Columbia International University, a private christian university has been offering exceptional learning experience to students since 1923. The university is home to 1,011 students, of which 2.3% are from over 40 countries across the world. Presently, CIU offers 24 undergraduate majors, graduate and seminar programs both online and on campus. Also Check: Columbia International University Programs

Applications for admission to CIU are administered internally. Hence, applicants must submit an online application directly to the university along with an application fee of 25 USD. Students seeking admission at Columbia International University need a minimum high school GPA of 2.0 along with standardised test scores such as SAT and ACT. In addition to that, an Indian student applying to CIU must be prepared to spend around 20-25 Lakhs on tuition fees and living expenses.

Columbia International University Rankings

Some of the recent rankings of Columbia International University by top ranking agencies are:

US News and World Report Ranking:

  • #42 in Regional Universities SouthNiche
  • #26 in Best Colleges for veterans
  • #10 in Best Value Schools
  • #4 in Top performers on social mobility

Niche Rankings

  • #17 in best colleges for religious studies in America
  • #146 in Best Colleges for International Relations in America
  • #167 in Hardest Colleges to get into in America

Highlights

Type of University Private
Campus Setting Urban
Students to professor ratio 17:1
Number of Students 1011
Percentage of International Students 13.4%
Average inputs of American college Testing 23
Basic tuition fee for International graduate students $11,000
Basic tuition fee for International Undergraduate students $34,540
Acceptance rate 48%
Graduation Rate 74%
Application fee $25
Application deadline 1 August 2023
Official Website http://www.ciu.edu/

Columbia International University Campus

The University is spread over a huge area of 400 acres in Southern Carolina, the capital of Columbia. The area is surrounded by vibrant spaces for outdoor adventures, museums, cultural festivals and professional opportunities.

  • The CIU campus is 15mins away from city shopping malls, state parks and museums like the Fine regional art museum, South Carolina state museum and many more.
  • The campus has 7miles of trails, disc golf and ponds.
  • Other campus facilities like auditoriums, classrooms, residence halls and grounds in the campus.
  • Well equipped with fitness centres, which features basket ball, volleyball courts, aerobics and weight training equipment and football court, soccer and jogging tracks, CIU is immensely popular among the sports enthusiasts
  • The campus comprises two classroom buildings, conference rooms, preaching labs, student lounge, and 90 seat auditorium.
  • G. Allen Fleece Library contains over 15000 books and media items along with 90 e-books and 300 journals.
  • The University is located at a walking distance from boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops.

Columbia International University Accommodation

CIU offers accommodation services to over 400 students living on campus each year. All the residential halls have attractive facilities like laundry, kitchen and lounges.

  • There are beautiful, scenic and tidy pine view Apartments with one, two and three bedroom units for housing the students. The apartment is open for enrolled students, employees and alumni.
  • Other housing facilities are off campus like apartments which are just 10 minutes away from the campus.
  • The Community centres contain televisions, coffee bars, kitchen, fireplace and athletic fields.

Columbia International University Programs

The University offers a wide range of graduate and Undergraduate programs on campus and online modes. As a recognised and accredited university it educates around 1100 students on campus and online. The University has a world famous reputation for training professional ministers. CIU offers 24 undergraduate majors, graduate and seminary programs through its 5 academic colleges.

  • The Undergraduate programs are offered in the arts and science field of study. Some of the popular bachelors degree programs offered by CUI are Humanities, business administration, psychology, healthcare management, communication, etc.
  • Postgraduate programs offered by CUI include MBA, Education, Public administration, organisational leadership, counselling and finance.
  • The university also offers 100% online programmes to students from diverse nations across the globe.

Columbia International University Admission

The University invites applications thrice a year in Fall, Spring and Summer seasons. To apply for Columbia International University the students must follow these admission guidelines:

Entry Requirements

  • A minimum of 2.0 GPA in high school
  • A minimum SAT score of 970, and ACT score of 18

Supporting Documents

  • Official transcripts from previously attended institution
  • Standardised test scores, SAT and ACT
  • English proficiency test score, IELTS-7.0, TOEFL IBT-100
  • Proof of finances
  • Statement of Purpose

Columbia International University Cost of Attendance

A rough estimation cost of attendance for students including tuition fees and living costs to study in USA are tabulated below:

Expenses Fees per semester
Tuition Fee $11,000-$34,540
Room and board $8,850
Enrollment fee $100
Dual enrollment program $100
Student service fee $550 (Full time), $300 (Part time)
Audit $80
Miscellaneous Fee $382

Columbia International University Financial

The University is funded by Alumni and other friends. The scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit for full-time undergraduate students. CIU offers 10 different institutional scholarships ranging from $1000 up to full tuition fees. International Students can also check out other options for scholarships in the USA.

