Admission as a Non-Degree Student
Non-degree status is available to applicants holding a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. International applicants must hold the equivalent of a 120-credit U.S. baccalaureate degree.The non-degree application is available online at www.tc.edu/apply. The components of a non-degree application include:
- Completed and Signed Online Application Form
- $75 Non-Refundable Application Fee
- Official Transcript(s): Official transcripts from the applicant’s undergraduate baccalaureate institution(s) showing a degree conferral and all academic courses and grades. Students who completed degrees outside of the United States will be required to submit an official course-by-course evaluation. Please see the “International Students” section for further detail.
- English Proficiency Tests: If your native language is not English and you have not received a baccalaureate (undergraduate) degree from an institution where English was the sole official language of instruction, you must submit official scores from an accepted English proficiency exam. We accept the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
If you have not earned and undergraduate degree at an institution where English was the sole language of instruction, but you have successfully completed a graduate degree at a school that meets this requirement, you are not required to submit official results from an accepted English proficiency exam. If you meet these conditions, in order to qualify for a TOEFL/IELTS exam waiver, evidence of your conferred graduate degree must be displayed on the relevant academic transcript or course-by-course evaluation. Applicants who meet this criteria must reach out to the Office of Admission at admission@tc.columbia.edu to request an English proficiency exam waiver. For more information and score requirements, visit tc.columbia.edu/admissions/admission/international-students.
- Supplemental Application Requirements: Some programs require additional application materials. For more information, visit tc.edu/programs.
A non-degree student may take up to 16 points as long as the academic standards of the College are met. Once the 16 point maximum is met, the non-degree student must either:
- Apply to and be admitted to a Teachers College degree program, or
- Obtain approval from the Registrar for continued registration under non-degree status
Admission to non-degree status implies no commitment for admission to a degree, Advanced Certificate, or non-credit program. Should a non-degree student become a degree candidate, a maximum of 16 points (8 in the major field) taken in non-degree status may be applied toward a degree program, if approved by the program.
Admission as an Advanced Certificate Student
Advanced Certificate status is available to applicants holding, or in the process of obtaining, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. International applicants must hold, or be in the process of obtaining, the equivalent of a 120-credit U.S. baccalaureate degree. Some Advanced Certificate programs require coursework or degree completion beyond the baccalaureate degree; for specific information, visit www.tc.edu/programs.
The Advanced Certificate application is available online at www.tc.columbia.edu/apply. The components of an Advanced Certificate application include:
- Completed and Signed Online Application Form
- $75 Non-Refundable Application Fee
- Statement of Purpose
- Résumé
- Academic Transcript(s): For current requirements regarding transcript submission, visit the Office of Admission website at tc.edu/apply. Students who completed or are completing degrees outside of the United States will be required to submit an official course-by-course evaluation. Please see the “International Students” section for further detail.
- English Proficiency Tests: All applicants who received a baccalaureate degree from an institution where English is not the sole official language of instruction must take an English proficiency exam. Teachers College accepts official results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. An English proficiency exam is required regardless of where the applicant received a graduate degree (if any). For more information and score requirements, visit tc.columbia.edu/admissions/admission/international-students.
- Supplemental Application Requirements: Some programs require additional application materials. For more information, visit tc.edu/programs.
Admission to an Advanced Certificate implies no commitment for admission to a degree, non-degree, or non-credit program.
For more information about applying to an Advanced Certificate program, visit www.tc.columbia.edu/admissions/admission/instructions/advanced-certificate-programs.
Admission as a Non-Credit Student
Refer to the Continuing Professional Studies website at www.tc.columbia.edu/continuing-professional-studies for more information about non-credit options at Teachers College.
Admission to a non-credit program implies no commitment for admission to a degree, non-degree, or Advanced Certificate program.