and time for your presentation, you should reserve a room by emailing Emma Reynolds, Academic Coordinator, at [email protected]. Please note that in rare cases, students may be asked to switch venues if the space is needed for an event of greater priority.

Advisors

Students should be assigned an advisor no later than the end of their second year. For students who arrive without a designated advisor, the onus is on them to approach the faculty with whom they wish to work. Students working on interdisciplinary research may seek an advisor outside the department, who commonly come from fields like astronomy, chemistry, and applied physics. For more information about advising policies, please review the GSAS advising policy.

Advising Committees

As explained in the Graduate Student Handbook, students doing dissertation research are welcome to create an ad hoc advisory committee that can provide additional feedback and advice as the project progresses.

Please be aware that students are not allowed to be involved in choosing their defense committee. Copies of their thesis must be distributed to the defense committee no later than three weeks before the defense, but preferably earlier.

International students must be registered during the term in which they distribute the defense copies of the dissertation and students with F-1 or J-1 status should consult with the International Students and Scholars Office to ensure they remain in visa compliance for the dissertation defense.

Once a student's committee has approved their thesis for defense, the Application for Dissertation Defense must be submitted to the Dissertation Office at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense date. To reserve a room for your defense, please email Emma Reynolds, Academic Coordinator, at [email protected].

Upon successfully completing a defense, students are to deposit their thesis using the Electronic Deposit Gateway.

The GSAS Writing Studio offers forty-five-minute, one-on-one dissertation consultations. Their trained consultants can provide general feedback, guidance on structure and organization, assistance with articulating ideas and concept, and draft revisions. Learn more here.

To request a leave of absence, you will need to submit documentation to GSAS and the Registrar's office. As mentioned, we encourage you to discuss your decision with someone in the department such as your advisor, Gustaaf Brooijmans, or Ashley Delphia before submitting any forms, as this can trigger policies that impact matters such as housing, health insurance, and visa compliance.

• GSAS Leave of Absence form
• Registrar's Withdrawal form

Students who are ready to resume the program must submit a Return from Leave of Absence form. If you are returning from a medical leave of absence, you must also submit a letter from the health-care professional treated you for the condition that prompted you to go on leave. The letter should contain the following information:

• Description of treatment the student received, including medications the student was prescribed for the condition that warranted the leave
• The health-care professional’s impression regarding the student's readiness to return to their program
• Any recommendations regarding continued treatment when the student resumes their studies

For more information about where to submit a healthcare provider letter, visit the GSAS webpage on Leaves of Absence.

Taking time off from a program can have a direct impact on your immigration status. If you elect to take a leave of absence, you should contact ISSO as soon as possible to ensure you comply with visa regulations during the process.

Impact on visa:

• Your current F-1 or J-1 SEVIS record will be terminated after the official notification, and you will have to leave the U.S. in 15 days
• Your current I-20 or DS-2019 form will no longer be valid and may not be used for future travel to the U.S. but should be kept for your records

Requirements to return from a leave:

• Evidence that your school is expecting you back that includes both (1) when you will return and (2) when you will complete your program
• Identification page of your passport if different from your original arrival
• Funding documents no older than 3 months
• Sponsor Certification Form if you expect to receive funds from an individual sponsor