MA Access Program in Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

The MA Access Program in Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures covers tuition and provides a cost-of-living stipend to qualified students who have been admitted to a Master of Arts degree program in a participating department. Apply here.

MA Access Program scholarships are available to students admitted to any of the following MA programs. For information about admission to specific programs, please see below for websites and email addresses of departmental contact persons:

  • For information about admission to specific programs, please email the individual departmental contact persons listed above.
  • For inquiries about the MA Access Program, email: [email protected]
  • For general Columbia admissions inquiries, write to [email protected]

The MA Access Program Application is available here. The deadline to apply is April 11, 2024.

Note: To be eligible to apply, you must first begin your GSAS application to a participating program, as noted above. However, you may apply for the MA Access Program even if you have not yet received an admission decision from GSAS.

Students will be considered for MA Access Program support on an individual basis, with special consideration to be given to those applicants who:

(i) have been admitted for full-time study in a participating MA program; and

(ii) are the first in their family to attend graduate school; and/or

(iii) have, either as a result of their socio-economic background, or challenging life experiences, overcome substantial obstacles on their journey to graduate school; and/or

(iv) have lived or worked in a diverse environment; and/or

(v) have, through their undergraduate education or work experience, demonstrated a commitment to serving historically underprivileged populations and/or the academic study of historically underrepresented populations.

MA Access Program scholarships offer the following support over the nine months of full-time study (or eighteen months of part-time study) at Columbia:

  • Tuition and Fees (including student health insurance fee): $65,000 (estimated)
  • Cost of Living Stipend: $20,000 (paid over nine months or eighteen months, with payments made September - May)

In the academic year 2024-2025, a total of three (3) scholarships will be offered.

If you have been admitted to a participating Columbia MA program with partial financial aid, the MA Access scholarship will supersede this award.

As it is intended to meet financial need, the MA Access scholarship cannot be combined with major external awards such as a Fulbright Scholarship.

Applications for the MA Access Program are due by April 11, 2024.

Applicants must apply to the MA program in a participating department by the deadline indicated on that department’s website.

Awardees will be notified via email on or before May 3, 2024.