Columbia University Accreditation

Accreditation is a regular process of quality assurance for universities carried out by nonprofit organizations. University-level accreditation is required in order for students to gain access to federal funds including student grants and loans. Institutions not accredited by a government-approved accreditor are not eligible to receive federal financial aid. In addition to university-level accreditation, individual academic programs and/or professional schools may be accredited by their respective professional accreditors.

Columbia University, as a whole, is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). MSCHE is one of seven regional institutional accreditors recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). To prepare for Columbia’s next accreditation review in academic year 2024-2025, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Programs leads the development of a self-study that will be the basis for a campus visit by reviewers from peer institutions.


Share your ideas about Accreditation

To prepare the self-study, we welcome your ideas and suggestions about creative, effective, and strategic initiatives and efforts by schools and programs. We invite you to participate in the short survey below.  


For questions or suggestions regarding the accreditation process for Columbia University, please email [email protected].