To be eligible for the following scholarships, one needs a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 in high school

Scholarship name Benefit
Board scholarship $8000
Presidential scholarship $7000
Dean scholarship $5000
Servant leader scholarship $3000
Ram award $2000

The table below gives information about graduate level scholarships

Scholarships for Graduate/Seminary Benefit Eligibility criteria
Presidential merit scholarship $2000 College or highest completed GPA 3.75+
Dean merit scholarship $1500 College or highest completed GPA 3.5-3.74
Servant leader merit scholarship $1000 College or highest completed GPA 3.0-3.49
CIU Donor scholarship Varies
Graduate Assistantship ---- Full-time graduate or seminary student with GPA 3.0 or higher

Columbia International University Alumni Network

Columbia International University provides the students an opportunity to connect with Alumni. CIU has a wide network of 18,500 alumni spread across 150 countries. To build a strong alumni network CIU has an Alumni Leadership Council.

Few notable Alumni of CIU are:

  • Shirin Taber- Director of Middle East Women’s Leadership Network and Empower Women Media.
  • Emily Hall- Works with Pioneer marketing team
  • Matt Simons- Franchise owner of Soccer shots Columbia
  • The Rev. Julian Dangerfield- Executive director of Shalom Outreach, Inc

Columbia International University Placements

The University has set up a Career service for the students. This will help in finding jobs and careers, and also assists in career opportunities. There is an Online job database called Handshake The students can also gain knowledge and learn new skills by finding some Internships. CIU also offers a platform to launch your business ideas.

Top paying jobs and average salaries of CIU graduates and alumni are given below:

Job Title Salary Range per annum
Administrative Assistant 27000-46000
Database Manager 26000-47000
Director of Assessment and Accreditation 38000-72000
Director, Student Services 30000-51000
Professor of English 51000-104000
Professor, Postsecondary / Higher Education 34000-74000

Columbia International University has a long standing reputation as a higher education institution with world class educational standards. The university graduates are employed in healthcare administration, organisational leadership, human services fields with a starting salary of 30,000 USD per annum. CUI offers christ-centered teaching and hands-on practical experience to students in a small classroom setting.

FAQs

Ques. What is the deadline to submit an application form at Columbia International University?

Students who wish to apply for Columbia International University must submit the application form on or before 1 August 2023. And for International students it is recommended to apply 9 to 12 months before the enrollment.

Ques. What is the tuition fee for the undergraduate program at Columbia International University?

The estimated tuition fee for a full-time undergraduate student is $34,540 including tuition, room, board and fees. An additional expense may be loan fee $80, books $600, transportation fee $1000 and miscellaneous expenses of $2,630. For more information

Ques. How is Campus life at Columbia International University?

The CIU offers varieties of options to enhance your knowledge, build good relations with fellow students and fulfill your goals. To connect with the fellow students CIU has a student centre, to work on campus there is career service, Academic success centre for tutoring, study groups, time management and for other special needs, students can also get involved in sports as CIU provides Moore fitness club.

Ques. Does CIU offer any financial aid for the students?

Yes, Columbia University offers various aid like scholarships, federal aid, state aid, partnerships, Military tuition assistance, veteran’s benefits, other grants and discounts.

For more information

Ques. I want to study at Columbia International University so can I have a campus visit?

Yes, CIU allows the students to make campus visits which can be either on-campus visits or virtual visits. Other than this there is another option of Group on-campus visits. Currently because of Corona, the University is also taking some precautions and social distance guidelines.

Ques. Does CIU offer Online courses?

Yes, the University has accredited online courses. The top online courses are Masters of organizational leadership, Master of Intercultural studies, Master of Arts in Ministry studies, Master of Education and Doctor of Philosophy in Educational leadership.

Ques. How are the placements at Columbia International University?

There is a dedicated Career service option for students studying at CIU. It will help the students in finding jobs and career assistance. There are other options like on-campus employment, Internships and graduate assistantships.